Satisfaction was quite visible on the faces of the Heads of departmental councils and a few mayors who were delivered last friday 48 ready-to-drive-away vehicles by the Hon. Minister Clotaire Christian Ivala; driving equipment estimated at one billion francs, concenring the first phase of supply of vehicles to the staff of decentralized administrations and more especially the chairs of department councils and a few mayors who had not benefitted from the first endowment under the 2003 budgetary year.

As the member of the government put it, these vehicles partake of the government's will to help Local Authorities move around more freely and self-reliantly. For it is true that this equipment will enable them to get closer to the populations.
For the Interior and Decentralization Minister, "it is, somehow, one tangible attribute among the rights and benefits attached to the status as elected local councillors, which enable them to establish their authority as firmly as possible". That is why he appealed to the happy recipients for them to acknowledge this valuable contribution as part of the relentless efforts by the public authorities despite the economic and financial recession which is severely hitting our country .
Besides, he praised the ‘‘maturity’’ of the heads of Gabon's local councils, who, he argued, had been very patient and had shown no discontent since the first phase of the operation when vehicles were delivered to their fellow chairs of department councils. But, as the saying goes, "a pleasure delayed is a double pleasure!".

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Yet, this endowment of vehicles should not cause the recipients to lose sight of the fact that the possession of such 'jewels' require them to make good use thereof. Hence the boss of Decentralisation in Gabon made recommendations calling upon the recipients to ensure that cars belonging to the State are no longer permanently and continuously seen outside the confines of their territorial constituencies. For, he said, ‘‘past experiences in respect thereof have not been quite satisfactory. Also, we must ensure regular servicing and maintenance of those vehicles, in order to avoid such expensive equipment being prematurely worn out’’.
Another recommendation Clotaire-Christian Ivala insisted upon was the one concerning "the need for taking out an insurance policy to cover all risks of damage to third parties; that is, in a nutshell, everything complying with applicable regulations on car ownership and use’’.
Let's just wager that after this endowment many no longer expected, our chairpersons of local councils will let their high sense of good management and preservation of public property prevail, and also their sense of moderation, duty and responsibility.’’
in other words, the Interior and Decentralisation Minister concluded, ‘‘ it now matters very much whether the happy beneficiaries would own those values of good governance that we all hold dear and that are apt to ensure, through the local development of which they are the main architects, the welfare of the majority of people and, of course, in the interest of the whole country".
In terms of specifications, let us note that those vehicles were Standard 5-door Prado. Therefore "sturdy" 4WD vehicles featuring, in addition to a radio with cassette player, power steering, air condition, power door lock, power windows and power door mirrors.