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Finance Ministry Recovers Funds, Closes Probe Into EC$15M Vehicle Procurement Breach

17 February 2026
This content originally appeared on Antigua News Room.
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An investigation into the purchase of government vehicles outside established procurement and tax rules has ended, with the Ministry of Finance recovering funds and declaring the matter closed.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said the review covered hundreds of vehicles valued at more than EC$15 million. He said discussions with several dealerships led to agreements and repayments to correct what were described as procedural failures.

“The Financial Secretary and the Ministry of Finance have reached agreements with several concerned dealerships. Through these arrangements, funds were recouped from the dealers involved, and the Ministry now deems the matter settled,” Merchant said.

Opposition figures have argued that repayment alone does not resolve concerns about how the purchases were approved or whether safeguards failed, calling for a fuller public accounting. Merchant said the Finance Ministry considers the financial issues addressed.

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