I'm first of all heartened to see the Customs Department auctioning cars that have been defaulted by their customers. I recall going to the Customs offices many years ago and seeing cars rotting on the lawn and thinking, 'What a waste!'.

It also makes complete sense to me that the Jamaica Constabulary Force and other government departments should be first in line to receive some of these vehicles. After all, why would we have a government department pay market price for vehicles that they could acquire for far less?

Mind-boggling

It is, therefore, simply mind-boggling why, according to one auction attendee, the police were bidding above market value! Ultimately, the funds derived from the auction would be credited to the same government coffers as the funds required to pay for the police cars! Is this not robbing Peter to pay Peter? I would ask for someone with a better grasp of accounting to explain the logic of this.

I understand from the article in your Saturday paper that Contractor General Greg Christie's department will be making recommendations. Might I suggest that procedures be put in place (if they don't already exist) to ensure that defaulters of the auctioned motor vehicles are not themselves recipients of such vehicles.

I am, etc.,

BRUCE W. MCKNIGHT

bruce_mcknight@hotmail.com

Ontario, Canada