BCP calls for strengthening of DCEC

EDWARD BULE
Correspondent | Wednesday July 20, 2011 00:00

 

BCP president, Dumelang Saleshando told the media after the party's 10th annual congress over the weekend that all studies done on the operations of the DCEC should be made public.

He said the party resolved that the reports should be made available to foster debate to review the way the corruption outfit executes its mandate. He told the media that BCP supports ongoing attempts by the legislature to assert its independence. He said the conference held at Aerodrome Primary School decided that the party should table a parliamentary motion calling for reforms geared towards entrenching the independence of the judiciary by demanding a more transparent system of appointing judges.

The party resolved that it must come up with a comprehensive policy seeking to reform the security sector with adequate democratic oversight of the state security organs. Saleshando said the BCP feels that in a democracy, Parliament should be empowered to provide scrutiny of the security sector.

The BCP endorsed the umbrella model of cooperation adopted by the opposition negotiating teams and called for members to back the talks. The party urged its members to remain tolerant during this time of negotiations. The party would like December 2011 to be the deadline for the conclusion of the negotiations.

Fielding questions from the media, Saleshando said that the conference gave his one-year-old committee the opportunity to interact with party members and get feedback on their concerns. He expressed optimism that this time round, opposition cooperation will succeed.

He commended the parties for adopting the umbrella model thereby giving up their cherished symbols and party colours. He said that this time round there is no big brother attitude in the talks and all the negotiating partners respect each other.