08 Aug 2013

Parliament on August 6 was divided on whether the Ministers and National Assembly Gratuities and Pensions (Amendment) Bill should be retrospective.

Kgatleng East MP Gilbert Mangole said the bill should be retrospective because some MPs did not properly receive their dues during their term in the last parliament.

Mr Mangole said only current MPs in cabinet at the time of the dissolution of parliament receive their gratuities as ministers while those who were dropped from cabinet before the dissolution are left out.

This, he said was unfair as some MPs served in cabinet for a number of years only to be dropped in the last year of the term.

Standing on a point of clarification, Tswapong North MP Prince Maele asked if then the MPs who served in cabinet for a short period should return their gratuities.

To this MP Mangole said that would not be done as currently no one owes anybody.

He said people have been disadvantaged by the current law, adding that gratuities have to be prorated.

Gaborone North MP Keletso Rakhudu echoed the same sentiments saying they should no longer be regarded as volunteers as they were now doing a full time job.

He said ministers who are dropped should retain their salaries as a personal right saying they find themselves in dire financial situations when they are demoted to lower salaries.

Rakhudu said as MPs they have a problem of being told a cabinet post is a privilege and volunteers yet at the same time they are under the Employment Act which causes confusion.

He said where people received more benefits then the amount should be recovered.

Kgatleng West MP Isaac Mabiletsa also said it should be retrospective from the ninth parliament as some members have been disadvantaged.

Lobatse MP Nehemiah Modubule said he was against the law of retrospection and his sentiments were shared by Mahalapye West MP Bolele.

Meanwhile, Maun West MP Tawana Moremi called for the establishment of a Parliamentary Service Commission to deal with issues regarding their conditions of service.
He said it does not look well in the eyes of the public for them to be talking about their salaries.

Tati East MP Samson Moyo said gratuities have to be replaced with pensions saying former MPs and councillors have been rendered destitute as they no longer have any source of income to sustain themselves.

Responding to the comments after the adoption of the bill, the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the bill will not be retrospective.

He said his ministry will look at the suggestion of establishing a Parliamentary Service Commission. ENDS