No first preference; Gov't ministers now required to bid for vehicles

Members of the Andrew Holness administration will no longer have first preference to purchase the motor vehicles assigned to them after three years.

According to government sources, the ban was imposed by the prime minister, who told members of his Cabinet that the country’s finances could no longer accommodate this practice.

It comes amid reports that several members of the last People’s National Party administration spent $19.6 million to purchase the vehicles assigned to them, three years after the government spent $64 million to acquire them.

It is reported that ten members of the Jamaica Labour Party administration that demitted office in 2011 also purchased the vehicles assigned to them.

The Gleaner/Power106 news centre understands that under the new arrangement, the sale of vehicles assigned to ministers will be auctioned like others in the fleet, but members of the executive will be allowed to bid on them.

In the meantime, there are reports that the Andrew Holness administration has spent $115 million to purchase motor vehicles for ministers.

However, government sources say no new vehicle has been purchased for Holness.

It’s reported that the most expensive vehicle was a 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser valued at $8.8 million, while the cheapest was a 2016 Mitsubshi Pajero acquired at a cost of $6.4 million.