How is it that Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo has been able to drive a vehicle belonging to the Land Transport Authority? This is blatant abuse of power.
There is no current government policy that allows Toelupe to use the vehicle. The vehicle, a twin cab Toyota Hilux worth close to $130,000, carries the registration LTA23. According to the government’s vehicle policy for elected officials, only ministers, associate ministers, the Speaker, deputy Speaker and the leader of opposition get government vehicles with fuel. In which of these categories does Toelupe fit in?
He was the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Works, Transport and Infrastructure before he stepped down in March after he was found guilty of election corruption. His appeal guaranteed him his seat as an MP until this week, but even then, sitting MPs who are just MPs do not get government vehicles.
The bigger question is who authorised the use of this vehicle? Was it someone in LTA or someone higher up whose directives cannot be ignored? Toelupe needs to be held accountable, and the people who allowed the use of this vehicle. This is not the way public resources are meant to be used. This is abuse of government resources and abuse of office.
