At least 64 vendors get space in govt offices

Staff Writer | Wednesday November 5, 2008 00:00

 

Their reasons are that they had already rented out their cafeteria to private business operators; lack of space within their offices; and occupying rented accommodation for which lease agreements do not permit activities such as accommodating third parties.

Lefhoko was responding to Gaborone Central Member of Parliament (MP) Dumelang Saleshando's request for an update on the implementation of the Presidential Directive that instructed government offices, parastatal offices and companies in which government has a stake to avail space for small-scale food vendors.

Lefohoko said: 'It is not possible to calculate the number of offices that have complied with the directive as a percentage of total space available because doing so would be too cumbersome and unjustifiably costly to government.'

The criteria used for choosing food vendors, he revealed, entailed inviting them, through advertisements, interviews, compilation of rosters of interested vendors and offering space on a rotational basis in order to accord as many food vendors as possible the opportunity to utilise the available space.

He stated that the implementation of the directive has not compromised any provisions of the Public Health Act as there is a requirement to ensure adherence to cleanliness and health.