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Vehicles for gov't ministers in other Caribbean countries
7:11 pm, Thu November 29, 2012
With all the furore over the purchase of J$60 million worth of sports utility vehicles, for Cabinet Ministers in Jamaica, RJR News has been checking how Government ministers in other Caribbean countries deal with the issue of government vehicles.
A check of five Caribbean states revealed several different practices and policies but luxury vehicles appear to be a common reality.
RJR News made checks with Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana and Suriname.
In Trinidad the Prime Minister usually has a fleet of vehicles at disposal for official duties.
They are said to be top of the line vehicles: Mercedes Benz or Toyota Royal Saloon.
Tinidadian ministers use fairly high end vehicles, bought by the ministries - SUV's such as Nissan Pathfinders, Toyota Pradas or sedans like a Nissan Maxima.
These vehicles are changed every five years but unlike ministers in Jamaica those in the twin island republic cannot buy them.
Instead the vehicles are sold via a public auction.
Trinidadian minsters do however get loans to buy personal vehicles and they do not have to pay taxes or customs duties for them.
In Barbados, a car is only provided for the Prime Minister.
Ministers and senior civil servants get interest free car loans.
The chief justice and other judges are provided with cars which they're allowed to purchase when leaving office.
In Grenada, the prime minister, police commissioner, senior judges, and the governor general we are told, are pretty much the only ones with government vehicles.
Grenadian cabinet ministers are not provided with vehicles but they do receive a 100% duty free concession to purchase a vehicle.
Other public officers in Grenada receive a 50 percent concession and a travelling allowance of 600 Eastern Caribbean dollars - that's just over 20-thousand Jamaican dollars per month.
Grenadian ministers or civil servants who get concessions have the option of changing the vehicle after four years.
Our checks in Guyana revealed that Cabinet ministers who are ruling party members are assigned vehicles once every three to five years.
Along with other senior civil servants, Guyanese cabinet ministers may also get 100 percent duty free concession to buy vehicles.
Guyana goes further.
The opposition leader is entitled to a state vehicle.
Guyanese MP's are entitled to duty free concessions to buy private vehicles.
Regional chairman, that is district or parish top officials are entitled to state vehicles.
The ruling party in Guyana allows its officials to change their vehicles, but the opposition controlled districts are not given state funds to buy new vehicles as often as those tied to the ruling party.
Ministers or civil servants can buy the vehicles after three year period but they can only sell them after 2 years because if they do so before, they have to pay the taxes
In Suriname, every new government buys new vehicles the president and vice president both get American made Chevy SUV's.
7:11 pm, Thu November 29, 2012
With all the furore over the purchase of J$60 million worth of sports utility vehicles, for Cabinet Ministers in Jamaica, RJR News has been checking how Government ministers in other Caribbean countries deal with the issue of government vehicles.
A check of five Caribbean states revealed several different practices and policies but luxury vehicles appear to be a common reality.
RJR News made checks with Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana and Suriname.
In Trinidad the Prime Minister usually has a fleet of vehicles at disposal for official duties.
They are said to be top of the line vehicles: Mercedes Benz or Toyota Royal Saloon.
Tinidadian ministers use fairly high end vehicles, bought by the ministries - SUV's such as Nissan Pathfinders, Toyota Pradas or sedans like a Nissan Maxima.
These vehicles are changed every five years but unlike ministers in Jamaica those in the twin island republic cannot buy them.
Instead the vehicles are sold via a public auction.
Trinidadian minsters do however get loans to buy personal vehicles and they do not have to pay taxes or customs duties for them.
In Barbados, a car is only provided for the Prime Minister.
Ministers and senior civil servants get interest free car loans.
The chief justice and other judges are provided with cars which they're allowed to purchase when leaving office.
In Grenada, the prime minister, police commissioner, senior judges, and the governor general we are told, are pretty much the only ones with government vehicles.
Grenadian cabinet ministers are not provided with vehicles but they do receive a 100% duty free concession to purchase a vehicle.
Other public officers in Grenada receive a 50 percent concession and a travelling allowance of 600 Eastern Caribbean dollars - that's just over 20-thousand Jamaican dollars per month.
Grenadian ministers or civil servants who get concessions have the option of changing the vehicle after four years.
Our checks in Guyana revealed that Cabinet ministers who are ruling party members are assigned vehicles once every three to five years.
Along with other senior civil servants, Guyanese cabinet ministers may also get 100 percent duty free concession to buy vehicles.
Guyana goes further.
The opposition leader is entitled to a state vehicle.
Guyanese MP's are entitled to duty free concessions to buy private vehicles.
Regional chairman, that is district or parish top officials are entitled to state vehicles.
The ruling party in Guyana allows its officials to change their vehicles, but the opposition controlled districts are not given state funds to buy new vehicles as often as those tied to the ruling party.
Ministers or civil servants can buy the vehicles after three year period but they can only sell them after 2 years because if they do so before, they have to pay the taxes
In Suriname, every new government buys new vehicles the president and vice president both get American made Chevy SUV's.
huh? people in Suzuki Swift's don't get run off of the road...I don't get you?
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