City to receive 30 Apec buses

By JASON DOM

THE National Capital District will be given 30 buses donated by China for use during last month’s Apec summit, while the remaining 20 will be distributed to other institutions, Apec Minister Justin Tkachenko says.
“Out of the 50 China aid-donated buses, 30 will be given to NCD for their public transport,” he said.
“Others will be distributed to the National Airport Corporation for transportation, some might be given to Lae city authority.”
Tkatchenko said the request for buses from some provinces could not be entertained because of the road conditions there. “These
buses are designed for good roads,” he said.
Tkachenko said charity organisations, schools and other institutions had also requested for these buses to be given to them to transport their staff.
He said they were drawing up a final list of all assets donated for the Apec meeting.
“Once the Apec Authority winds down everything on December 31, they will announce those buses for the institutions to use properly and for the correct purpose,” he said.
Tkachenko said other vehicles such as the Maserati and Bentley cars had been handed over to the Central Supplies and Tender Board and Finance Department to be put on tender.
National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop said he was
negotiating with the Department of Transport to take over the public transport management system in the city.
A memorandum of understanding has been drafted for that purpose.
Parkop said they would make sure that existing privately owned buses continued operating.
But they should improve their service and not concentrate only on making a profit, he said.