UNC leader on Lee's car: ‘He’s done nothing illegal’

AFTER Finance Minister Colm Imbert called out Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee, alleging he bought a $2.3 million vehicle, Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissesar had come to her MP’s defence saying Lee has done nothing illegal.

During his budget wind-up in Parliament last week, Imbert said there was “hypocrisy” in the UNC’s call for a cap on car tax breaks for MPs. He alleged Lee had bought a four-litre Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 valued at $2.3 million, and in doing so, accessed $1.4 million worth of tax and duty concessions.

He said that vehicle was “the most expensive car of all MPs’, probably in the history of this Parliament!” He also said a luxury car was directly imported from New Zealand but is not being used by Lee himself. Newsday tried to contact Lee for a response but all calls went unanswered.

But during a phone interview on the weekend, Persad-Bissessar said, “He has not broken any law. He has done nothing illegal. That was a facility afforded according to the law at that time. It is still the law.”

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister said Cabinet will “consider” capping tax exemptions for public office holders buying new vehicles at $350,000, with the exception of judges. Persad-Bissessar told Newsday while it is “a step in the right direction,” she does not believe this would be sufficient. “It should have gone further, with not just a cap on the exemptions but in limiting the number of vehicles that can be purchased in a five-year term. As you have seen, several ministers have purchased up to three cars in that one term. So I think that statement should have gone a little further.”

Documents purporting to show the details of car purchases from several current and former opposition MPs have been circulating on social media for the past two weeks. The names included Persad-Bissessar, Lee, Barry Padarath, Roodal Moonilal, Lackram Bodoe, Tim Gopeesingh, Surujrattan Rambachan, and Wade Mark.

In total, these eight opposition members were granted $5,233,905.33 worth of exemptions. These exemptions are from VAT (Value added Tax), MVT (motor vehicle tax) and customs duty.

The lowest figure was ascribed to Padarath, who received a total exemption of $295,377.06 and the highest was to Lee, at $1,416, 292.65. No other exemptions surpassed $700,000.

Additional documents apparently showed at least one government MP and a government senator bought three vehicles between 2006 and 2015. An opposition senator is said to have bought Toyota Prado luxury SUVs in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

Persad-Bissessar said all MPs benefited from this law, so UNC members should not be singled out.