I’m the best man to replace Roger, says Dwayne Vaz
SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — At 33, Westmoreland native Dwayne Vaz believes that he is the best person to continue the work of the late Roger Clarke in the constituency of Central Westmoreland.
Vaz, an entrepreneur, is one of three aspirants vying to get the nod of approval from People’s National Party (PNP) delegates at this Saturday’s selection conference set for the Manning’s School in Savanna-la-Mar.
The others are former Cabinet member and ex-member of Parliament for Central Westmoreland Karl Blythe, and attorney Michael Erskine.
The successful applicant will represent the party in the impending by-election for the constituency to fill the void left by Clarke’s death in August.
The Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has already selected financial consultant Faye Jacobs to contest the seat, which has been dominated by the ruling PNP over the years.
“I have always had the ambition and the aspiration to enter representational politics. Of course, I would not have imagined that it would have come up now… but because of the sudden passing of Comrade Clarke I have decided to put my hat in the ring,” Vaz told the Jamaica Observer on the weekend.
“It [representational politics] is something that I have spoken to him [Clarke] about at length and he has always encouraged me and has said that he would love to see me reach that stage one day. So right now that is an opportunity for me, so I am not going to sit and see a window open and don’t try, because I understand how people view me in the constituency, and I know that people associate me with the politics, and as a young person they always say that they would love to see someone as young as me come in, because they are looking at sustainable development… so the Comrades believe that I am that person, and I know that I am quite capable and competent to continue where Mr Clarke left off,” Vaz said.
A graduate of the University of the West Indies, Vaz, who holds an MBA from the University of New Orleans, worked as a community development officer at the Social Development Commission (SDC) between 2003 and 2006 in several communities in Central Westmoreland .
“During that time I grew to appreciate and learn the rigours of the constituency,” he emphasised.
Vaz’s interaction with the constituents significantly increased in 2009 when he was appointed Clarke’s constituency development officer, which involved the development of programmes to be funded from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Prior to that, Vaz was the PNP Youth Organisation chairman for Westmoreland, a position he held for almost 10 years.
The founder and operator of Flexi Financing and Consultancy Agency and Estelar Global Services — both located in Savanna-la-Mar — Vaz believes that his entry into representational politics will attract more young people into politics.
“In recent times, a number of youths have been turned off politics, but I think that my introduction into representational politics will bring a level of traction for a lot of these youths who are not PNP or JLP… just to see somebody of their age group, somebody of their kind entering politics will make them feel comfortable and want to participate in the process,” he argued.
Considered a “safe PNP seat”, Central Westmoreland was won by Clarke in the 2007 General Elections when he beat the Jamaica Labour Party’s candidate Russell Hammond by over 1,800 votes. In the December 2011 polls Clarke increased his margin of victory to 3,042 votes.
He had previously held the North East St Elizabeth seat from his party between 1991 and 2007.
The constituency encompasses Westmoreland’s parish capital, Savanna-la-Mar, the sugar cane belt of Frome, Whithorn, Smithfield, Cornwall Mountain, Haddo, Petersfield and several other small districts.
Vaz said should he become member of parliament, his number one priority will be to address the deplorable road conditions.
“The first thing is the roads, and that is something that Comrade Clarke has always lobbied for,” he said, adding that a recent poll undertaken in the constituency showed that 77 per cent of respondents disclosed that the poor state of roads is their number one concern.
The regularisation of informal settlements, regular consultations with the constituents, development of a number of sporting and education programmes, the further development of the parish’s agricultural sector and the provision of potable water for several districts are also down for attention.
In the meantime, Vaz said, he has started to meet with PNP delegates to reinforce the need for them to select him as the party’s representative.
“I already have a good relationship with them and they see me as the future of the constituency, so I am just going to meet with them
and let them know that I am still offering myself,” he emphasised.