28 Nov 2017

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso says Tawana Park was completed and officially handed over to Gaborone City Council (GCC) and First National Bank (FNB) Foundation through a developed, operate and transfer model of partnership.

Responding to a question in Parliament from the MP for Gaborone North Mr Haskins Nkaigwa on November 27, Ms Tshireletso said the park  remained  council property and was available for use by residents of Tsogang and the rest of the city dwellers.

She explained that some conditions such as cost recovery and bookings may be imposed as was the case with all other Gaborone City Council public property.

She said that as part of the conditions of utilising the park, Tawana Ward Development Committee had been given a special dispensation to hold their meetings in the shelter at no cost.

Ms Tshireletso further said there was no need to handover the property to any parties because it was the Council property that was  already available for the public .

She explained that there was  also no specific government policy that regulates donations as each was treated on its own individual merits and determined by the terms of the agreement by parties involved.

In the specific case of Tsogang Park, it was developed following the develop, operate and transfer model of partnership.

Ms Tshireletso further stated that the residents of Tsogang (and any other in the city) were  never denied the use of the facility because as a public facility, it has been developed to be used by the residents.

She explained however, that as is the case with most Gaborone City Council parks and other facilities such as community halls, utilisation of the same was conditional including the need to make bookings and pay a service fee and availability on a given day.

MP Nkaigwa had asked the minister when the Tawana Park donated by FNB would be handed over to the residents of Tsogang Ward in Gaborone and what was delaying the hand-over.

He had also wanted to know why government continues to deny the residents of Tsogang an opportunity to use the park. BOPA