Phikwe college project shelved, Saleshando alleges sabotage

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Friday September 17, 2010 00:00

Speaking during an interview Saleshando strongly condemned the government's move to cancel construction of the multi million-pula college that was going to benefit the town's economy.

He noted that the money set aside for the college has so far exceeded P600 million generated from the loan interests by BCL mine. He said the college was cancelled under excuse that there are underutilized colleges in Francistown and Odi therefore there was no need to build the college meant for Selebi-Phikwe. He said it is regrettable that nobody explains why those institutions are not fully utilized yet many people roam the streets without being admitted to the schools. He also wondered why the one earmarked for Selebi-Phikwe was sacrificed especially at a time when the town's economy is unstable.

'There are indications that government wants to divert the money to something else but it is meant for Selebi-Phikwe region. We lost the second university, airport and now the college. We very much anticipated the eye hospital but is has since been diverted to Serowe.'

The Legislator also squashed the government's decision to expand the Selebi-Phikwe Technical College as substitute for the aborted college. He said the technical college is locked up in the middle of residential plots therefore there is no land for it to be expanded further. 'It is a problem for the town and it is high time the people here open their eyes and openly advocate government to recognized Selebi-Phikwe. Everything that is earmarked for this town ends up being diverted elsewhere,' he said.

He claimed that the ruling party MPs in the town knew before elections that plans for the College had been cancelled but they failed to tell people the truth. He said because of such decisions the town would not grow economically and wondered what would be done with the plot. 'We cannot be concerned about the town's economy while at the same time the town and its surroundings continues to be sabotaged.'

He further noted that he was shocked during the tour of the government hospital to discover piles of dysfunctional equipment that were reported to be from Sekgoma Memorial Hospital. He said instead of new equipment being secured for the local hospital the government decides to supply obsolete equipment and buy new equipment for other hospitals. 'We are not just going to be told that there is no money for equipment, we want new things just like Serowe-based hospital and I want that equipment to be taken back to Serowe by the end of this month,' he said.On other issues Saleshando condemned the huge taxations while the public service salaries remain dormant. He said this affects people's buying power and harms the economy. He noted that the country cannot afford to run its economy by imposing hefty taxations on its people.

Selebi-Phikwe East MP Nonofo Molefhi on the other hand said while the college of applied arts will not be built its programmes will be integrated into the local technical college. 'What has been discovered is that the current enrolment at the technical colleges and brigades is below capacity and programmes are undersubscribed. Therefore it was not viable to continue building the one in Selebi-Phikwe,' he explained.

He said the money that was set aside for the college, which to his knowledge is around P300 million, will not be diverted to anything else but will be used to expand the technical college. He added that the Ministry of Education and Skills Development is currently working on the design of the expansion of the technical college after which the council will be briefed.

Molefhi added that the plot that was set aside for the applied arts college will be reserved for future educational establishments while the area behind the technical college will be utilized for its expansion.

He maintained that the same effects that the town would achieve through the construction of the applied arts college would be achieved through the technical college expansion. 'The loss to the town is not great. It would also be unfair to continue building the applied arts college when we know it will not be fully utilized only to later on turn into a white elephant,'' he argued.