Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith’s private car has been converted into a GP vehicle as a cost-saving measure.

A Government spokesman yesterday said the former Premier’s car has been spray painted dark blue and assigned a GP licence plate - saving thousands of dollars on the potential cost of a new one.

Dame Jennifer, who is said to prefer driving a vehicle with a stick shift, said no monies had been handed over for the deal, telling The?Royal Gazette this morning:?“Government saved money and I am driving a car with which I am comfortable.”

Government spending on Ministers’ cars has long been a bone of contention with the public.

But Premier Paula Cox has repeatedly stated she will cut unnecessary spending, despite the potential extra expenses as a result of her Cabinet increasing from 11 to 13 Ministers.

The Ministry of Works and Engineering revealed in February it had spent almost $500,000 on nine new GP cars since July 2008.

This included one BMW costing $188,000, three Toyota Camrys at $70,000 each and five $20,000 Kias, Works Minister Derrick Burgess said.

That prompted United?Bermuda Party Senator Suzann Roberts Holshouser to urge Government to buy cheaper cars for Cabinet Ministers to help save taxpayers’ cash.

She said in March:?“This is the people’s money.

“When it comes to expenditures that are not necessary is where I have an issue. Who am I to say they are unnecessary?

“You can go out and buy a car and it doesn’t have to be an expensive one. It can be the bottom of the rung, especially when we are in this financial situation.”

Yesterday a Government spokesman said: “Each Minister is entitled to a GP vehicle. As the Hon Dame Jennifer M. Smith, Minister of Education, expressed preference for a stick shift and in the interest of cost savings, the decision was taken to purchase her private vehicle and to convert it for use as a GP car.

“To that end, its ownership was transferred to Government, it was spray painted dark blue like other cars in the Ministerial fleet and assigned a GP licence plate.”

It was previously reported that Government has 101 GP cars in its fleet which cost taxpayers $374,649 in repairs and maintenance expenses from July 2008 until February of this year.

The cars also racked up $83,838 in gas expenses during that time frame. GP vehicles are assigned to various ministries on a “as needed” basis, said Mr Burgess while responding to parliamentary questions earlier this year.