Acting Justice Minister Marinka Gumbs told Parliament that some garages are declining warranty work, maintenance, and repairs until the government pays outstanding invoices.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The government owes money to several garages, including authorized dealerships, and some service providers are declining to work on government vehicles until their invoices are paid, Acting Minister of Justice Marinka Gumbs told Parliament on Monday, November 9.
Gumbs disclosed the arrears during the 2027 budget debate in response to MP Darryl York, who asked how many recently purchased police vehicles were still operational. York also asked about reports that some newly acquired Justice Ministry vehicles had become inoperable after only a year and were being serviced outside the authorized dealer network.
Gumbs cited operational and national security reasons for withholding the status of individual police vehicles. She gave no overall count of how many vehicles in the recently purchased fleet were in service.
Garages decline warranty work and routine repairs
Gumbs said the Department of Facility Affairs, under the Ministry of General Affairs, confirmed that the government had outstanding payments to several garages. Some providers were unwilling to carry out warranty work, routine maintenance or repairs until the invoices were settled. She did not disclose the total owed, identify the garages, or provide a payment timeline.
When authorized providers are unavailable, government may turn to other garages to keep vehicles in service, Gumbs said. She said those arrangements are intended to maintain essential services, including law enforcement, emergency response, inspections and water management.
The ministry had received no confirmation of specific cases in which newly acquired Justice Ministry vehicles became inoperable after a year, Gumbs said. Establishing what happened would require identifying the vehicles and garages involved. Her response did not establish how many police vehicles, if any, were awaiting repairs because of the unpaid bills.
Repairs outside dealer network could affect warranties
Gumbs said the main risk of using garages outside the authorized service network is the potential loss of warranty protection or manufacturer support. Whether coverage is affected depends on the manufacturer’s terms and the type of work performed. In some cases, government could have to pay for repairs that would otherwise have been covered, she said.
York also questioned why government continues buying different brands, including Nissan, Dodge and Toyota, for its fleet. Gumbs said ministries still buy vehicles based on their operational needs, while Facility Affairs is encouraging more coordinated procurement. Using fewer vehicle types for similar duties could simplify maintenance and improve access to replacement parts, she said.
Government considers a central garage
Asked why the government does not operate its own garage, Gumbs said it is studying whether a centralized facility with in-house mechanics could improve cost control, oversight and vehicle reliability. The assessment includes staffing, infrastructure and operating costs. No decision has been made.
Facility Affairs has designated fleet coordinators within ministries, tightened controls over maintenance requests and repairs, and begun reviewing insurance coverage. Gumbs said government is also working toward a common fleet policy and digital records, though implementation has taken longer than anticipated.