They are two senior public servants deeply connected to the finances of government but last night the Assistant Commissioner of Sales Tax Audrey Moss and Gloria Garcia an economist at the Central Bank slept in the same cell as common criminals at the Queen Street Police Station and this was all for neglecting to pay a $55 traffic ticket.
Both women separately appeared in the City Council's Municipal Court this morning where they paid the $55 fine and were released. We reached Moss at the Sales Tax Office and she expressed her dissatisfaction with the ordeal but refused further comment.
Meanwhile Gloria Garcia was out for the day at the Central Bank but 7NEWS understands her story is that she never got the traffic ticket nor did she receive the three summonses to appear in court. She only inquired at the police station last night after she heard there was a warrant for her arrest and that is when she was detained until this morning.
We note that the police cannot exercise discretion In giving bail on bench warrants. The new traffic rules passed into law through a statutory instrument on January 1st made failure a pay a traffic ticket in effect a criminal offense.