Skelemani calls for Parly experts committees

Speaker of the National Assembly, Phandu Skelemani has reiterated statements made by House Clerk, Barbara Dithapo that Parliament is short staffed. Briefing the media on the upcoming Parliamentary session, Skelemani said short staffing affects quality of the output of the business of the House.

“We are extremely short staffed. We lack skilled personnel to help us. For example, you will find that experts who are hired to work with oversight committees are overworked. They would have all the committees demanding some form of assistance. This overwhelms them and we continue to request for more staff,” he said.

Skelemani also said they have tried several times to request for more staff but were told that they are not the only ones with short staffing adding that it was critical that as law makers, they are adequately resourced. Meanwhile, appearing before Public Accounts Committee recently, Dithapo called on oversight institutions to help the House get the area experts it needs for each portfolio committee to assist them to facilitate parliamentary oversight. “We also need a dedicated development planner as in other ministries, yet we are an arm of government [that does without]. We have long requested as we currently use an officer based elsewhere who comes once in a while to assist,” she said.

Still at the press briefing, Skelemani called on all Batswana who have issues they feel should be brought before Parliament to be channeled properly through legislators. “I have received a letter from one Gilbert Sesinyi about Kgatleng Land Board issues. I responded yesterday letting him know that I do not have powers to assist him. I advised that he routes his query through his Member of Parliament,or any member of Parliament or minister who can then follow our channels to bring the matter forward as a motion or parliamentary question,” he said. Skelemani was responding to a question about a plea by land owners in Kgatleng who had written to him decrying the looming destruction of their property in the Mmamashia area. Kgatleng Land Board has reversed change of land use decisions for over 100 land owners which means properties worth millions of Pula could be destroyed.

Meanwhile Skelemani told the virtual press briefing that Parliament will continue being held virtually. He also announced that they have 14 bills and five policies expected to be tabled when business resumes next week.