While the Ministry of Justice does not appear on the Government's list of "ministries which may require rough-terrain vehicles", it has 11.

At least one ministry has admitted that the purchase of high-end motor vehicles has hit the country where it hurts: in the coffers.

"(It has been) recognised as a shortcoming and it is something that we are looking to correct," said Wayne Robertson, director of administration and asset manage-ment in the Ministry of Local Government and Environment. Mr. Robertson revealed that his recommendation to purchase motor cars for fleet drivers instead of SUVs has been accepted. However, he said that the nature of the work undertaken by the Ministry of Local Government does create the need for rough-terrain vehicles. Still, he admitted that SUVs were not needed to deliver mail, which is a current practice.

He also noted that provision has been made in the ministry's budgetary allocation for the financial year that began last week Sunday to procure tracking devices for the vehicles owned by the ministry. This move, Mr. Robertson explained, is to prevent theft. Already, two vehicles under the ministry's portfolio have been stolen. A 2006 Toyota Landcruiser was stolen at gunpoint from Permanent Secretary Devon Rowe at his home, while a 2006 Toyota Hilux belonging to the Meteorological Division was also stolen. Neither of the vehicles has been recovered.

While the Ministry of Justice does not appear on the Government's list of "ministries which may require rough-terrain vehicles", it has 11. Permanent Secretary in that Ministry, Carol Palmer, told The Sunday Gleaner that the list in circulation, which appears in the Government's Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Policy, is archaic and needs to be amended. She explained that approval for the purchase of all vehicles, including the SUVs, was received from the Finance Ministry.

Mrs. Palmer pointed out that only three of the 11 SUVs are used for daily operations while the other seven are assigned to qualified officials such as judges.

Mrs. Palmer defended the use of SUVs to transport equipment needed for the maintenance of the courts as well as plumbing supplies, "Yes, it is justified," she insisted. "It is not a frivolous operation that we run here." She said all but one of the ministry's SUVs use diesel fuel, which is cheaper than gasolene and is said to be more efficient.

Mrs. Palmer, who was driving her own vehicle at the time of the ATI request in January, was assigned an SUV last month. She stated that her decision to acquire an SUV was not a fashion statement. She stressed that she needs to be able to get to the Ministry in cases of emergency caused by natural disasters. Additionally, Mrs. Palmer said that she needed a female-friendly vehicle that can take on the terrible road conditions. "As a woman, I need a vehicle on which I can rely," she said.

Mrs. Palmer made it clear that she was not justifying the actions of the entire public sector. "I don't know what other people do," she said. Mrs. Palmer also gave the assurance that her ministry would not be purchasing anymore SUVs because the current complement would suffice.

In addition to its SUVs, the Ministry of Justice has four 5-series BMWs and two S60 T5 Volvos.

Glibert Scott, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, also justified his ministry's decision to purchase the 21 fuel-devouring SUVs that are a part of its internal fleet. He argued that the bottom line is not panache but durability. "You have to get vehicles appropriate for usage," he said.

While conceding that SUVs consumed more petrol than cars, Mr. Scott pointed out that when purchasing a vehicle, "the nature of our roads and terrain" were factors that must be taken into consideration.