KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition spokesman on Industry and Commerce, Karl Samuda, resumes his probe into allegations that a local importer of motor vehicles brought in 200 motor vehicles without an import licence, and has not been penalised for the act, when the House of Representatives resumes this afternoon.

Samuda was dissatisfied with answers from Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Peter Phillips, last Tuesday in the House. Today, he will seek answers from Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton, when the House sits at Gordon House at 2:00 pm.

Korean firm, Hyundai, one of the world’s largest motor vehicle manufacturers, announced last September the appointment of Magna Motors Dealership Limited as its official distributor in Jamaica. Last November, Samuda told the House that Magna Motors imported 200 Hyundai vehicles without an import licence. He accused Magna Motors of operating a regional hub at the Kingston Wharves, without an importation certificate from the Trade Board Limited, for which Hylton has responsibility.

Samuda said that three shipments of vehicles had already arrived at the free zone by Magna Motors, without the required import certificate. He said this allowed the company to store vehicles on the wharves without paying storage fees that would be three times the value of the vehicles.

“If you have 200 vehicles on the wharves in Jamaica in a Free Zone that do not attract any form of duty instead of going through a bonded warehouse because they are new distributors for Hyundai in Jamaica, I put it to you, minister, It is highly likely that those vehicles are destined for the Jamaican market,” Samuda stated.

But, last week Dr Phillips insisted that no waivers were granted to the importer. He said that the law does not permit any waivers on cars. However, he suggested that Samuda ask Hylton for the details.

Today’s House agenda says that Hylton will answer the following questions from Samuda in the House:

1) Is the minister aware of any import licences granted by the Trade Board, over the past six months, to any importer of motor vehicles in circumstances, where such vehicles arrived in Jamaica prior to the importer having previously obtained the required import licences?

2) If the answer to Part 1 is in the affirmative, will the minister confirm or deny whether this constitutes a breach of the rules governing the importation of motor vehicles, and would he further explain the basis on which this licence(s) was issued?

3) Will the minister further provide this Honourable House with a list of such licences indicating the name(s) of importer(s), quantities and prices of the vehicles, dates of arrival into Jamaica and dates of issuance by the Trade Board of all such licences?

Balford Henry