Maravi

CEC to disburse K140bn equitably, says Lintini

CEC to disburse K140bn equitably, says Lintini
By Jack Zimba
Wednesday May 07, 2008 [04:00]

THE Citizenship Empowerment Commission (CEC) has assured equitable disbursement of the K140 billion allocated to it by Parliament in this year’s budget. Appearing before the committee on economic affairs and labour, interim director general, Gideon Lintini, said the commission had embarked on sensitisation programmes to educate people on how to access the funds. He said the commission would also translate its act into seven local languages and Braille to ensure that no one was left out.

But chairperson of the committee, Given Lubinda, said it was wishful thinking for the commission to say that it would distribute the funds equitably when it had not defined equity in its plan.

Lubinda said as long as the fund was not segmented for distribution to various groups of society, such as women and the youth, equity would not be possible. He said the commission would not attain equity if it operated as a high street bank.
“Are you segmenting these funds to ensure that women have their own competition? If that is not there, then this equity we are talking about is nothing but wishful thinking,” Lubinda said.

But Lintini said the commission was only mandated to implement the programme.
“We got the marching orders from you the parliamentarians, so if this is wishful thinking then it originated from you,” he said.

Lukulu West member of parliament Charles Kakoma wondered why the commission did not have guidelines on its operations months after its establishment.
Lintini explained that the commission was only set up in 2007 and its director was yet to take up office.

He assured the committee that the guidelines would be put in place after the director assumes office on May 12.


However, Lubinda wondered whether the commission needed more time to implement its programme.

“My concern is that we gave you (K140 billion) as parliament, but there are these issues to be put in place. Are we forcing you to swallow this bone even before you develop teeth to chew?” he asked.

Lintini said: “It would have been desirable if we had more time.”
President Levy Mwanawasa on Labour Day gave a directive for the commission to speed up its implementation work.

Lintini said the commission did not have the “luxury of time” and that it would abide by the presidential directive.

He said the commission expected its first initiative to be implemented in June this year.

Labels: CEC, FUNDING

posted by MrK @ 5:54 AM