Did Jamaica get a good fire trucks deal?
My attention has been almost fixed on an article written by Mr Ian K Levy some weeks ago, about a seeming excessive cost of acquiring fire trucks, and by his estimate, something that will cost Jamaica more than $1 billion extra.
Time has passed, and we are yet to see Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond Mckenzie comment on what the veteran businessman has said. One way of looking at that situation, is that there might be some truth to it.
Mckenzie reported in Parliament late November that 30 American manufactured left-hand drive Rosenbauer Timberwolf fire trucks had been procured, through National Safety Ltd, ahead of the 30 German manufactured, righthand drive Magirus fire trucks proposed by Ian K (Agencies) Ltd.
According to Levy, the
German trucks, all things considered, not only cost far less, but were built to be far more suitable for Jamaica’s terrain. It came down to US$23.7 million for the 30 American trucks, including taxes, fees, etc, as against US$18.2 million for the German trucks, inclusive of taxes, fees, spare parts, servicing, technical training of Jamaicans, warranty, and other things
We are also told that the Board of the Jamaica Fire Brigade was not involved in the negotiations, or the final decision to purchase, which seems strange.
Something doesn’t add up here. Why would the Government, in a time like this, with resources scarcer than a real Santa Claus, spend J$1 billion more on fire trucks – items which, according to an expert in the business, are inferior, and not good for Jamaican conditions?
Minister Mckenzie has some explaining to do.