MPs call for return of passenger train

BAME PIET
Staff Writer | Friday March 19, 2010 00:00

Molebatsi, a former no-nonsense MP during his time as a backbencher, expressed shock that BR is contemplating selling the coaches to Mozambique and said the buyer would not need to spend much money on repairs. He criticised government for failing to manage a 400km railway line and attributed the increase of road accidents to the absence of a passenger train.

The assistant minister, a former General Manager of BR who was commenting on the budget allocation for the Ministry of Infrastructure, said the coaches for a passenger train have a lifespan of 40 years and wondered why the passenger train was stopped so abruptly.

The call for the return of the passenger train dominated the Wednesday proceedings, as the majority of MPs across the political divide called on government to reintroduce the passenger train as a matter of urgency. They suggested that government invite private companies from abroad to take over the running of the train if it was unable to do so. MP for Lobatse, Nehemiah Modubule accused the government of thriving on lies. He said President Ian Khama told the House in his State of the Nation address last year that government was doing something to reintroduce the train, while the Finance Minister, Kenneth Matambo, and Transport Minister, Frank Ramsden were silent on the matter. He nearly called the President a liar before being called to order by MP for Gaborone West North, Robert Masitara. 'The President must come here and explain,' he said.

Nkange MP, Edwin Batshu requested that government allocate more funds to BR to help in its operations. Making his presentation, Ramsden said that BR was running at a loss of P29.113 million. 'The losses are mainly attributed to overhaul and maintenance costs of locomotives and wagons as well as other costs associated with train operations like fuel and wagon hire,' he said. The losses led to the discontinuation of the passenger train last year, the minister said. He added that a turnaround strategy is being implemented and recapitalization would be critical. Ramsden said that BR is at an advanced stage of developing a shopping mall on its land at the Gaborone Station. 'This is a viable project with anticipated/projected positive cash flows. The project commenced in February 2010 with completion planned for March 2011,' he told the House.