Key Motors allowed to reopen
Published:Friday | August 20, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Key Motors Ltd boss Desmond Panton says he has paid over all duties due to Jamaica Customs, following his arrest and the lock-down of his business.
Panton's attorney, Jacqueline Samuels Brown, said yesterday that the monies were paid over after a meeting with the state agency.
Commissioner of Customs Danville Walker confirmed the payments of approximately $43 million but said "additional payments due are still being worked out".
Under the Customs Act, persons are liable to pay penalties for breaches. Walker has said the full amount Panton might be required to pay could reach $100 million.
The Customs Department closed the operations of Key Motors and arrested Panton on Monday. The department announced that more than 50 vehicles, amounting to approximately $40 million in duties, had been illegally removed from Key Motors' warehouse and unlawfully licensed.
Panton was charged with evasion of customs duties and taking steps to defraud the Government of duties and penalties.
Still on the streets
Walker had told The Gleaner on Tuesday that although more than 40 of the vehicles are still on the streets, the last thing his department wanted to do was seize them.
Yesterday, Samuels Brown said that following a meeting with Customs, a decision had been taken to return the motor vehicles seized.
She also said that Key Motors was allowed to reopen its operations "while negotiations for final resolution of the matter proceed".
"Mr Panton maintains his innocence and denies any involvement in any irregularity in the matters being investigated. He continues to give his fullest cooperation and it is expected that the matter will be resolved satisfactorily," Samuels Brown said.
Meanwhile, Walker said the decision to reopen the operations was taken because of the need to save jobs. He also said Customs would be relying on Panton to make the additional payments as soon as they are agreed on and that his full cooperation was required in the matter.