The Papua New Guinea Ombudsman Commission has instructed all government agencies to protect assets acquired for the APEC Leaders' Summit.
Papua New Guinea APEC minister Justin Tkatchenko standing infront of APEC House in Port Moresby. Photo: RNZ / Koroi Hawkins
This includes the hundreds of motor vehicles, among them 40 Maseratis, the purchase of which aroused a lot of anger in the PNG community, the Post Courier reported.
The Commission said they could not be disposed of without its approval.
The direction from the Commission was issued to executives, including Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, APEC organising chief executive, Chris Hawkins, chief secretary Isaac Lupari and the finance secretary Ken Ngangan.
The Ombudsman Commission said it requested this cooperation not to discredit the government's hosting of APEC, but to protect and preserve the integrity of leaders who were involved in the event.
The Commission issued the statement as the APEC Minister Justin Tkatchenko and Finance Minister James Marape announced the Maseratis would be sold publicly and the proceeds recouped by the national government.
It said the public tender processes would be followed.