I am ready to declare my assets - Raletobana

ARNOLD LETSHOLO
Correspondent | Friday June 7, 2013 00:00

 

'Some of us just survive with negative assets. The properties I have were obtained through loans, which I am still servicing. Until they are fully paid for, such cannot be said to be our properties as such,' he said. He explained that the idea to come up with an assets declaration law emanated from government's desire to ensure transparency in the way politicians and top leaders acquire property.

Raletobana was responding to a complaint by one of the villagers who had asked him whether the Kweneng Land Board officials, who are currently engaged in the re-registration of plots have declared their properties. The villager referred to previous calls on legislators to declare their assets, saying as far as he could remember no one has done so. He said it was unfair therefore to put the small fish - the ordinary citizens - under pressure to re-register their plots and change of land use.

Meanwhile, Raletobana reiterated that despite what his detractors were saying, he is still the MP for Kweneng South East. He said some people were misleading the electorate ahead of next year's general elections. 'It is not true that I have left the constituency to live in Namibia or somewhere,' the MP said adding that he is determined to develop the constituency.

He cited the renovated Gabane clinic, which was undertaken by the Motovac group of companies after he had approached them. 'You always complained that you did not like the first clinic built by the council. But nothing could be done to improve it because of financial constraints. So I approached local businessman, Satar Dada and told him about the condition of the clinic here. He asked me to write a letter, which I did. The result is the better clinic you have today. I also invited the President (Ian Khama) to come and officially open it. So no one can accuse me of doing nothing - that clinic is there because of my effort. I even think that my name should be written there as proof,' he said to loud applause. (SPA)