Senator asks PM to explain diversion of relief helicopter

Opposition Senator Robert Montague has invited the Prime Minister to clarify claims that she caused a Jamaica Defence Force helicopter with hurricane relief items for marooned St Thomas residents to be diverted to Portland and St Elizabeth to take her to two speaking engagements.

"Some mischievous, malicious bad-minded people are saying it was the PM that was on board,” Montague said in the Senate today.

He would continue the rhetoric: “No, no, no sir, not my Prime Minister! She loves poor people more than that."

Montague however commended the Prime Minister for her management of the hurricane Sandy response efforts.

"Based on what was happening before, if the PM didn't return on Tuesday, the situation could have been worse," he said.

According to Montague, the minister of local government Noel Arscott either fell down or fell asleep on the job of coordinating the Hurricane Sandy response.

He said a sense of coordination only became evident when Simpson Miller returned from Canada.

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