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(HERALD) ‘Botswana’s initiatives will not affect budget’

‘Botswana’s initiatives will not affect budget’
By Khonani Ontebetse

Gaborone. — The Botswana government has said that the recent series of initiatives announced by government in line with President Ian Khama’s Road Map for the nation are not expected to unduly affect public expenditure during the current financial year. This follows an article that appeared in the Botswana Guardian newspaper entitled "Experts scoff at Khama's extravagant initiatives"

"This Office wishes to reassure members of the public that the recent series of initiatives announced by Government in line with His Excellency the President's Road Map for the Nation are not expected to unduly effect public expenditure during the current financial year," the government said in a statement in response to the article.

The government said "in this respect we must emphasise the fact that the said initiatives should not be viewed as standalone measures. They should rather be understood as innovations that are being made to the framework of ongoing Government efforts within the existing budget."

The government also stated that the greater proportion of the new measures are designed to ensure that government serves the public in a more cost effective and efficient as well as equitable manner.

"For example, recent directives mandating the sourcing of goods from citizens and citizen-based companies will ensure that a greater proportion of this year's expenditure winds up in the hands of local taxpayers," the Office of the President.

The statement further stated that it is further anticipated that financial impact of those initiatives that do result in modest additional expenditure would be balanced by the introduction of cost control measures and productivity improvements, as well as cost savings in other areas.

In the case of some measures, the Office of the President said, such as the staging of sports and cultural events or new delivery methods to ensure improved accessibility to ARVs, it anticipated that the efforts of government would also continue to be supported by partners in the private sector and civil society.

"Finally we wish to make it clear that any new expenditure in the current year will certainly not result in government having to tap into the nation's foreign reserves."

Labels: BOTSWANA, IAN KHAMA

posted by MrK @ 3:30 PM