Vaz says action speaks louder than speeches

Ann-Marie Vaz admits that standing on a stage with a microphone in hand never came naturally to her, but insists that nerves and stage fright have never prevented her from serving the people of Portland Eastern with "heart and soul".

Addressing supporters in Port Antonio Square last Saturday, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate dismissed critics who often point to her public speaking as a weakness, declaring that her performance as member of parliament is measured not in words but in action.

"I have overcome decades of being unable to stand on a stage and hold a mic," she said, adding that her decision to enter representational politics was motivated solely by her desire to serve.

"When you called for me to come to East Portland, I never jump up because I wasn't looking no title. You know what? The most important title for me is mother. So I wasn't looking no title. What I was looking is to ensure that if [and] when I made the decision to come here that I would give it 100 per cent of my heart and soul," she said.

Since entering representational politics in 2019, Vaz has faced constant jabs about her delivery, but she has turned the criticism into a rallying cry. She coined phrases such as "Beautiful speaking cyah put food pan table", in response to her detractors.

"Beautiful speaking cyah put wata ina pipe! Beautiful speaking cyah build road! A action do dat," she said.

She claimed that her opponents underestimate her "when they believe that you can't hold a mic and perform like them".

On Saturday, she boasted that her record speaks for itself, pointing to infrastructure upgrades, expanded access to water, and the introduction of a school bus system as tangible improvements under her watch.

Vaz, who first stunned political observers with her 2019 by-election victory over Damion Crawford and followed up with a decisive win in 2020 over Purcell Jackson in a seat long considered a strong People's National Party territory, now faces a fresh challenge from popular attorney-at-law Isat Buchanan.

"So you see in front of my East Portland family, that don't care if I'm speaking beautiful or not, you know what I know? Unno love me, and me love unno," she said.