45 vehicles still missing

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Government is looking for 45 vehicles used during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders’ Summit in November which have not been returned to the Finance Department.
Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan said some of the missing vehicles could still be with government departments which were using them then. All departments had been instructed early this year to return all the vehicles.
“In the disposal process we will be asking for all those assets to be returned to the (Port Moresby) wharf or to the Finance department so we can dispose of them cleanly,” he said.
Of the 502 new vehicles acquired for the international event in Port Moresby, 166 were donated and 336 bought by the Government.
“I would like to give confidence to the general public that all assets purchased during Apec will be publicly and transparently disposed of,” Dr Ngangan said.
Last Friday, 35 donated vehicles including fire trucks and ambulances were handed over to authorities including the Fire Service, provincial health authorities and the St John Ambulance.
There are 131 donated vehicles remaining.
“It has taken us quite a while to reach this stage in the disposal of the Apec assets,” he said.
“Basically we wanted to the do this correctly following the requirements of the Public Finance Management Act, National Procurement Act, the clearance by the State Solicitor and the Ombudsman Commission following due process.
“Having gained National Executive Council concurrence on those processes, we have now come to the stage where we feel that we have met those processes and we are able to start disposing the assets.” So far, two of the 40 Maserati vehicles have been sold with 38 remaining.
Of the two Bentley vehicles, one has been sold and the other given to Government House.
Ngangan said for the benefit of public and state institutions that have written in requesting for Apec assets, the 131 donated vehicles will be disposed of this week.
“The next stage we will be looking at state purchases of 336 vehicles.
“We will start going through that. We have the full details of the vehicles, the cost, and the state of those vehicles.”