Gov’t purchased 81 vehicles in four years, future purchases frozen – Premier
Alex Holder - BVI News Staff Reporter - Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 at 4:16 PM
Government has purchased 81 new vehicles over the past four years. This was announced by Premier and Finance Minister Ralph T. O’Neal in the House of Assembly today.
According to the Premier the number has been kept at a minimum through a series of ‘bureaucratic procedures put in place by the administration in safeguard against the prospect of abuse.
He told the House of Assembly, in response to questions from the Opposition Leader Dr. Orlando Smith, that 12 of these vehicles went to the Police Force, one each to the Commercial Court, House of Assembly, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Natural Resources & Labour, the BVI Fishing Complex, Conservation and Fisheries, Finance Ministry, Audit Department, and the Governor’s Office as well as the Deputy Governor’s Office.
The Water and Sewerage department got 14 vehicles, 13 of which were replacements, while the Public Works Department got 17 replacement vehicles.
Two vehicles went to Inland Revenue, the Ministry of Education, the Premier’s Office, Cabinet Office, and the Ministry of Communication and Works, respectively.
Another three new vehicles went to the Education Department, Customs Department, the Treasury, respectively.
The Solid Waste Department got four replacement vehicles, and the list goes on.
“There has been a freeze on purchase of vehicles and it is very difficult to get to purchase a new vehicle because there is a lot of red tape because government intends to buckle on this high budged for vehicles and ensure that what we have is taken care of,” the Finance Minister said.
He added that the Financial Secretary has on many occasions made the persons responsible for accidents and damage to the vehicles pay for the repairs through leans on their wages.
Dr. Smith had asked the Premier to tell the House how many of those vehicles were bought for use by Ministers of Government, but the Premier could not provide a direct answer.
“I can only say, in that respect, that if a vehicle has been purchased for the Ministry of Education of Public Works or Communications, I can only assume that the Minister for the department will use it. In the case of the Premier’s office I had to get a driver even if I was not given a car. I don’t know exactly what is done. If they use the vehicle for the ministry or they use their own vehicle. I really can’t give that information because I don’t know,” the Premier Said.
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i heard when ndp lost they cancelled those range rovers that they had ordered the next day
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