Papua New Guinea has recovered 40 Maseratis that vanished after being controversially purchased for an APEC summit in the impoverished nation, but other vehicles bought for the event remain missing.
Government records showed that dozens of the sleek Maserati Quattroporte sedans — worth at least US$135,000 each — have resurfaced at a wharf in Port Moresby and are to be sold off on Monday next week.
Three Bentley Continental Flying Spur V8s worth at least US$410,000 each are also to be subject to tender.
Police have been called in to find an unknown number of the estimated 1,500 vehicles that were bought or donated for the summit in November last year — which saw leaders from across the region descend on Port Moresby.
The government justified the purchase of the sports cars — which can only be used on the few sealed roads around the capital — by saying that it was in keeping with the prestige of the event.
The disappearance of the vehicles after the summit became a major political headache for Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, who is battling to prevent a vote of no confidence in parliament.
Christopher Hawkins, CEO of the APEC event, has written to police to report that five vehicles in their possession have been recovered and four — three Toyota Land Cruiser Prado sport utility vehicles and one Hyundai van — remain unaccounted for.
A further 20 vehicles were in use by the joint security task force that policed the event and have been “retired” and delivered to the Papua New Guinean Ministry of Finance.
An unknown number of vehicles are still in use by government departments and agencies, the documents showed.
Critics had argued the money used to purchase the vehicles could have been better spent dealing with chronic social problems in a developing nation where diseases such as polio and tuberculosis have re-emerged.
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