18 Feb 2018

The secretary of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), Mr Motingwa Motingwa has urged community trusts to work with them in project implementation as they played a pivotal role.

Speaking at a two-day Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme capacity building workshop and award ceremony at Thakadu Hotel recently, Mr Motingwa noted that the TAC was a district advisory body which ensured that government policies and legislation were adhered to with regard to proper management and utilisation of natural resources.

He pointed out that there was no way a project could go through to completion without the involvement of the TAC, explaining that they provided professional advice to the board of trustees on joint venture arrangements as well as overseeing all tendering processes.

Mr Motingwa, therefore, urged trusts to involve the TAC in every step of their projects to avoid delaying project implementation.

He also noted that although the TAC would not always be available, trusts should not hesitate to consult public officers such as dikgosi or head teachers in their communities as they were also part of the TAC.

He said trustees should be committed and strive to push the project to meet the term of completion.

Trusts were also advised on good record keeping since it was important in the implementation of projects to show progress and trace money pumped in the project. He added that the absence of record keeping would imply misuse of funds which could lead to funders pulling out of the contract.

He said some of the funding opportunities available included the Tropical Forest Conservation Fund from Forest Conservation Botswana, National Environment Fund from the Department of Environmental Affairs as well as the Corporate Social Investment Fund from Debswana.

Meanwhile, trustees expressed concern about the transferring of TAC representatives as well as the term of office of board members, saying it was not convenient as it happened just at the exact time when they were given funds, and that it delayed projects since the newly elected members would not always have the same energy and determination about the project as those who took it off the ground. Ends