'Some benchmarking trips aren't necessary'
Larona Makhaiza | Monday June 2, 2025 16:18
Kganetsano told Public Accounts Committee (PAC) this morning in response to a question by commettee chair, Taolo Lucas, who had enquired how government stop the coffers from bleeding. Lucas also asked Kganetsano if allowances for the President and Specially Elected Members of Parliament (SEMP) could be halted.
“By now, one could have thought top paid government officials allowances and some members of Parliament with their salaries can sustain them, why not cut those allowances?” Lucas asked.
“Since we are in difficult times why do we have things like benchmarking trips? Why don’t we stop them totally and other non-essential travel?” he further asked.
In response, Kganetsano leaned towards Lucas' questions in concession that indeed some trips are necessary whereas some are not.
“I don’t want to make a blanket statement to say benchmarking trips are not necessary there are some that could be necessary and these are indicated because we have trust in the Permanent Secretary to the President that when proposals are made she really interrogates them,” he said.
Kganetsano stated that some of the trips are a strategic move to resuscitate the ailing economy of Botswana and soon enough the results will be evident.
“At some point, we will surely see the results of those trips because when we have problems we have to go out and try to see how best can we generate income in Botswana,” he said.
Though Kganetsano defended most of the trips by government officials he acceded that there are those that are really not necessary at all and government wishes to put an end to such.
“As to the trips that are really not necessary we continue to engage at the meeting with permanent secretaries after painting this gloomy picture we agreed, as PS we are going to meet how we are going to deal with this matter. This can't be left to our ministry to solve only,” Kganetsano said.
Regarding allowances for top government officials, Kganetsano said his ministry is planning to liaise with the World Bank to see how they can deal with the issue.
“Talking of cutting salaries, allowances and alike, we will soon be engaging the World Bank to soon overlook our payroll because we might find that we have overtimes that are excessive in some instances,” Kganetsano said.