Will PM take the mercedes?

PM's 2013 Mercedes Benz S500

As of Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Prime Minister Perry Christie

By CHESTER ROBARDS

Tribune Senior Reporter

crobards@tribunemedia.net

WILL the Prime Minister trade in the old Kia for the new, big-bodied Benz? He said he’s still looking into it.

When asked yesterday if he would use the $185,000 2013 Mercedes Benz purchased by the former government for the office of the Prime Minister, Prime Minister Perry Christie said he is still weighing the option.

He said, however, that his current official vehicle is inferior to even those of his cabinet ministers.

Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, whose government purchased the Mercedes Benz, said during an interview with a local radio station yesterday that the vehicle was purchased out of necessity, as the Prime Minister’s vehicle had begun to succumb to wear and tear.

“When I came to office in 1992 the Prime Minister of the Bahamas had a Mercedes Benz, a Jaguar and a BMW,” he said in the interview.

“After a while both of them gave problems and we bought a Lincoln Town Car – a compact one – and that lasted until 2002.

“Before I left office we bought a brand new Lincoln stretch car for the new Prime Minister – I was not going to be in office – never ridden in by me and was available for Mr Christie when he became Prime Minister. And, of course, that car continued in the system until 2007 when I came back to office.

“(The Mercedes Benz) had nothing to do with me in terms of cost. I made no decision about cost. It was determined that the Prime Minister would get a Mercedes Benz having had a Lincoln, having had a Jaguar, having had a BMW.”

Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis suggested to The Tribune recently that Mr Christie should do away with the 2012 Kia Cadenza V6 that currently jets him around town, in favour of the Benz.

“...since it was bought for the office, I think he should use it,” said Mr Davis.

The Tribune has learned that the new 2013 Mercedes is now in the possession of the police, who have outfitted the vehicle with cameras and a police siren.

The Tribune also learned from sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to sit in the car, that the interior “smells of fresh leather” and that it is outfitted with a wine cooler.

The use of such a vehicle has raised eyebrows amongst some political observers who believe that it would be in poor taste for the PM to use such a vehicle during such tough economic times.

Tribune242.com readers chimed in yesterday with mixed reviews on the Prime Minister riding in such opulence.

Jackflash said: “I don’t have a problem with it. I do have a problem with the preacher man driving a flash car and adorned with all kind of Bling. But it seems that is OK.”

Meanwhile VinceP said: “I’m sorry Mr. Davis, but I’m disappointed that you would even suggest that the PM use this car. Clearly the former PM had no conscience when it came to wasting tax payers money, and frankly there is no way to justify keeping that vehicle with the current financial state of the government. If I’m not mistaken, I’ve seen the PM being driven around in a very nice vehicle.”

More like this story

TalRussell 12 years, 1 month ago

C'mon Comrades you can't be serious with all this; "will he, or will he not sit back what we all have to acknowledge is one mighty fine looking motor car?"

Are you now telling the natives that they were all an uninformed bunch of fools for voting your rotten backsides from the seats of high power?

It is good that PM Christie has come to his job with a Big Heart. This is good, cause the natives done know he can't improve everything and that he will work his heart out for all of Bahamaland. No one man in one term, much less 100 plus days, could possibly be expected to bring our Bahamalamd back from the brink of economic and social mess, left behind by the red shirts. No, Comrades, no one man.

The Benz done here and on we $5 Billion interest paying credit card, so it sure beats the hell out cruising around Nassau Town in the back seat some cramped KIA Sedan. And, you know something Comrades, decent comfort will be good for the PM to be thinking and planning how properly fix the things he can fix and drop off to the Mail Boat all the major ones him can't fix just now, shipping them back to the man who created them in the first place, he former law partner, the lawyer/fisherman up in Cooper's Town.

Comrades best you government fleet maintenance workers, prep and gas up Hubert's "humble" Benz dream car, that the natives made damn sure on Decision Day 2012 him royal backside pork would never come into contact with that genuine cow-hide leather back seat, having no worry about Hubert Royal backside sliding itself all over its fineness, so I say the "new" Prime Minister deserves to 'tink in decent comfort," for all Bahamaland. Them pot holes gotta be some taxing headaches, he "inherited" from he former law partner.

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2012…

PKMShack 12 years, 1 month ago

Tal Russll you stay up in HAI BEHIND, Like many say around here, You like Man eh? The country has bigger issues to worry about rather than a car.

242 12 years, 1 month ago

I think Tal Russell is female about the same age as HAI and PC and had a crush on HAI back in High School but he didnt want her, so she settled for and dated PC....so she is still angry with HAI to this day! Old and Bitter Ms.Tal Russel.... I challenge you to tell me I lie Ms. Russel

Bril 12 years, 1 month ago

Again Bahamians miss the point. The issue really isn't about our PM driving a nice car or who ordered it. We all want our PM whoever that may be to represent our country in style. Where I disagree with this is how the FNM loves to say its so conservative and financially responsible and then they go ahead and order a car for nearly $200,000. Why not a car for $100,000? Its ridiculous. $185,000 is the cost of a low cost home and many Bahamians are struggling to make it. Then they will holla oh we don't have enough for our Out Island Schools and the Met Office and the other necessary things we truly need to build our country.

Like I said before we can have nice things for our leaders but we as people need to demand more from them. Their behaviors are appalling, they don't get things done and still we must have them riding around in luxury items at our expense. I'm sorry but I cannot agree with that. Politics aside any Bahamian with good sense would say this is a bunch of rubbish.

spoitier 12 years, 1 month ago

I'm not going to sit back and say he shouldn't drive around in a nice car, maybe one that is a little less expensive but certainly not a Kia, but there is bigger problems to solve than a $185,000 car for the prime minister.

TalRussell 12 years, 1 month ago

Why you red shirts so damn comical, coming on here to show your true colors.

I think it's an insult for the media to be asking PM Christie about if he intends to drive the luxury Benz motor car, one that he "never" ordered for himself but ordered by your red shirts leader for he own backside.

Not one reporter, or publisher for that matter, bothered to call the former PM before this story broke to ask him why he decided to order this car for himself, when the economy was in such rotten shape?

Comrades if you red shirts think you can take this comedic nonsense to Cooper's Town to save the lawyer/fisherman from even further defeat embarrassment, think again.

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2012…

positiveinput 12 years, 1 month ago

Stop being so easily fooled. If the police has already outfitted the vehicle with sirens and cameras, that alone shoud let anyone know the vehicle already by whom ever has government purpose plans which I'm sure don't include reselling (auctioning). Wake up Bahamas wake up, and to say nobody sat in the vehicle cause no one authorised them too is bull - who authorised for the customization?

TalRussell 12 years, 1 month ago

My dear red shirt Comrades with all the stupid Hoopla over this Benz being intentionally orchestrated by the "in by-election problems" red shirts, and before they bring out all the Violins, me myself would order a government fleet department driver to head to the docks with the Benz and drive the sucker right onto the mail-boat, shipped COD $185,000 (plus mail-boat shipping charges) to the man who actually ordered the car for "himself?

Your former law partner, the lawyer/politician from Cooper's Town can either use it to drive around Cooper's Town peddling he catches fishes, or use it for he boat's anchor, as long he promptly send he cheque back to the public treasury, before he smell up that genuine cow-hide leather.

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