The economic crisis had not hit Hong Kong when legislators reacted furiously in 1997 to the disclosure of the Land Transport Agency's decision to pay out $5.25 million from government coffers for a fleet of top-of-the-range BMW saloons. At the time, officials denied reports that the actual sum would amount to more than $10 million.
They said they were still considering offers from European and Japanese manufacturers, and would base their decision on value for money. But it now turns out that they went for a much more expensive option. While the cheapest is not necessarily the best value, it will take all the agency's ingenuity to convince Legco that the discounts which it claims to have been offered justified a purchase more than twice as expensive as the alternative.
Senior officials are certainly entitled to be chauffeured about in proper style: nobody is suggesting that they should turn up at functions in cheap cars that would do Hong Kong's reputation no good. But each Auditor's Report produces instances of unwise spending or lack of control in one corner of the civil service or another. In most cases, the spending only comes to light after the event, but in the case of the limousines, legislators were forewarned that an overspend was in prospect. If they had insisted on being informed of the final decision before the transaction was completed, the SAR's coffers would have been richer by $5.8 million while the officials, it can be safely assumed, would have reached their destinations just as speedily.
The subject dropped off the agenda two years ago before the cars were bought. That must not happen again. The Public Accounts Committee should insist on seeing proof of these documents. If officials cannot produce them, no doubt the car manufacturers keep records of top customers dating back to their last purchase.
If they are not forthcoming, the agency's former administrator should be contacted in Britain and asked for an explanation. All future purchases of official cars should be subjected to proper scrutiny before the money is released.