05 Mar 2020

Progress regarding a tourism project at Thune Dam is not satisfactory, says the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Ms Phildah Kereng.

Ms Kereng, however, said delays in the implementation was due to the need to conclude compensations and subsequently extension of the lease area before design, construction and disposal of sites.

She said development of the Tourism Master Plan and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the area was completed in November 2017 and 98 per cent of property owners affected by the proposed dam lease area extension had been compensated by November 2018.

She said the remaining property owners had requested a re-assessment, which was completed in February 2020 and the next stage in the process was consultation and hopefully, compensation of the remaining property owners.

Minister Kereng pointed out that Bobonong Sub-land Board had put forth compensation of affected property owners as a condition for approval of the lease extension and therefore conclusion of the compensation process would lead to approval of the lease area extension.

She highlighted that the design and construction of bulk and basic infrastructure to support tourism development would be done after conclusion of the lease area extension process.

“The process of surveying tourism zones identified in the master plan will be done after conclusion of the lease area extension process in preparation for disposal to potential investors,” she said adding that the disposal of tourism zones through open tender would be done after surveying of the zones.

In addition, the minister said the anticipated completion timeliness for key milestones in the evolution of that tourism project were that March was for compensation of property owners, April approval of the dam lease area extension, June surveying of tourism zones, design and construction of bulk and basic infrastructure expected to be carried out in August, disposal of tourism zones in January next year, development by private sectors also in January while it was expected to become operational in February of 2021.

She was responding to a question asked by the Member of Parliament for Bobonong, Mr Taolo Lucas, who wanted an update on the progress of the tourism project at Thune Dam.

MP Taolo also wanted to know if the minister was satisfied with the progress recorded in respect of the Thune tourism related projects.

He also asked her the anticipated completion timelines for key milestones in the evolution of that particular tourism project. Ends