13 Feb 2014

Members of Parliament have expressed different views towards the 2014 budget speech with some embracing it while others dismissed it.  

Responding to the budget in Parliament on Tuesday, February 11, Francistown East MP, Mr Phandu Skelemani said the budget ought to be an instrument for the execution of a plan therefore could not be a plan itself.

He, therefore, commended Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Kenneth Matambo for coming up with a ‘very good’ budget that aims at prioritising and dealing with economic enablers. Touching on Morupule B power station project and other unfinished projects, he said this could not be blamed on government because it was not what it desired.

In addition, he said the glass manufacturing plant was also not functioning and could not be blamed on government. “If you have a lazy partner and the project does not take off you cannot blame the government,” He said.

Kanye North MP, Mr Kentse Rammidi said Mr Matambo failed to overcome two obstacles in his budget; the economic downturn and working with a collective cabinet. He said the 2009 economic down turn caught up with this country but the government lacked ambition and imagination to deal with it.

He said cabinet on the other hand showed no ability and determination to monitor their ministries resulting in failure to deliver projects on time. Regarding economic growth and employment creation, he said government showed ‘very little’ commitment on this issue.

He said government was still failing to address the issue of beneficiation adding that the country was still selling 80 per cent of diamonds in their raw form resulting in loss of revenue and failure to create employment.

Mr Rammidi said government also continues to lose revenue on delayed projects such as Morupule B and Glass factory, which he said exhausted the public coffers. He said Morupule B will remain one of the greatest failures of the government. “I do not know whether changing the maintenance contract will assist,” he said.

Regarding improvement of productivity, he said government cannot grow the economy with a demoralised workforce, accusing government of playing “hide and seek” on the issue. On education, Mr Rammidi said from 2009 to date, a lot of money has been channeled into education but the ministry has failed to bring about good results.

He said the ministry failed dismally on quality improvement despite being given abundant resources, the failure he blamed on lack of political guidance. For his part, MP for Molepolole North, Mr Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri said his constituents are going to be ‘very happy’ with the budget particularly that it is going to address the problem of water shortage in his area.

He said the budget would also assist in funding youth programmes such as Youth Development Fund and Tirelo Sechaba. He said the youth were happy with Tirelo Sechaba saying the number of youth who have applied for the programme has far exceeded the targeted number. ENDS