The Daily Prism

In a stunning political upset that has resonated across the island, Ann Marie Vaz, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament for Portland Eastern, was unseated by People’s National Party (PNP) newcomer and prominent attorney, Isat Buchanan, in the 2025 general election. The defeat hands the PNP a key constituency and sends shockwaves through a community that widely viewed Vaz as a diligent and effective representative.

The official election results confirmed the victory for Buchanan, turning what many considered a secure JLP seat into a decisive win for the PNP. The outcome is a bitter blow for Vaz, who was lauded by many of her constituents for her hands-on approach and visible community projects, earning her a reputation as a “hardworking MP.”

The Official Post-Mortem: A Failure of Numbers

In a recent interview with TVJ, Ann Marie Vaz’s husband, Daryl Vaz, provided a candid analysis of his wife’s unexpected defeat. He stated that politics is about numbers and getting out the vote on election day. He revealed that in a review of the results, her strongest division, Montlee, only yielded a lead of 325 votes. According to him, that same division had produced a lead of between 600 and 800 votes in the three previous elections since 2019.

Vaz acknowledged the Port Antonio and Prospect divisions as traditional PNP strongholds, but he avoided assigning direct blame for the low turnout in JLP support bases. “I don’t want to ascribe blame to why the votes never came out from the JLP strong support divisions, who did what and whatever happen,” he said. He concluded that “politics is about numbers,” and if their numbers had come out, they would have been victorious. In a powerful statement, he asserted that “they lost the seat, PNP didn’t win it.” He confirmed that Ann Marie is disappointed given the hard work she put in.

A Public Farewell: Ann Marie Vaz’s Statement

Following the loss, Ann Marie Vaz took to her Instagram account to address her constituents. She thanked her “EastPortland family for putting your trust in me over the last 6 years.” She affirmed that the constituency is her home and that she is “confident and proud to say that I gave it my all each and every day.”

Vaz reflected on her time in office, stating, “I saw the struggles, and understood them first hand. I worked hard to improve the lives of each and every person in this constituency – to make it the absolute best it could be.” She concluded her message by accepting the result: “Although this is not the result we hoped for the people have made their choice and I accept that. I am grateful for my time spent serving you in #EastPortland.”

The Impact of a National Campaign and Local Rumors

While supporters point to Vaz’s tangible work in the constituency, a different narrative was circulating on the ground. A key element of the PNP’s campaign were widespread rumors and allegations that struck a chord with voters’ deep-seated concerns.

The most prominent of these was the claim that Vaz intended to privatize Boston Beach. This allegation resonated powerfully due to the sensitive issue of public beach access in Jamaica. Compounding the issue, a fee was charged to enter the beach, and our research has uncovered that the local concessioner for the public beach is Colin Bell, who was the official PNP caretaker for the Eastern Portland constituency until his resignation in September 2024. This created a clear political conflict of interest. The rumor served as a potent political weapon for the opposition, positioning the PNP as the defenders of a beloved public space and fueling public fear.

The Voice from a Local Resident

The impact of this campaign is best understood through the words of the very people it affected. A long-term resident of Eastern Portland, whose voice was captured in a widely circulated video, offered a candid assessment of the outcome.

The speaker acknowledged the result by stating, “I respect the electoral process, while there are issues that is for the legal heads to deal with.” She continued, saying she would “not say nothing negative about Isat, because Isat did what he have to do to win because a suh election goes.” The resident’s voice gave credence to the rumors and allegations, adding, “Isat told lies and who collect money from him it work for him.”

The resident also offered a glimpse into the local sentiment surrounding Vaz’s defeat, saying, “I don’t understand it…Ann Marie was always here. She was building, she was helping. This is a big loss for the people of Portland Eastern.” She went on to state that the low turnout at a key meeting showed a lack of support, saying, “if it was give away a lot of people would be there.”

The resident’s deepest feelings were reserved for Vaz, whom she praised for her non-partisan work. Comparing Vaz to previous MPs, the speaker said Vaz “came work hard and help everyone regardless of PNP or JLP,” suggesting a selfless approach to leadership that voters ultimately did not reward.