04 Mar 2013

Francistown East MP, Mr Phandu Skelemani has informed his constituents that the Delimitation Commission report has indicated that their constituency will remain in its current position.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Itekeng Ward on Saturday, Mr Skelemani said following suggestions made by the Francistown community to the commission, it finally recommended that the Francistown East Constituency should remain intact.

Mr Skelemani, who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it was at this point that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development could review and demarcate the council wards.

He noted that legislators have pleaded with Minister Peter Siele to consider the demarcation exercise promptly in order for voters to know their ward boundaries and make informed decisions before registration for the general elections starts.

Mr Skelemani also informed them that during the on-going Parliament, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) was given the lion’s share of close to P8 billion for the next financial year.

He noted that the budget would help the ministry address its challenges such as shortage of textbooks. The legislator said the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Ministry of Health were both given over P4 billion, while the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security was allocated over P3 billion. Furthermore, he explained that the budget for the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security would help it acquire resources that would enable it to compete with the rising numbers of poaching cases in the country.

He said some legislators argued that instead of increasing the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development budget to cater for radios and blankets, the funds should rather be directed towards the improvement of allowances of the beneficiaries.

On other issues, Mr Skelemani said the government was concerned about poor service delivery in the public service and that some officers have turned themselves into demigods and ill-treats their clients.

For their part, the residents complained about the delay by the council to empty a skip refuse container at their shopping complex and the delay to maintain public toilets in the same area when they were not working.

Ms Gaongalelwe Mbakile complained that council waste collection tenders were always given to same companies and that PPADB should consider opening offices in Francistown.

Ms Soso Ruthenberg complained that it was difficult to collect the child maintenance funds at the Francistown Magistrate. She explained that only 70 people are assisted daily and those could only get the money once the receipt book is finished.  Ms Ruthenberg attributed the uncollected funds at the courts to the complicated process.

The MP, promised to take up the issues raised with the relevant authorities. ENDS