May 15, Colombo (LNW): A fresh round of vehicle auctions overseen by the Presidential Secretariat is set to take place today (15), as the government continues its push to curb non-essential public spending and promote financial discipline.
This second phase of the auction process involves the sale of 26 vehicles, including several luxury and recently decommissioned models.
According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), all the vehicles listed for auction were manufactured within the past decade. The deadline for bid submissions ended yesterday, and successful bidders are expected to take possession of their vehicles following the conclusion of the auction.
The fleet up for sale includes a notable selection of high-end vehicles: a BMW, a Porsche Cayenne, a Toyota Land Cruiser Sahara, and several Nissan Patrols are among those set to go under the hammer.
Other vehicles include two Ford Everest jeeps, a Hyundai Terracan, two Land Rover models, a Mitsubishi Montero, two Nissan sedans, five SsangYong Rexton jeeps, six V08 models, and a Mitsubishi Rosa air-conditioned bus.
This marks the continuation of the asset rationalisation strategy initiated earlier in the year. During the first phase of the auction, the government disposed of 14 luxury vehicles, six decommissioned units, and assorted spare parts. Amongst the more prominent sales were nine Defender jeeps, which attracted significant attention from bidders and the public alike.
It has been clarified that the vehicles now being sold were not part of the regular fleet assigned to permanent staff of the Presidential Secretariat. Rather, they were used by a number of officials, including advisors and special appointments made under Article 41(1) of the Constitution during the tenure of the former Head of State.
With national budgets strained by persistent economic challenges, these symbolic moves to shed unnecessary state assets have been broadly welcomed by fiscal reform advocates.
