MPs will get their mid-term gratuities – Musokotwane

MPs will get their mid-term gratuities – Musokotwane
Written by Kabanda Chulu
Saturday, May 30, 2009 3:45:11 PM

FINANCE minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane yesterday said members of parliament will get their mid-term gratuities since it is an entitlement. And Dr Musokotwane has said the government will go ahead and pay for the mobile clinics if evaluation reports indicate that the facilities will benefit and add value to the Zambian society.

Meanwhile, Dr Musoko-twane said the Ministry of Finance would this year endeavour to keep track of all reported cases of misuse and misappropriation of public funds until the cases were disposed of in the courts of law.

Featuring on Let the People Talk programme on Radio Phoenix, Dr Musokotwane said gratuities for parliamentarians were an entitlement under the law.

"They will get their entitlements, it's like any other entitlement and the law requires that they get it so they will get their gratuities," said Dr Musokotwane, in response to a caller, who wanted to know if it could be postponed due to the global economic crisis.

And Dr Musokotwane said the matter to purchase mobile vans to serve as clinics from China was a proposal that would be evaluated for appropriateness.

"Like any other proposal, this issue will be evaluated for appropriateness and in this particular case, is it going to be of benefit to society, if it is and there are line ministries to demonstrate how the clinics will add value to the Zambian people, why not do it but if there are doubts about its usefulness then obviously we will not do it," Dr Musokotwane said.

When asked about renovating existing hospitals and clinics since the vans would face challenges associated with the poor road network, Dr Musokotwane responded that challenges were there hence the need for evaluation.

"This is why evaluation must take place but we should also recognise the essence of outreach service [flying doctor service] which is a recognised part of medical arrangement but given the level of intensity of what is being proposed an evaluation is required then we will take a look at it," he said.

When asked why government paid twice the amount to purchase the hearses, Dr Musokotwane said local government minister Benny Tetamashimba was investigating the matter.

"I think one possibility might be of exchange rate obviously this was planned when it was at a certain level now it has moved maybe I do not know but the most appropriate thing is to let the minister responsible investigate and come to conclusions and share something with us," he said.

Dr Musokotwane said the government was not defending any wrongdoing but had accepted that something went terribly wrong at the Ministry of Health hence the need to review entire process and tighten up loopholes.

"We are saddened by this downright theft at health, it is atrocious and we regret the suspension of aid and we do understand frustrations that donors have experienced but we need talk to them to understand exactly what they want and hopefully when they see the report from the investigative agencies they are likely to remove suspension and we have continued to engage them to assure them that money will be secured and if they are comfortable aid will resume," Dr Musokotwane said.

"These things happen everywhere and crime is a reality in the world, for me the systems on paper are there like when expenditure has to be incurred it goes through various stages and someone in the system may say ‘I want this' and it needs to be recorded. And if there is a budget for that item that must be verified, once done and if procurement is done according to rules somebody must check, before payment is done and internal auditors must satisfy themselves that everything is in order, when payment is done and someone must ensure that delivery is done and delivery note attached to say 'item is in the stores'. But on this particular issue they have completely beaten us and what is required for us is to learn from what has happened and tighten loopholes because criminals are not stagnant but always moving ahead."

He said the government had vowed not to see capital projects being sacrificed since the projects like hospitals and schools prepared the nation for the future, saying funds must be secured.

"If there are some issues arising like what has happened at health where support has been suspended and we divert money to cater for that what should suffer is fuel, travel, allowances, capital projects must remain intact and this year once we receive reports from the Auditor General's office, I have vowed to my officers that whatever administration actions required must be taken and whichever cases go beyond administration actions and require intervention of other agencies like ZP [Zambia Police] , DEC [Drug Enforcement Commission], ACC [Anti Corruption Commission], we will without hesitation deliver those reports to their attention," said Dr Musokotwane.

"It has been noted over the years that sometimes reports are handed over but nothing much seems to come out of it but this year we will keep a tally and track each and every case until it is disposed of so that everybody will know that cases have been concluded in the most satisfactory manner."