28 Feb 2017

Member of Parliament for Nkange, Mr Edwin Batshu has called for additional staff at the departments of information and broadcasting, saying those posted in outstations were overwhelmed by work.

Debating the 2017/18 budget proposals for the Ministry for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration in Parliament on February 27, the minister said the offices operated with few staff, which proved insufficient especially during MPs kgotla meetings.

Mr Batshu also called for additional funding and resources for the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO). He also said the Vision 2036 document should be translated to Setswana.

He expressed concerned over the cases investigated by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) saying they were seldom concluded, hence corruption remained problematic.

He further said the special court should not be transferred to Francistown, but should remain in the capital city, where cases are rampant.

The Nkange MP said the poverty eradication programme should be speeded if government was to meet its target of eradicating absolute poverty by end of this year.

For his part, MP for Gaborone Central, Dr Phenyo Butale said the monitoring and evaluating system could only bear fruits if government had set itself targets.

He further opined that government was committed to the Bargaining Council, saying it operated on a ‘take it or leave it’ basis, hence difficult for the public service unions to negotiate.

Talking about Poverty Eradication Programme, he said some people in his constituency had been waiting for the packages since 2012.

Major Pius Mokgware of Gabane-Mmankgodi said the DCEC funds should be increased, saying efforts to curb corruption must be increased as the practice negatively affected economic growth.

He decried the practice by some entrepreneurs who quote exorbitant prices when tendering for government projects.

MP Mokgware said the Directorate on Intelligence and Security Services (DIS)’s procurement should be made transparent as it opened doors for suspicious practices, adding that its funds should be decreased.

He further said the NDMO had to be provided with additional funding. MP Mokgware said the ministry should not be funding the public service college, saying instead each ministry should be paying the institution for training their employees.

He said the number of people graduating from poverty should be increasing, adding that people should also not graduate into poverty.

He welcomed the funds allocated to the Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) saying some people lagged behind due to poor radio and television reception in their areas.

MP for Mahalapye West, Mr Joseph Molefe said qualified people with relevant skills should be engaged in the Monitoring and Evaluation exercise.

He said projects undertaken through the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) needed close monitoring, saying some in his constituency were not doing well.

MP Molefe said it was imperative for government to have a good relationship with public sector unions, expressing concern about the performance of the Bargaining Council.

He said the poverty eradication programme was a much welcomed development, but said the beneficiaries took time to receive packages.

MP Molefe called for additional personnel as there was only one official employed in the poverty eradication office in the Mahalapye sub-district assisted by interns.

Responding to the comments, Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Eric Molale said the intention of the monitoring and evaluating system was to measure the impact of government projects on the lives of citizens.

Mr Molale said that would be done both externally and internally and also involve citizens through the community scorecard.

He said there were currently 17 000 poverty eradication projects across the country, adding that it was complimented by the Economic Diversification Drive (EDD) which compels government departments to procure goods from locals.

Mr Molale said the DIS procured its goods through the confines of the law and involved PPADB, as such there was nothing secretive about it.

He said government was also establishing the National Command Centre or the Emergency Operations Centre where all disasters including terrorism attacks would be handled.

The minister said Btv and radio transmission network projects was to fill the gaps where signal had been left out, adding that a large part of the country had been covered.

Minister Molale said the Bargaining Council had been established by law, but was unfortunate that its mandate had at times been hijacked by politicians.

He however said government would continue to have dialogue with the unions. ENDS