02 Apr 2013

Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi is satisfied with staff compliment and resources allocated to Parliament constituency offices.

Responding to a question in Parliament from Tonota North MP, Mr Fidelis Molao recently, Mr Masisi said that was because he had met the requirements as per the 1992 report on the review of conditions of service for Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, the House of Chiefs as well as councillors.

 However, Mr Masisi acknowledged that it was inadequate given that the report prescribed that MPs, including cabinet ministers, should be provided with furnished offices and their constituency headquarters equipped with telephone, typewriter, cyclostyling or photocopying machine and stationery.

He added that constituency offices should also be staffed by an administrative officer for research and a typist or personal secretary.

He further said the staff should be chosen by the member and let known to government who shall determine their terms and conditions of service.

Mr Masisi also indicated that allocation of resources to constituency offices was not done according to the terrain and/or make up of constituencies.

Nevertheless, he told members that he was unable to provide additional resources due to current economic constraints.

Mr Molao wanted to know whether the minister was satisfied with staff compliment and resources allocated to constituency offices and if such allocations took into consideration the different terrain and/or make up of constituencies so as to be equitable.

The MP had also wanted to know when a review of the resource allocations for the offices would happen to make them more effective in achieving their intended goals. ENDS