07 Jan 2018

Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila has commended Tamasane Village Development Committee (VDC) for monitoring projects undertaken through Constituency Community Fund.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Tamasane on January 4, Mr Mzwinila who is also Member of Parliament for Mmadinare, said the VDC should enhance monitoring of constituency community projects and ensure that they were completed on time and within budget.

He said it was the responsibility of the VDC to ensure that constituency community projects were implemented as planned.

He said since the 2016/2017 financial year was about to end, it was imperative for the VDC and the council to ensure that funds allocated to undertake those projects were disbursed to enable more projects to be undertaken in the next financial year.

Mr Mzwinila informed the Tamasane community that President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama’s term was coming to an end thus Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi would step in as President as per the automatic succession arrangement.

He said communities under Mmadinare constituency would converge at Mmadinare village to bid the President farewell beginning of February.

On other issues, he informed the community about the State of the Nation Address, adding that government had identified tourism as one of the areas that could be tapped into to diversify the economy.

He said however, that the human and wildlife conflict still posed a threat to tourism, adding that the sector had observed high increase in the number of elephants.

He said government took an initiative to establish a fund to compensate those who would be affected by elephants and other animals.

He added that government had also proposed for the establishment of a fund to help with maintenance of schools.

In the area of health, he informed the community that government was concerned about an increase in non-communicable diseases, thus encouraging Tamasane community to exercise and eat healthy food.

He said government would continue providing ARVs to HIV positive patients, hence urged those on ARVs to adhere to medication.

He informed them that government had adopted the Treat All programme to test and provide ARVs to those who tested positive immediately.

Mr Mzwinila also informed the community about the amended Botswana Defence Force Act.

For his part, VDC chairperson, Mr Fredricks Moedi thanked government for the Constituency Community Fund through which Tamasane was allocated P1.1 million to undertake projects in the 2016/2017 financial year.

He said Tamasane VDC would expand its houses and connect water and electricity as well as construct kgotla shelters at Mosojane and Tshosa wards.

He said most projects had started except one project that entailed expansion of two-roomed houses to include sitting room, kitchen and bathroom.

He said the tender for the construction of that house had been allocated though the contractor was failing to start the project. ENDS