Cabinet to Implement New Government Vehicle Policy Within 14 Days

Cabinet to Implement New Government Vehicle Policy Within 14 Days

The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has approved a new government vehicle policy, which will take effect within the next 14 days, aimed at tightening control over the use, allocation, and disposal of government-owned vehicles.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant announced the decision during Thursday’s post-Cabinet briefing, noting that the new policy forms part of the government’s efforts to right-size its vehicle fleet following an audit into unauthorized purchases.

Under the new guidelines, all government vehicles will be assigned based on official duties, and usage will be limited strictly to authorized government business. Passengers must also be on official duty unless prior approval is granted or in cases of emergency.

The policy mandates that all vehicles be parked at their respective ministry headquarters or other designated government locations after daily operations. Vehicles that are no longer suitable for use or have exceeded five years of service will be disposed of through public auction, in keeping with the law governing state asset disposal.

Merchant said an advisory committee will be established to oversee the allocation and usage of vehicles across ministries and departments to ensure greater transparency and efficiency.

He confirmed that vehicles purchased without Cabinet authorization will also be auctioned to recoup public funds, following revelations of irregular purchases under review by the Financial Secretary.

The vehicle audit and new policy rollout follow recent government action to recover EC$10 million from a dealership as restitution for unauthorized vehicle transactions.

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