Another luxury car for PM’s office

The Editor: People who buy Rolex and other fine watches most likely do not buy two, due to the cost involved and the fact that these quality watches are built to last more than a lifetime. The same applies to luxury automobiles.  Just over three years ago former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday bought two Mercedes Benz Luxury Sedans totalling more than $1 million from the public purse.  He barely got to use them as his party and Government collapsed under the weight of corruption. 

We can all remember how he grudgingly gave up these cars and official residence almost three months after Patrick Manning was declared Prime Minister by the president. Now barely two years as duly elected prime minister and about three years since the Benzes were acquired, Prime Minister Manning has acquired an Audi A6 to add to the prime minister’s fleet at a cost of $600,000. According to reports, the new vehicle has had the registration number PBS 1 reserved for it although the PBR series still has a thousand vehicles to run to the end. Something seems wrong with this. Mr Manning can move about the country in these luxury cars at ease on the public tab.  Meanwhile ordinary people are ketching their “nennen” to pay taxi fares and worse, access proper public transport.  Traditional taxis and maxi-taxis increased their fares exhorbitantly in the wake of his ill-advised increased in gas prices during the last budget presentation. 

Public transport is no relief to the suffering masses as the PTSC fleet has been reduced from 300 buses in the 1980s to just over 30  at present. Mr Manning must explain to the population why his office needs another expensive luxury vehicle while the two “Panday Benzes” are still in good order.  An expensive and childish Trini trait of showing off with new vehicles and new number plates seem to have crept into the Prime Minister’s office.

Mc Donald James
Couva