Rammidi Slams Council For 'Immature Behaviour'

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Monday April 19, 2010 00:00

 

The minister was addressing the third special full council in less than a week on matters relating to the disputed trip to the Belgian City of Genk.

'I have taken my time watching this morning's proceedings and I have not seen any maturity in your debate. It's unfortunate, but that is my opinion at the end of the day about some of you,' said a visibly disappointed Rammidi.

The assistant minister was given the floor at the Francistown City Council (FCC) chambers to address the special full council and respond to the issues raised by the councillors.

Responding to incessant disruptions by independent councillor, Ignatius Moswaane, Rammidi said: ' You can embarrass me, be disrespectful but that will not do anything to me. I am still the assistant minister and I will do my very best to serve this country at all costs.'

Moswaane irked Rammidi when he suggested that officials bound for Genk were motivated by a per diem to undertake the trip.

'I take it to be an act of immaturity in an August house like this one, for the honourable councillor to suggest that council officials engaging on official business did so for the sake of the external imprest,' said Rammidi.

He reminded Moswaane, 'that should not be your concern, but the benefit of such a trip to Francistown should instead be of concern to you.' Rammidi observed that the conduct of the FCC civic leaders was not conducive at all.

'To say that I am not impressed would be an understatement. FCC is not a model council. People can differ, but still keep the decorum of the council and not what I have witnessed here today.'

He reminded the councillors that for people to take them seriously, 'you really have to earn their respect and not demand it.' He further indicated that if a stranger had attended yesterday's meeting they would have gone away with the wrong impression about the calibre of the councillors as they spent all their time and energy on trivial issues rather than serious business.

He doubted if the way some of the councillors conducted themselves was in the best interest of the people who have mandated them to the council.

Rammidi, an activist of the A-Team of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), told the council, 'yesterday when some members of my faction heard that I was coming to Francistown on a mission like this, they wanted to influence me to take sides. I must tell you that I have taken an oath of office and will always stay above factions.'

He encouraged councillors to rise above party factions and serve the constituents effectively.

'As the Ministry of Local Government - the accounting principals - we account for your budget in parliament. It would be irresponsible of us to remain silent when things are not done in the best interest of the people,' he said and indicated that they will always intervene without fear or favour.

He told the council that in his judgement, the dispute in the FCC, at best, was administrative and did not border on procedure.

'In my judgement, you expect the mayor who has been mandated to head the council's political wing to report to the council even on issues that he can pass judgement on,' he argued.

Rammidi said in his view, therefore, no procedure has been flawed in the preparations for the trip to the Belgian City of Genk.

'If say tomorrow, I call the mayor and two councillors to my office, I would not expect him to convene a special full council just to let you choose the delegation of your choice. The mayor has the powers to make decisions,' Rammidi told the councillors.

Rammidi also informed the councillors that the parent Ministry of Local Government was working on amalgamating the District Act and Township Act. He said the amalgamation would give some authority to the civic leaders. But he feared that since some councillors had displayed lack of maturity, he feared the benefit of the new order to such.