Provinces, districts to get vehicles

By HELEN TARAWA
PRIME Minister James Marape says the National Executive Council (NEC) has directed districts and provinces to use buses or vehicles donated to them for schools or the police.
Marape was responding to reports that MPs had been given Apec vehicles to use.
He said the directive was that the vehicles should be given to districts and provinces and not MPs.
“That was not the directive. The districts and provinces would have picked a bus or vehicle for ambulance, police or schools, not luxury vehicles for MPs’ private use,” Marape said.
Finance and Rural Development Minister Charles Abel said NEC had directed that one vehicle should be given to each province and district.
“All provinces are getting a 25-seater bus each and most district administrations are getting a Mahindra vehicle as buses have all run out,” Abel said.
Public Services Minister Westly Nukundj said his district was allocated a Mahindra car which he said was not suitable there.
“They gave a Mahindra to each district. It’s of no use to the district. So I have not picked my district vehicle yet,” Nukundj said.
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird said his province would be getting two buses – one for the hospital and one for the nursing college.
“I am not getting a vehicle for myself personally,” he said.
Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill said they must give the vehicles to the schools and hospitals.
“I don’t need one. The schools and hospitals across the country need them. They should not leave the vehicles on the wharf to rot,” O’Neill said.
Ijivitari MP Richard Masere said he had submitted a request for a bus to be used by the Inonda High School.