Return APEC vehicles: Finance Secretary

Police will be engaged to recover APEC vehicles after January 17th, 2019.

In a press briefing today, Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan said those still in possession of motor vehicles and assets have to return them before the deadline.

“Any assets that still remain outside of this team after the date will be deemed illegal and stolen,” stated Ngangan.

“I’ve just given directions to the Department of Finance officers who are in possession of APEC assets, and the APEC Authority, to surrender all the assets immediately before Thursday.

“The same applies to everyone. No one is exempted from this request.”

 The Finance Secretary says if they wish to acquire these assets, they can do so following the formal public tender process.

He further assured the public that the team, comprising of officers from the Prime Minister’s Department and NEC, Royal PNG Constabulary, Works Department, Central Supply and Tenders Board, Finance Department and the APEC Authority, will dispose of the assets and reclaim some of the expenditure.

“And get back to the public system so that’s what the team is doing. I would like to ask the people to have confidence in the system.”

From the over 1,000 vehicles that were procured for APEC, less than 100 are yet to be returned for public tender.

“Otherwise we have most of the vehicles which are at the wharf, ready for this exercise.

“The 40 Maseratis and three Bentleys will be the first to go because we’ve taken full stock of them,” continued Ngangan.

“The team will now do the survey to see what damage, how much had been used, then to the board of survey, which will come to CSTB, probably later this week or early next week.”

Ngangan said the luxury sports vehicles will go on public tender by end of next week.

(Some of the Maseratis on display pre-APEC 2018. They are now waiting to go on public tender, according to the Finance Secretary, Dr Ken Ngangan)

Author: 
Carmella Gware