Paulwell calls for transparency amid Starlink procurement breach flagged by Auditor General

The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) says it is seriously concerned following reports that Energy and Telecommunications Minister Daryl Vaz has been flagged in a report by the Auditor General’s Department for breaching government procurement guidelines in the purchase of Starlink satellite devices in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

According to the PNP, the matter underscores growing questions about transparency, accountability, and the management of public resources.

According to the Auditor General’s report, published yesterday, Vaz proceeded with the acquisition of Starlink units outside established procurement procedures, triggering scrutiny from oversight bodies tasked with protecting the integrity of public spending.

Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis flagged as a breach of procurement rules actions taken by senior Cabinet minister Daryl Vaz in relation to the purchase of 200 Starlink devices valued at $12.12 million.

Monroe Ellis reported that Vaz, acting in his capacity as co-chair of the Relief and Recovery Oversight Committee, improperly directed a disaster relief agency to engage a single supplier for the procurement.

The auditor general said the move violated established procurement procedures, which require such actions to be initiated by the head of the procuring entity.

According to the audit, correspondence showed that the procurement was initiated by a letter from Vaz dated November 13, 2025, addressed to the Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPEM).

The letter instructed that payment be made for 200 fourth-generation Starlink Mini devices to a supplier identified in the report as “Supplier No. 1.”

ODPEM subsequently submitted two invoices from the supplier dated November 11, 2025, totalling $12.12 million before tax.

Monroe Ellis stated that Vaz’s involvement breached Section 20 of the Public Procurement Act, 2015, which assigns sole responsibility for procurement activities to the head of the procuring entity.

The PNP described the situation as particularly troubling, given the safeguards procurement rules are designed to provide.

Spokesperson on Energy and Telecommunications, Phillip Paulwell, said the issue is further complicated by the minister’s own public statements.

Paulwell noted that on November 1, 2025, Vaz announced that Jamaica had received 700 Starlink units as a donation in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, presenting the devices as emergency support for national connectivity.

“Jamaicans are entitled to clear and consistent answers,” Paulwell said. “If 700 Starlink units were declared as a donation, the public must now be told why a subsequent purchase process has been flagged for breaching procurement guidelines. Transparency cannot be selective.”

Paulwell stressed that access to telecommunications is critical for disaster response, education, commerce, and national resilience.

“Because these services are so essential, decisions surrounding them must be unimpeachable and fully compliant with the law,” he said.

He reiterated the Opposition’s call for the establishment of a broad-based oversight committee to strengthen transparency and accountability across government.

“Incidents like this highlight exactly why independent, cross-sector oversight is necessary. Jamaicans at home and abroad deserve confidence that public resources are managed with integrity, particularly during periods of national recovery.”

The Opposition is calling for full disclosure of all approvals, costs, and processes related to the acquisition of the Starlink devices.

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