by Linda Straker

• House Committee in 2024, considered empowering MPs to be able to serve their constituency and their constituents more effectively
• House Committee comprised Leo Cato, Joseph Andall, Tevin Andrews, Emmalin Pierre and Dr Clarice Modeste
• MPs receive 100% concession on a vehicle

Former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Dr Keith Mitchell believes the Government’s decision to purchase and hand over vehicles to Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Lower House or House of Representatives is an abuse of their parliamentary privileges, as MPs already receive a 100% concession on a vehicle.

“I never asked anybody for any vehicle for North-West St George. I was not party to any discussion about vehicles. I believe that it is abuse of our roles and responsibility in this critical time where there are some much pain and suffering outside there,” he told the Lower House sitting during 19 November 2025 session. Speaking under Personal Explanation, Dr Mitchell, who has been a legislator since 1984, said, “This Member in this House will not accept any vehicle, not today, tomorrow or whatever…that money that is being used to buy vehicles that are not necessary in my view, could be used by the people of North-West facing consequences that they will like solved.” He suggested, “Sell it; make the money available for the North-West constituency.”

Disclosing that MPs are exempt from paying tax and duties for their vehicle, he said, “I will not accept any vehicle from the taxpayers of this country. What we have, we are doing with it; people are suffering, let them have the benefits of that money.”

He told the House: “We already receive 100% concession; we are not here as parliamentarians to treat ourselves nicely and to say how much times we have treated parliamentarians better. Parliamentarians know that when they accept responsibility to be here, they beg for the job. We beg for it; we are not here to butter ourselves. I am saying it openly here, count me out.”.

However, Joseph Andall MP for St Patrick West said that sometime in 2024, the House Committee considered empowering MPs to be able to serve their constituency and their constituents more effectively.

The House Committee at the time comprised Honourable Leo Cato, Chairman; Joseph Andall and Tevin Andrews from the Government side, and Emmalin Pierre and Dr Clarice Modeste from the Opposition.

“A decision was taken that a vehicle will be provided to each constituency, not for the personal use of the MP but to enable the MP to execute his or her functions as a representative of the people. Mr Speaker, there was unanimity in the Committee as regards that decision, so it is rather astounding now to hear Members of the Opposition who sat in that same committee and agreed to the decision pretend that there is some nefarious intention behind that decision,” Andall said while speaking on the adjournment.

Following the adjournment of the sitting, Government MPs were each presented with the keys to their constituency vehicle by Speaker Leo Cato.

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