14 Aug 2013

The Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Dikgakgamatso Seretse’s efforts to block the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report bore no fruit as Parliament adopted it.

On August 12, Minister Seretse lost his bid to convince fellow MPs to expunge a chapter covering his ministry from the report because, according to him, the committee did not follow the right procedure during its audit exercise.

He had argued that, while his ministry recognised the role and importance of the PAC, the committee must have made recommendations based on proper findings after giving all parties concerned opportunities to explain themselves.

The Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security fared badly in the just released PAC report, which questions whether proper procedures were followed in renting out premises in the Gaborone Central Business District (CBD).

The minister dismissed this as untrue saying after the Ministerial Tender Committee (MTC) realised that the P33 million per annum lease was beyond its jurisdiction, the matter was taken to the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB).

He explained that PPADB rejected their submission as heads of lease were already in place and PPADB ruled that this was a legally binding document. Mr Seretse said the Ministry of Lands and Housing signed heads of lease with the landlord, which however was not legally binding as a main lease was to be signed.

However, PPADB said the heads of lease were legally binding and stood their ground, the minister added. Minister Seretse said they later heard that the Ministry of Lands and Housing had erroneously signed the main lease.

Therefore, he said his ministry had not done anything sinister, adding that if there were any deviations from procedure they were minor but they never intended to circumvent the procedure. He pointed out that they did not have any problem with investigations by organisations such as the Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), saying the report did not have true facts.

However, PAC chairperson and Lobatse MP, Mr Nehemiah Modubule, said the minister was misleading the public as he was afforded an opportunity to appear before the committee but chose not to. Minister Seretse however said he was never invited to appear before the PAC.

Mr Modubule said proceedings were open to the members of the public and therefore the minister was free to attend. He said they had accounting officers from the lands and housing ministry and defence, justice and security, including the CEO of PPADB and made their cases before them.

Mr Modubule presented before parliament all the correspondence documents between PPADB and defence ministry. He said the ministry started negotiations with the landlord before submitting their request for direct appointment to MTC. Mr Modubule also thanked MPs for their support saying they stand by their findings. Ends