Motorists will pay less
for 2008 number plates
~ Firgos Paper wins bid, no more R plates ~
PHILIPSBURG--Motorists will be paying less for their 2008 number plates.
The price for the regular plates for cars has been reduced by NAf. 7.50 (from NAf. 25 to NAf. 17.50) while the price for motorbike plates will go down from NAf. 15 to NAf. 10. The road tax will remain 275 guilders for regular vehicles.
This is an additional reduction. The cost of the 2007 plates was reduced from NAf. 42.50 to NAf. 25.
Office equipment supplier Firgos Paper won the bid to supply the plates this year, having outbid, among others, Watkan Trading which had supplied government with the plates for years in the absence of a system of open bidding, which was introduced last year.
Some 24,414 light blue plates bearing a picture of the Courthouse and an outline of the St. Maarten map have been ordered and Island Receiver Sherry Hazel is hoping they will arrive on the island early January.
A total of 9,999 M plates were ordered; 9,500 P plates; 215 Bus plates; 290 Taxi plates; 60 for tour buses; 60 G plates; 2,950 V plates; 325 Z plates; 110 E plates; 60 L plates; and 850 plates for motorbikes.
No R plates for rental vehicles have been ordered. Hazel said government had taken a decision not to order R plates. Instead, an additional 2,500 P plates were ordered to cover rental vehicles.
Car rental operators had been complaining that their vehicles bearing the R plates were being targeted for vehicle thefts and had called on government to do away with the R plates. The matter was discussed with Transportation Commissioner Louie Laveist, who backed the proposal.
Democratic Party Member of Parliament Erno LaBega said in an article published in Monday’s issue of The Daily Herald that an average of four vehicles were stolen in St. Maarten/St. Martin daily – some 1,500 vehicles per annum. It could not be ascertained specifically how many rental cars had been stolen.
The successful bid submitted by Firgos Paper was for 246,345 guilders, 70,000 guilders less than the next lowest bid. The other bidders were Watkan Trading, NAf. 313,473.35; SMJ Promotional Products, NAf. 330,530.50; Crown Contracting, NAf. 386,651.72; Suncolour Paint, NAf. 493,501,36; and Creative Promotional Ideas, US $205,177.
Hazel said the Island Government was paying less for the 2008 plates and had decided to pass on the savings to the consumer. The Island Government paid NAf. 305,000 for the 2007 plates.
The process to acquire the number plates was a “bit late” this year, Hazel said, and while she would have liked to have the plates on the island by the end of the year, this is not likely to happen. She hopes they will be on the island by early 2008. The Receiver’s Office will look into the possibility of having the plates flown in if this becomes necessary. (Judy H. Fitzpatrick)
