JAMAICA’S Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce is on a mission of seeking out used-car dealers involved in tampering with the vehicle’s manufacture date and bringing them to justice.

The importers argue that if the government claims the manufacture year is incorrect, there was a breach in the Motor Vehicle Import Policy and it was not on their part.

“There is a difference of views on the level and nature of our responsibility. They have stuck to their view, and we have had advice from the Attorney General as to what the government’s responsibility is and the two are far apart,” Anthony Hylton, minister of industry, investment and commerce, told a post- sectoral debate press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday.

He said, however, with the Customs Department’s legal proceeding against several used-car dealers, he awaits the court’s decision to guide him.

Major Richard Reese, Commissioner of Customs, said at least one used-car dealer was already before the court.

“We know for a fact that individuals have brought in vehicles and there is a dispute over the chassis numbers and, because of the discrepancy, going forward, it will be necessary to have a declaration made by the importer,” Reese said.

He said Customs was giving consideration to add a declaration to the entry forms used by the dealers to import the vehicle, which would require vehicle information numbers (VIN).

“If the declaration is proven to be false, then the importer will clearly be liable,” Reese said.

Hylton first raised the issue in the sectoral debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, explaining vehicles were imported with incomplete serial numbers, which makes it difficult to determine the model/year to verify the age of the vehicle.

Hylton said that his ministry was concerned that, as a result of the discrepancies, the purchasers of used vehicles have been subjected to “great inconvenience and financial hardships”.

He said that, despite a series of consultations with the stakeholders, including the used-car dealers, his ministry failed to reach a consensus on how to proceed.

The government, however, is considering three options:

* Customs proceeding with the cases it has built against some used-car dealers, under the Customs Act, based on the information provided by the Revenue Protection Division (RPD);

* The Fair Trading Commission and the Revenue Protection Division proceeding with cases against specific used-car dealers for alleged fraud;

* Or, producing a Revised Motor Vehicle Policy and regulations to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval, which would allow the Trade Board to institute new mechanisms to safeguard against future discrepancies.

Several efforts made to contact used-car president Lynvalle Hamilton were unsuccessful.