Reckless PNG Government Sank K40 Million Of Tax Payers Money On Some Useless Assests Become Pieces of Metal Junks in the Country.

Reckless PNG Government Sank K40 Million Of Tax Payers Money On Some Useless Assets Becoming Pieces of Metal Junks in the Country.

SO WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE MASERATIS?

Post Courier  - January 25, 2023

It looks like nobody wants these very expensive cars and very soon, they will become valueless – not worth a single toea anymore.

Today the cars are sitting idle at a warehouse at the old Port Moresby Port, exposed to the sea breeze, salt, water and air and we don’t know if anyone is taking care of them to ensure they remain in the condition they arrived at our shores four years ago.

The expensive cars were bought to serve visiting heads of government to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in Port Moresby.

Each car was purchased at a cost of a whopping K1 million each and a total of 40 pieces were purchased.

The cars were to impress the international visitors but not many of them have tested the Post Moresby roads since they arrived and they may remain in that warehouse forever until they become pieces of metal junk.

Since the cars went up for sale after the conference, only two have been picked up by local buyers and the rest are waiting to be sold or given away, as in this case to the PNG foreign missions abroad.

The Department of Foreign Affairs this week made it very clear that it cannot take the cars and send them to our foreign missions because under the laws in those countries, used cars are not allowed and the maseratis are considered as “used cars” once they leave the point of sale.

In other countries, the road networks are not good enough for the low lying cars. So we are stuck with these expensive toys forever, it seems.

It is now very clear this was a very bad deal entered into by the state.

Consequently, PNG ultimately sank K40 million on some assets that are becoming useless at best and may be written off completely.

It urgently requires government agencies that are tasked to deal with these cars to come up with a new strategy to either sell the cars to recover the cost or put them to good use before they rot away.

By now, the value of the cars have depreciated to levels that are low and affordable for wealthy Papua New Guineans. Sell them cheaply to those that are still interested in them.

We are sure there are many out there who want to own such a luxury item.

Ordinary Papua New Guineans are not going to be interested because such expensive cars will cost a fair bit of money to run than the normal cars.

At this time when the economy is depressed, taking on additional cost and stress on their budget is not going to be something that many Papua New Guineans will put themselves in these days.

Another fact that is discouraging locals is the lack of spare parts in the country.

Maseratis are not brands sold by vehicle dealers in the country so owners may have to resort to imports.

The cost of imported parts and the taxes will surely discourage ordinary Papua New Guineans.

Such is the situation with the maseratis that they are in fact useless and should be given away for free to anyone who wants them or sold cheaply before they become valueless.

Further, the maseratis experience calls for a proper government sanction investigation into the procurement of these cars.

The investigation should determine, among other things, whether there was any foul play involved in the procurement of these cars, when other cheap and easy options were available in country.

Those found to be responsible for any illegal activities in the whole exercise should face the full force of the law.