PNP defends vehicle purchases, says the JLP depleted gov't fleet

Jerome Reynolds, Gleaner Writer

The People’s National Party (PNP) has taken to the social media websites Twitter and Facebook to defend the Government’s acquisition of 30 new high-end vehicles at a cost of $60 million.

There has been much public outcry about the purchase which has been called excessive and unwarranted.

But in its postings today the PNP said the Administration had to resort to buying the high-end SUVs because previous ministers under the Jamaica Labour Party Government sold 30 vehicles to former ministers and senior civil servants, "severely depleting" the Government’s fleet.

It was noted, however, that the sale was done in keeping with the Government’s policy on the disposal of motor vehicles at the end of the tenure of an Administration or a Civil Servants.

The PNP further said the Government had to buy new vehicles as some ministers have been using their personal cars to carry out the country’s business.

The party also stresses that the Administration took the country’s fiscal constraints into consideration saying that is why the acquisition of the new motor vehicles was done in bulk to secure a significant discount.

According to the PNP, this move has saved the government millions of dollars.

Last week, the Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller also defended the move, saying Government Ministers needed reliable vehicles to do their job.

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