10 Jul 2019

The ministry of  Local Government and Rural Development has no plans to relocate constituency funds from local authorities to constituency offices.

The Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Frans Van Der Westhuizen informed Parliament  that  the decision was due to the fact the programme funds were to be utilised and accounted for through the establishment procedures and processes governing state funds.

However, the assistant minister explained that  when the Constituency Community Projects (CCP) started, all local authorities were issued with guidelines for the programme, including procurement procedures.

He said he was not aware that tenders by the local authorities were open, something he said made it difficult for local contractors resident within the constituency to benefit from such tenders.

To address the matter, Mr Van der Westhuizen said he had directed the local authorities to procure services from local suppliers, small contractors and artisans.

He said his ministry would continue to monitor the situation across constituencies to ensure that eligible local contractors and suppliers were supported so as to benefit from the programme funds as per the initial plan.

The assistant minister was answering a question from Gaborone North MP Mr Haskins Nkaigwa who had if there were any plans by government to relocate constituency funds from local authorities to constituency offices so as to improve service delivery and beneficiation of funds by local communities.

Mr Nkaigwa also wanted to know if the minister was aware that the tenders by local authorities were open and therefore local contractors within the respective constituency constituencies found it difficult to benefit from programme.

He further wanted to know what was done to support local contractors within the respective constituencies.

Still in Parliament, Mr Van Der Westhuizen  clarified that Headmen of Arbitration do not perform acting roles on vacant position of Headmen of Record because they were governed by the Code of Conduct but not empowered by Bogosi Act of 3008 CAP 41:01.

MP for Nkange, Mr Edwin Batshu had asked the minister to state why Headmen of Arbitration were not paid acting allowances when they act for vacant post of Headmen of Record. ENDS