Parliament authorises loan of P1.5 billion
Pini Bothoko | Friday April 7, 2017 17:19
The Bill was presented by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Kenneth Matambo and will be paid for almost 20 years.
“The proceeds of the loan authorised by this Act shall be paid into the development fund and all sums required to repay the loan and any other charges on the loan shall be charged upon and paid out of the consolidated fund,” Matambo said.
Despite being passed in Parliament, members of the opposition were against the loan stating that it was a decision that was taken by the ruling party at their private meetings and they are forced to support the loan authorisation at Parliament.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Jwaneng/Mabutsane, Shawn Ntlhaile accused the Government of having a hidden agenda and the habit of misusing public funds.
Ntlhaile was against the loan stating that it was not the first request to be brought to Parliament with the decision already taken by members of the ruling party at their private meetings.
“This Government has the habit of taking decisions without considering their aftermath. This loan will cost us a lot of money and it will be paid for almost 20 years. They started with Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) in which public funds were misused and now they want to force us to take this loan. We are not happy because decisions are taken at Domkrag congresses,” Ntlhaile said. The MP for Gaborone North Haskins Nkaigwa shared Ntlhaile’s sentiments saying the ruling party takes decisions to misuse public funds at their private meetings.
“There is no way a pronouncement can be made on ESP at BDP Congress when it is just a pronouncement on something that was not agreed upon by the members, unless we want to say Domkrag members do not think straight, but they do. That was something that was agreed at BDP congress and they have also discussed and agreed on this water loan,” Nkaigwa said
Nkaigwa said the first time he heard about ESP was at a BDP congress, which shows that even this loan was discussed and agreed upon at any of the ruling party meetings before it could be discussed in Parliament.
The Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Prince Maele said despite all dams being almost full it does not mean the problem of shortage of water in the country has been solved.
Maele said surface water only assist with 40% with 60% coming from underground water.
“This money will address all the challenges you have long been complaining of like attending to the old leaking pipes,” Maele said.
For her part the Minister of Health and Wellness Dorcas Makgato said it is a fact that at BDP congresses and various meetings they have meetings about programmes and policies they want to implement.
She cautioned opposition MPs against accusing the ruling party for taking decisions at their party congress because what they only do is to discuss programmes and policies. Makgato said it was a noble decision for government to have requested for the loan to address water issues as Batswana are struggling without water.
Minister Matambo said ESP money was never discussed and agreed on at Domkrag congress.
“What was only discussed was ESP programme without any money attached to it, that money was properly proposed and approved in Parliament,” Matambo said.