Free National Movement Chairman Charles Maynard said yesterday that before being voted out of office the Ingraham administration ordered one new vehicle for the prime minister, contrary to the Progressive Liberal Party's (PLP) claim that the former government ordered 12.
A recent article published in the Punch newspaper claimed that the Christie administration had acquired 12 new vehicles at a cost of $750,000.
The PLP issued a statement denying that accusation and claimed that the previous administration had "ordered, authorized and committed" to those vehicles approximately two months ago.
"The inconvenient truth is that the vehicles in question were ordered, authorized and committed by the former administration," the PLP claimed.
"The existing fleet assigned to cabinet ministers was poorly maintained by the former administration and many of the vehicles are in rundown conditions. This seems to be a pattern with the FNM."
However, Maynard said that accusation "baffled" the FNM.
Maynard also said he was not sure why the new administration would deny the purchase, as it was reasonable for a few new vehicles to be acquired for new ministers.
The most recent Ingraham Cabinet had 17 members, four fewer than the 21 ministers appointed by Prime Minister Perry Christie.
"Our investigation is that they purchased six new vehicles -- two for parliamentary secretaries and four for the new cabinet ministers," Maynard said.
"We're advised that the price tag for those vehicles is about a quarter of a million dollars. It should have been very easy for them to say it was six and not 12.
"They are afraid that additional questions would be asked about the cost of others things needed to satisfy the needs of the additional ministers."
The FNM chairman insisted that the Opposition has done its research on the issue.

PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts declined to comment on the matter yesterday.

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