In Tuesday's Parley questions and answers
| Wednesday December 3, 2014 11:28
Haskins Nkaigwa (Gaborone North)
Asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that some employees of the department of agriculture Research in Sebele are housed in asbestos houses, while some in caravans; if so, how safe are these structures on the livelihood of the employees and their families and whether there are any plans to build habitable houses for these employees.
Response: Minister of Agriculture Christian De Graff said that he was not aware of any employees of the department of agriculture research in Sebele being housed in asbestos or caravans. “My ministry has embraced the position of government that employees housed in campus and other government facilities must be provided with at least a two roomed house that defined decent accommodation provided for government employees. To this end the department of agricultural research embarked on upgrading staff houses for former industrial class employees at Sebele and other stations in order to adhere to the position”.
He said that during the NDP 9, 139 staff houses at Sebele were upgraded to two-roomed houses and were also electrified. Currently only three houses at Sebele are of asbestos type and have been marked for demolition. “These houses are not allocated to any employees. There is, therefore, no employee allocated to stay in asbestos houses at the department of agricultural research at Sebele”.
Dithapelo Keorapetse (Selebi-Phikwe West)
Asked the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs to state the number of foreign nationals from countries whose citizens are not required to apply for visa to enter into Botswana who have been required to apply for visa when entering Botswana since April 2008 to date, their countries of origin, their profession and reasons for requirement of visa
Response: Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Edwin Batshu said that a total of 40 foreign nationals from countries whose citizens are not required to apply for visa to enter Botswana have been put on the list of people who require visa to enter Botswana since 2008.
“The 40 foreign nationals are from Australia, Canada, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Mexico, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America and Zimbabwe. The information on the professions of these people is not available since it does not form their assessment”. He said that this is done for monitoring purposes hence, as a country, the protection of national interests and security are a priority.
Fidelis Molao (Shashe West)
Asked the Minister of Lands and Housing why government decided to stop the subvention/subsidy to Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) as it provided affordable housing to Batswana; whether the cost of BHC housing units went up since the decision was made, if so by now many percent; whether the cost will not considerably go down and enable ordinary citizens to easily acquire houses provided the government will continue providing this subsidy and if he will consider revering the government’s decision on the same in the near future.
Response: The Minister, Prince Maele, said that Botswana Housing Corporation was previously given concessionary loans either from the public debt service fund or from external agencies for the purpose of building houses. He said that these were loans and not subventions or subsidies; and they were not aimed at reducing the prices of houses.
“However, this served to increase the number of housing units constructed. Therefore the decision to stop providing the BHC loans neither increased nor decreased the prices of BHC”.
Maele added that the public debt service fund was stopped because the corporation was expected to commercialise its operations with a view that the return on investment will cover operational cost and still allow for expansion to rollout more houses to the nation. “This meant that the prices that would prevail for houses on sale and those on rental would be at market prices, thus giving BHC a good , stable foundation to use other market sources of funding”. He further said that the cost of housing is a factor of the inputs of construction and therefore increases in housing prices are not as a result of the decision to stop the Fund, loans or subventions.