Vaz says sorry as pressure mounts over singing of violence-laden Vybz Kartel song

The embattled Central Westmoreland MP Dwayne Vaz has issued a statement saying sorry even as he seeks to make it clear he was not inciting violence when he uttered the words of a Vybz Kartel dancehall song while addressing a People's National Party (PNP) mass meeting in Mount Salem, Montego Bay on Thursday evening.

According to Vaz, he was in no way suggesting any form of violent reaction to an earlier fire at a PNP office in Montego Bay.

"That is not what I am about and not what this party is about and I was simply referencing a song that happens to unfortunately contain lyrics that appear to speak to gang behaviour and for this I apologise to everyone," he said.

SEE STATEMENT FROM VAZ BELOW:
"My miming of a song has been completely misconstrued and those who may have heard me doing this during the playing of lyrics of the song Wah Dem Feel Like by the incarcerated Vybz Kartel, have misunderstood the context.

While I definitely do not condone the actions that led to the confinement of the referenced artiste, his artistry did find fondness in my musical collection and I have asked for his music to be played on occasions.

My repeating the words of the song was only in reference to loading our supporters into vehicles to go to mass meetings as we normally do and so I want to make it abundantly clear that there was no intent on my part with regards to anything to do with violence or encouraging violence, or for any form of retaliation.

This is not me. I did not say or meant to say anything about weaponry in a negative or violence prone way. I also made it clear in my presentation that I was in no way blaming anyone for the fire and so any coincidental or misunderstood conjoined comment about weapons was definitely not done encouraging any of my supporters or anyone supporting the People’s National Party toward any type of violence.

That is not what I am about and not what this Party is about and I was simply referencing a song that happens to unfortunately contain lyrics that appear to speak to gang behaviour and for this I apologise to everyone."