Parliament questions and answers
Correspondent | Tuesday July 11, 2017 16:03
Question: Shawn Ntlhaile (Jwaneng Mabutsane)
Asked the Minister of Health and Wellness if it is government policy to transport patients in light duty trucks fitted with canopies.
Answer: There is no policy to transport patients in light duty trucks fitted with canopies. However, the Ministry does have a National Health Quality Standard and Guidelines on Patient
Transportation. According to these guidelines, different vehicles can be used depending on the condition of the patient being transported. The use of light duty trucks fitted with canopies is one option amongst many others such as ambulances. I thank you Madam Speaker.
Question: Mephato Reatile (Specially Elected)
To ask the Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development the: (i) the number of employees who reached compulsory retirement age in the Financial Year 2017/2018; (ii) the number of those who will reach compulsory retirement age in your Ministry for the Financial Year 2018/2019; (iii) whether the Minister has made arrangements for succession with regard to those who held technical posts; and (iv) the number of technical posts that will be created by retiring employees.
Answer: The total number of employees who reached compulsory retirement age in my Ministry for the Financial Year 2017/18 is 16. (i) The total number of those who will reach compulsory retirement age in the Year 2018/2019 is seven. (ii) The technical posts, which will be vacated through compulsory retirement in the Financial Years 2017/18 and 2018/19 will be filled through internal and/or external recruitment. (iii) The number of posts that will be created due to retiring employees holding technical posts in the 2017/18 Financial Year is five and zero for the 2018/19 Financial Year.
Question: Mephato Reatile (Specially Elected)
To ask the Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development to state the number of: (i) Batswana professionals working outside Botswana and to provide the breakdown per country; and (ii) those who were under Government scholarship for their tertiary education.
Answer: There is no legal requirement for Batswana working outside the country to register with any authority in the country. Consequently, my Ministry does not have a record of Batswana professionals who are working outside Botswana. It is for the same reason that my Ministry does not have statistics of those professionals working outside Botswana who were under Government scholarship for tertiary education.
Question: Sethomo Lelatisitswe (Boteti East)
To ask the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development to apprise Parliamnet on the projects in his Ministry under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) and National Development Plan (NDP) 11 that will be carried out in the Boteti East Constituency villages looking at the following:- (i) brief description of the project scope; (ii) budget attached and timelines; (iii) when the projects will start and end; and (iv) current progress in relation to the projects, where there are delays and the reasons why?
Answer: The following are projects in the Boteti East Constituency that my Ministry is implementing under ESP and NDP 11 include ESP covered Supang Primary School for the project scope of 10 teachers’ houses, six classroom blocks and four toilet blocks at a total cost of P18 651 516.80. Progress is at 90 per cent for classrooms and 70 per cent for teachers’ houses and the project is expected to be completed by end of August 2017. The delay in completing the project was caused by rock excavation on site. For 2017/18 Financial Year, Mokane School will have four teachers’ houses, one block of toilets and two classroom blocks. The project is currently under evaluation and is expected to commence in August 2017. With respect to Customary Courts, Mmea has been completed at a cost of P1 080 092.16 during the 2016/17 financial year.
Question: Dithapelo Keorapetse (Selebi Phikwe West)
Asked the Minister of Basic Education to state the number of Government primary schools in the country; she should further state the number, names of schools and their districts with:- (i) functional computer laboratories fitted with computers; (ii) internet access which is accessible to learners and teachers; and (iii) computer studies courses
Answer: One hundred and ninety one (191) schools in Mascom 3G areas are connected to the internet. Of the 191 schools, 76 schools have devices and are able to access internet when the network is available. The remaining 115 are connected but are still awaiting gadgets for learners. The tender process to purchase the gadgets has commenced. Delivery of the gadgets is expected by December 2017. (iii) Madam Speaker, computer study courses are not offered at primary school level. However, computer literacy is included in the primary school syllabus for the purpose of developing learner skills for the use of technology. With the aid of Microsoft, primary school teachers are offered the following courses;
• ICT Basics course for non-computer literate teachers, and
• ICT integration in teaching and learning.