LEASING  ambulances instead of buying them outright  will avoid mistakes of the past says Social Security Director Estivenson Giron.

Defending the decision to lease 97 ambulances for $24 million, he said Tuesday,  that after evaluating various models used "worldwide," the agency decided to lease  the vehicles instead of buying them.

"This administration has had a different management model, based on planning, and we do not want to make the mistakes of the past," he said.

He said the agency does not have the adequate staff to provide maintenance to the fleet. By leasing the vehicles, the supplier will provide preventive and corrective maintenance, reports La Prensa.

The agency will lease the vehicles for four years with a buy-back provision.