24 Mar 2013

Members of Parliament (MPs) have called for prudent utilisation of resources in order for government to be able to take services to the people regardless of their location in the country.

Debating the motion calling for government to fast-track the setting up of sub-districts which Parliament passed on Friday, some MPs said it was necessary to render services in such a manner that a lot would be achieved with the limited resources available.

Supporting the motion, South East North MP, Mr Olebile Gaborone said although there was generally a shortage of funds to set up new sub-districts, a few days in a week could be designated to take services to various areas to ensure people do not travel long distances to access government services.

Mr Gaborone, who is also the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development said such a move would rule out the issue of having to put up a physical structure, thereby addressing the lack of office and staff accommodation as well as the need to employ additional staff.

Also supporting the motion, Letlhakeng East MP, Mr Liakat Kablay said government was slow in establishing the new sub-districts and this disadvantaged people in places which were far from where services were being dispensed. He noted that the recent delimitation exercise had included villages like  Lephepe and Shadishadi in his constituency.

Palapye MP, Mr Moiseraele Goya also stressed the importance of taking services to the people residing in villages where no services are provided on certain days. Mr Goya said government could consider hiring porta-cabins from which staff could dispense services on the set days.

However, he appreciated government’s efforts to ease access of services by the general public through the establishment of administrative centres.

For his part, Boteti North MP, Mr Slumber Tsogwane urged government to do more with the minimal resources at its disposal.

“We know we have minimal resources, so let us do things differently to achieve better results. The motion is about making our current processes more effective,” he said. Mr Tsogwane said the issue of some districts being too large to be served effectively had been raised way back even before the onset of the economic recession.

Making his contribution, Maun West MP, Mr Tawana Moremi said the country had always had resource constraints, but had not failed to move ahead making the most of the little that was available. He thus appealed to government to do all in its power to expedite the exercise of bringing services nearer to the people.

Mr Tawana said the reason always advanced that there was shortage of funds would result in people losing confidence in government.

MP for Tswapong North, Mr Prince Maele backed the motion, saying people in his constituency accessed services from Palapye which was a challenge to them. The legislator noted that there was shortage of personnel in Palapye, which also hampered the speed at which people got served.

MP Nonofo Molefhi of Selebi Phikwe East said something was being done about bringing services closer to the people; citing as examples old age pensions and vehicle license renewals which were being offered in some post offices.

Mr Molefhi, who is also Minister for Transport and Communications, also emphasised the need to prioritise projects, noting that in his view projects such as the construction of hospitals should come before the establishment of sub-districts looking at the needs of nation.

MP Daniel Kwelagobe of Molepolole South also called for government to set up the sub-districts speedily to bring services closer to the people.

Kanye North MP, Mr Kentse Rammidi, however did not support the motion, saying it was not clear what its deliverables were in light of government’s position that there was shortage of funds. He said it would have been more appropriate to wait for the mid-term review of NDP10 where the ministry responsible would be given the resources necessary for the attainment of the objectives of the motion.

In response, MP for Shoshong, Mr Phillip Makgalemele who had tabled the motion said government had made a commitment to set up 19 sub-districts at a total cost of P30 million, but that due to the fact that progress had been made through the establishment of service centres and administrative authorities, the cost had reduced substantially.

Mr Makgalemele said the 60 per cent progress made so far  presented a good opportunity for government to fast-track the process and complete it. ENDS