Govt audits Palapye glass project

LAWRENCE SERETSE
Correspondent | Thursday March 21, 2013 00:00

Rakhudu said that the exercise will look into the current value of land, buildings, equipment, payments made to date including outstanding payments.He asserted that this will assist the ministry to make informed decisions regarding the completion of the project.  Rakhudu further said that when the project was stalled, it was physically estimated to be 70 percent complete and the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) had at the time approved funds and guarantees to the project to the value of P740.8 million and has to date disbursed the sum of P438.6 million toward the project.

'BDC is progressing with the market study to validate market information and assess the market viability of the project.  A final draft report is expected by end of March 2013 and the project equipment has already been delivered,' he said.Rakhudu said this in response to a question by MP for Francistown South Wynter Mmolotsi who wanted to know the progress made on the project and the costs incurred.  He had also queried when the project would be completed. Meanwhile, Assistant Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Gloria Somolekae said that in 2001 a Bentley was purchased and is currently in use.  She said according to information from the Central Transport Organisation (CTO), the vehicle has never been reconditioned, whereas there were plans to refurbish two Presidential Vintage Daimlers until the decision was rolled back.

'The ministry decided to keep them at the National Museum.  In the meantime, the old Presidential vehicles are at the CTO pool workshop,' she said.Somolekae further said that if funds permit the National Museum and Art Gallery will build an enclosed space where the two vehicles can be kept for public viewing.  She was responding to Mmolotsi who had asked where the old Presidential vehicles were and whether it was true that the old Bentley was reconditioned at a cost of more than P200,000.  Somolekae told parliament that she was not aware if the Bentley was reconditioned at that amount.

On another matter, the Minister of Lands and Housing, Lebonaamang Mokalake said his ministry has not yet implemented the tenant purchase scheme for Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) houses.  He attributed this to a shortage of funds as the project requires P600 million to kickstart.  He also said that the scheme has been kept in abeyance, despite the depressing economic situation.'When the scheme was approved by government three years ago, it was agreed that when the economic situation improves the requisite seed capital for the scheme would be availed,' he said.