03 Dec 2013

No Central Statistics Office (CSO) employee was converted to contract basis when it converted to Statistics Botswana.


Answering a question in Parliament on Monday, December 2, the Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Vincent Seretse said former employees of the CSO were offered employment at Statistics Botswana under the conditions determined for the new organisation.

He said 55 employees (senior management and support staff) were engaged on contract basis, whilst 144 were engaged on pensionable basis.


Mr Seretse said former CSO employees who were offered employment at Statistics Botswana were duly consulted during the transition period by the ministry as well as in collaboration with the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) at the highest levels of permanent secretary.


He said following these consultations, employees were given the opportunity to take employment with the new organisation or remain with the Botswana Government.


Minister Seretse further noted that engaging officers on contract basis is a common practice in the market depending on the requirements of the particular job at hand. He explained that it was done to improve operational efficiency and management of organisations as well as introducing attractive terms of engagement to employees.


Minister Seretse however said he was certain that this arrangement is not ultra vires the idea for conversion of industrial class workers to permanent and pensionable status.

He said employees were given an option to remain in government on their terms of employment, adding that those who resigned from government were offered employment in Statistics Botswana on contract terms.


The MP for Francistown South Mr Wynter Mmolotsi had asked the minister how many employees of CSO were converted to contract employees when it converted to Statistics Botswana and whether these employees were consulted before conversion.

He also wanted him to state the reasons for employing them on contract and whether this motive is not ultra vires the idea for the conversion of industrial class workers to permanent band pensionable. ENDS