25 Jul 2019

Parliament has learnt that prisons officers on trips outside their duty stations are issued with camping equipment, depending on the nature of their trip and duty station.  

Responding on behalf of Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, the Minister for Presidential Affairs Governance and Public Administration, Mr Nonofo Molefhi said officers on trips where accommodation was readily available were not issued with camping equipment highlighting that the DPSM Directive No.5 dated May 5 2017 addressed field workers and not prison officers. 

Minister Molefhi said prison officers assigned duties outside their stations were paid subsistence allowance whereas those assigned duties outside their duty station for a prolonged period were paid commuted subsistence allowance in terms of General Order 111.

 He said officers who were on prolonged trips exceeding three weeks were paid commuted subsistence allowance and currently there were 24 officers who are paid allowance.

Gaborone Central MP, Dr Phenyo Butale had asked the minister whether Botswana Prison Service officers assigned outside their duty stations were provided with full camping equipment as per Public Service Management Directive No.5 of 2017 dated May, 05 2017.

Dr Butale also asked the minister if officers assigned duties outside their station were paid subsistence allowances as opposed to commuted allowance. ENDS