Where is dead former minister’s car?

QUESTIONS surround the whereabouts of a Mercedes Benz car once owned by former minister of national security, the late Martin Joseph, who drowned at a Tobago beach in 2015.

The vehicle was sold on July 7, 2015, with a part payment being made, but nothing more has been heard of the buyer since 2016. He still owes $403,970.

Newsday last Thursday carried a paid advertisement for a pre-action protocol letter issued by attorney Russell Huggins of the firm Chersons, on behalf of Joseph’s widow and legal representative, Claire Joseph. The document said the named buyer had agreed to buy Joseph’s silver-grey car, registration number PCL 4000, for $350,000.

The buyer had agreed to pay a deposit of $60,000, with a balance of $290,000 amortised over five years at a nine per cent interest rate, working out to a monthly instalment of $6,019.

He paid $10,000 on June 3, 2016 and $72,000 on June 14, 2016, but then nothing more.

“Since that date no further payments have been made towards liquidation of the outstanding balance,” the document said.

The sum owed consists of $290,000 of the principal and $113,970 in interest.

“Several futile attempts have been made to contact you via telephone and e-mail with a view to having the matter resolved," the lawyers told the buyer.

“We harbour no doubt that our attempts to contact you have reached your attention, but your deafening silence leads us to believe that you are shirking from your obligation to settle the above debt.

“We therefore call upon you once more for payment of the sum of $403,970 being the amount outstanding for principal and interest as at October25, 2020, failing which we intend to institute legal proceedings against you without further notice.”