More than 1,000 government gas guzzlers to the auction block

SANTO DOMINGO.- The Dominican government on Monday announced an auction of more than 1,000 luxury vehicles which were used by officials, as part of president Danilo Medina’s ban on their use, aimed at lowering fuel consumption and air pollution.

Finance minister Simon Lizardo said the number of vehicles to go on the auction block has been confirmed and await only the go-ahead from Administrative minister Jose Peralta and Presidency chief of staff Gustavo Montalvo.

He official said yet to be determined is the amount expected from the sale of those vehicles, and what the bidding process would be. "It’s an almost natural depreciation process to replace one vehicle with another, but because the policy on which vehicles should be purchased is the Administrative Ministry’s prerogative."

Lizardo said the auction is slated for November.

Medina ordered the change from large vehicles for use by officials to save fuel and banned the use of credit cards, with the exception of the President, the Vice President and the Governor of the Central Bank.