And what some folks are watching is the invitation for bids for 28 new vehicles supplied to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It's being scrutinized in the context of government being broke - and some are questioning how a broke government can buy 28 new vehicles for one ministry.
Well, actually, they are for the police department, which is much in need of a new fleet of vehicles - so much so that it's compromising their operational functions. The Compol told us how it may end up being cost-neutral:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"We have a fleet of vehicles that we received in 2019, that fleet of vehicle has spent its time. They are now in a dilapidated state. The fleet we got before that was in 2016, the [Isuzu] D-Max we got from the embassy, and the D-Max, likewise, have done their time. If you look at these vehicles, some of them, the panel that's supposed to hold the lights is so gone that some of these vehicles are running around without any lights. These vehicles are in and out of the garage and it is costing us a fortune to maintain them. So what we're doing is that we're putting out a tender to get a new fleet of vehicles. Now it is not a situation where the government will have to find the two point something million dollars to purchase these vehicles. But what we will do is that our annual recurrent budget, the monies that would have been used to maintain these old fleet of vehicles is what we will be paying the company for these vehicles. So we'll pay them over a two-year period for the vehicle from our recurrent budget. The government dont have to find the money now to purchase the vehicles, we are doing it in such a way that it is no loss to the government, because if we have the new fleet of vehicles, our maintenance cost will be significantly less. So the money we will save from that is what is going to pay for the vehicles."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Would you say the state of the vehicles fleet has operationally limited the police department?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Of course, significantly. As a matter of fact we do have some places that do not have any vehicles right now and likewise too the current fleet that we have will be sold along with all the other old vehicles that the police have and the monies made from those will be use towards the payment of the new fleet of vehicles as well."
Reporter
"Will Greatwall brands be considered this time?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I cannot say that at this time, because we have a tender process, so they will be allowed to tender and then the tendering committee is going to look at not only the best offer in terms of price, but we need to look at what is the best suited vehicle for police use."
