From October last year to September 2013, $2 million has been spent to lease 19 cars, five SUVs and to hire 24 drivers for the Hoop of Life initiative.
A spokesman for the Hoop of Life basketball league, however, feels the money spent was justified and can be accounted for.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the spokesman was responding to an issue raised in Parliament on Thursday by Diego Martin Central MP Dr Amery Browne who stated that the Government had leased and maintained a vehicle at a cost of $1 million to transport officials of the programme.
However, Finance Minister Larry Howai defended the Government stating that it was not just one vehicle that was leased.
On Friday, the spokesman explained that in the first leg of the competition 12 Nissan Versa Sedan cars were each leased at $8,000 a month–from October last year to March 2013–from Miscellaneous Marketing Ltd.
Also, 12 drivers were retained and each paid $4,500 a month.
The total bill for the cars and drivers amounted to $900,000 during this six-month period.
In the second leg of the competition–which began in April and ends in September–the Hoop of Life leased 14 vehicles–five SUV X-trails and nine Versa cars.
Each SUV was rented for $12,000 monthly, while the sedans were leased at $8,000 each.
The total bill for the SUV was tagged at $360,000, while the rental of the sedans was $432,000.
The overall salaries for the drivers was computed at $378,000.
When tallied, the spokesman said the leasing of the vehicles and the drivers' salaries from last October to this September is projected to cost $2,070,000.
The Hoop of Life was designed not only as a tournament but a crime-fighting initiative.
In March, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar increased the $1 million first prize, which was won by Laventille, to $1.5 million for this year's tournament, which began two months ago.
The spokesman said the 12 vehicles were necessary because there were 12 regions, each of which has its own co-ordinator.
Each co-ordinator is responsible for five teams. There are 60 basketball teams.
"So we have to provide transport for them (players) to these far-flung areas. We go as far as Guayaguayare and Princes Town to compete," said the spokesman.
The game goes on inWarner's absence
The spokesman said the initiative was approved by Cabinet for $12 million while Jack Warner served as minister of national security.
With Warner out of Government, there was no reason to stop the programme, the spokesman said.
Has the programme exceeded its $12 million budget?
The spokesman said they were still auditing and paying bills from last year. "I can't say."
One of the rules of the games, the spokesman said, was that any player who ran afoul of the law will be expelled from the programme.
"For six months, the 720 players maintained a 100 per cent crime-free record. No one was arrested and there was no acts of violence. This is something to be proud of."