Responses by the Hon. Minister for Presidential affairs and Public Administration to questions in Parliament

source: Republic of Botswana (28/2/10) TAUTONA TIMES no 3 of 2010
The Electronic Press Circular of the Office of the President
“Democracy, Development, Dignity, Discipline and Delivery”


B5) 22-24/2/10: Responses by the Hon. Minister for Presidential affairs and Public Administration to questions in Parliament



B5a) PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION NO. 311 ASKED ON Wednesday 24th February 2010 BY Honourable T. G. Habano, MP (Ngami)



QUESTION: To ask the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration;

(i) how many senior public officers of “D” scale and above have been dismissed or made to retire from the Public Service in the year 2009; and

(ii) what are the reasons for their dismissal and early retirements.



ANSWER: Madam Speaker, (i) Thirty - Nine (39) Public officers at “D” scale and above were dismissed and retired from the Public Service in the year 2009.



Madam Speaker, (ii) The reasons for their dismissal and early retirements are as follows: 10 officers were dismissed on disciplinary grounds in accordance with Section 33 of the Public Service Act Cap: 26:01, whilst 29 were retired in line with section 15 (3) of the Public Service Act Cap 26:01 which gives the Appointing Authority the discretionary powers to retire an officer who has attained the age of 45 years, from the Public Service. I thank you, Madam Speaker.



B5b) QUESTION NO. 293 ASKED ON MONDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2010 BY HONOURABLE G. SALESHANDO MP (SELIBE PHIKWE WEST)



QUESTION: To ask the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration to state:



i. Whether research was carried out before the Public Service Management Directive No.2 of 2008 on Attraction and Retention Policy was implemented considering the mistakes that were made in the process of implementing the directive;



ii. The cost effectiveness of the exercise since implementation considering that new employees are registered as and when they are categorized as qualifying for the scarce skill allowance; iii. Whether Government has plans to carry out further research on the scarce skill in the country in order to determine if the skills initially categorized as scarce are still scarce; and iv. Whether Government had plans to implement other cost effective pay structures in the public service intended to benefit the entire public service and not just a few.



ANSWER: Madam Speaker, before issuance and implementation of Public Service Management Directive No. 2 of 2008 on Attraction and Retention Policy, Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA) was engaged by Government in 2007 to conduct a study and advise Government on Attraction and Retention Policy. The recommendations from this study informed Public Service Management Directive No.2 of 2008 which introduced payment of scarce skills to identified cadres.



Madam Speaker, the exercise is cost effective because since implementation of the Directive there has been an overall decline in vacancy and attrition rate for posts that have been awarded scarce skills allowance.



Madam Speaker, Government has plans to undertake further research on the Scarce Skill to determine if the scarce skills initially categorized as scarce are still scarce.



Madam Speaker, Government has plans to implement other cost effective pay structures in the Public Service to benefit the entire public service. Thank you, Madam Speaker.



B5c) PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION NO. 302 ASKED ON 23RD FEBRUARY 2010 BY MR A. S. KESUPILE, MP (KANYE SOUTH)



QUESTION: To ask the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration if she is aware that people with severe and profound disabilities go through life with great difficulties placing a heavy burden of care on their families; if so what strategies are in place to assist their families and the disabled.



RESPONSE: Madam Speaker, I am aware that people with severe and profound disabilities go through life with great difficulties placing a heavy burden of care on their families. A number of programs are in place to assist people with disabilities and their families to cope. Amongst the key programs is the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Program administered by the Ministry of Local Government in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to promote integration and participation of people with disabilities in all social and economic spheres of their communities. There are other numerous programmes run by the various Ministries and Non-Governmental Organisations to assist people with disabilities in this regard. In my response to question 259 asked by the Honourable Member for Shoshong, I outlined the various programmes for the disabled in the different government ministries. I have attached the earlier response for your reference.



Madam Speaker, Government has found it necessary to establish the coordinating office for People with Disabilities under the Office of the President to improve the overall coordination of their programmes as well as provide strategic direction in the delivery of disability programmes. I thank you, Madam Speaker.



B5d) QUESTION NO. 303 ASKED ON Tuesday 23rd February 2010 BY Mr. B. Arone, MP. (Okavango)



QUESTION: To ask the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration what the Government is doing about the Media Practitioners Act, which is receiving resistance from key stakeholders such as the media and the Law Society of Botswana.



ANSWER: Madam Speaker, all Committees that are needed for the implementation of the Media Practitioners Act are in place safe for the appointment of an appeals committee due to failure by the Law Society to recommend a Legal Practitioner to serve as the Committee’s Chairperson as prescribed in the act. I thank you, Madam Speaker.