Vehicles and plant machinery worth $8.6million were transferred from the Public Works Department when it closed in 2008 and remain unaccounted for.
The assets were divided and moved to different divisions but “there are no record of the transfers”.
Infrastructure Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau said this as he clapped back at Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu, who queried the status of PWD and the future of the Fiji Roads Authority.
Ro Filipe told the House that while there were written instructions for the transfer, the instructions do not show where they were transferred to.
“Where was it transferred, that’s the question – where to,” he said.
“Central-Eastern transferred equipment, which was worth $3.3m, $2.2m worth of equipment was transferred to the Western Division and $3.3m worth was transferred to the Northern Division.
“That’s a total of 118 pieces of assets worth $8.6m, and all this was engaged by people sitting here on the other side of the house for the last 16 years.
“Up to today, I’ve got the list here, the Black Beko cranes, graders, loaders, Pajero, twin cab.”
Opposition MP Jone Usamate raised a point of order, saying the Opposition was not involved in the decision to transfer when they were in government.
“He’s misleading the house, nobody here was involved in that decision,” Mr Usamate said.
Ro Filipe then said the assets were transferred to FRA and FWH Associates, an engineering company which he claimed was engaged by the Opposition during their time of governance.
He said the disappearance of the 118 assets was most frightening to him as FWH also claimed that the last government still owed them $23.6m.
“These are the shenanigans we have to deal with when we came in,” he said.
“It will need another three years and we have Japan standing by for the resources for our depots, which is the first stage.
“We have got machinery as well which have worked through a few areas, including the maritime and some of the interior areas.
“That’s why I’m telling the people of Fiji to put us back here after the next election and we will complete the good work.”
