26 Feb 2014

Members of Parliament have called for enhancement of security in Parliament.

Debating the 2014/15 budget estimates for Parliament, MP for Palapye, Mr Moiseraele Goya said he did not understand why construction of a boundary wall around Parliament has not been included although cases of security breach are evident.

MP Goya said the boundary wall had been included in the National Development Plan (NDP) 10 adding that in other parliaments, people were thoroughly searched as they entered parliament buildings.

He further said when the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi presented the budget proposal, he only mentioned portfolio committees that did well during the 2013/14 financial year but failed to mention others such as the Committee on Finance, Trade and Economic Development that were yet to deliver.

MP Goya said since Parliament had not been allocated development funds, recurrent budget should have been increased to recruit more personnel adding the portfolio committees shared human resources which negatively hampered legislators’ delivery.

For his part, MP for Molepolole South, Mr Daniel Kwelagobe said they had long called for Parliament to be independent from the Executive. 

He said he would like the bills mentioned by Minister Masisi namely the Parliamentary Services Bill 2013, Constitution (Amendment) Bill and Parliamentary Remuneration and Benefits Commission Bill to be presented quickly as they would ensure the independence of Parliament.

Talking about Conditions of Service for MPs, he said there should be improvement saying this does not necessarily mean they want salary increments.

MP Kwelagobe said MPs are faced with acute shortage of transport adding that the number of staff should be increased to alleviate instances where portfolio committees have to share the services of Parliamentary Council. 

He also called for construction of a boundary wall to control movement. MP for Kanye North, Mr Kentse Rammidi said Parliament had adopted a motion calling for live broadcast of its sessions on Btv but the minister’s proposal was silent on the matter.

He further said he was worried about the low number of people registering for elections saying this needed more education through the use of the media. MP Rammidi said MPs were under-resourced such that they were forced to use their own vehicles when attending kgotla meetings

MP for Kweneng East, Maj. Gen. Moeng Pheto said Parliament should be independent adding that there was a need for the establishment of Parliamentary Service Commission. MPs were forced to dig deep into their pockets to undertake their duties, he said.

MP for South East South, Mr Odirile Motlhale was concerned with the dignity of Parliament saying MPs no longer had dignity. He noted that their constituency offices were under resourced and even their salaries are low.

MP Wynter Mmolotsi of Francistown South said Parliament had indeed developed and grown under the leadership of the current speaker, Dr Margaret Nasha. He said Parliament had to be fully resourced and independent in order for it to effectively carry out its mandate.

MP Mmolotsi said Parliament has shown it can deliver as witnessed by the work it did when it investigated irregularities at the Palapye glass project.

He said constituency offices should be provided with vehicles as at times MPs used their own vehicles to announce kgotla meetings as the Department of Information Services is over stretched.

MP for Lobatse, Mr Nehemiah Modubule said the number of people required for an MP to present an independent Bill is a predicament and should be abolished by amending the Standing Orders.

He said Parliament has the powers to either reject or adopt a Bill and therefore he does not understand why 10 people are required to support the Bill before it is brought into the House.

MP Modubule said their salaries are low and is concerned that their salaries are increased if there are increments in the public service.

He expressed concern that the public service has a Bargaining Council which negotiates public sector salaries and therefore it means it indirectly also negotiates on behalf of MPs. ENDS