TOYOTA Jamaica Ltd and Crichton Automotive Ltd took top honours in the National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited's (NCB) 2010-2011 Auto Dealers Awards held at the Pavilion, Hope Botanical Gardens in St Andrew recently.

According to Dennis Cohen, managing director, the event — now in its sixth year — was to laud auto dealers who had drummed up business for the banking institution through their Auto Advantage Club.

"In 2006, we launched a programme in which the objective was to forge a strategic partnership with both new and used car dealers," Cohen told the audience.

Between the cocktails and music from The Hummingbirds Steel Orchestra, Toyota Jamaica Ltd and Stewart's Auto Sales secured first and second spots respectively, in the new car dealer category. ATL Motors captured third place for Best New Car Dealer, and an individual award went Andrea Drummond-Hart who took the second-place prize for Best New-Car Dealer Sales Representative.

"I'm elated to win such a prize," Drummond-Hart told Auto.

She praised the quick loan turnaround process at NCB and sited that as part of her sales success.

Drummond-Hart was only bettered by Toyota Jamaica's Courtney Macko in the category.

Crichton Automotive Ltd, Auto Channel and GK Motors copped first, second and third place respectively in the used-car dealer category.

"We recognise how important auto ownership has become to the Jamaican life," said Bernadette Barrow, NCB's assistant general manager of Small and Medium Enterprises unit, as she drew the parallel of personal independence a vehicle provides with that of Jamaica at 50.