EFFORTS TO ASSIST PUBLIC SERVANTS NOTICEABLE Vice President and Leader of the House, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi says the global economic recession was not a hoax and, as a result, the government introduced initiatives to appreciate conditions and risks the public servants were faced with. Responding to the State-of-the-Nation Address and summing up debates by Members of Parliament on December 9, Mr Masisi said government introduced an interest free scheme payable in 12 months for officers at grade D4 and below as well as free accommodation for officers based in remotest areas. He added that the Remote Area Service Allowance (RASA) was also adjusted while the Botswana Public Officers Savings and Credit Society which allowed for a 10 per cent interest loan was also introduced. He also indicated that public servants were allowed to own businesses. While some members had argued that salaries for the civil service had not been increased for a long time, Mr Masisi said salaries and other benefits for public servants had regularly been adjusted upwards albeit not as generously as government would have wished in the context of financial constraints as a result of the global recession. He indicated that there was an aggregate of 35 per cent increase in salaries and benefits since 2008. In 2008, he said salaries and benefits were increased by 15 per cent, 10 per cent in 2010, three per cent both in 2011 and 2012 and four per cent in 2014. Also, he said those on lower end of the pay scale; C4 and below, benefited from recession relief allowances of between P150 to P239 per month. Vice President Masisi, also MP for Moshupa-Manyana constituency, told Parliament that public servants were vital engines of the government agenda and therefore at the core of service delivery. As a result, he said government continued to review their terms and conditions of service with a view to improving them. “Of course this is within the confines and limits of economic performance, competing national priorities and interests of various socio-economic groups that government has to serve,” he said. While some members accused government of being against workers, Mr Masisi noted that government was committed to reform in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) guidelines and international best practice, which opened doors for unionisation of the public service for the first time. “As we are in our infancy stage in this regard, it would serve us well for all parties concerned to keep abreast of best practices and in turn, inform members, whose best interests should always be in the fore whilst executing their core mandate,” he said. He further indicated that a competitive country was enabled by good working relations with its unions saying “our doors are always open and we look forward to a productive five years.” The Vice President also told members that it was important for public servants to treat their mandate and role in serving the executive and the public with the graciousness it required. He noted that the Botswana Democratic Party (BD) led government would continue abiding by international instruments on labour laws and harnessing productive and ethical labour relations. Mr Masisi also told members that past transgressions from both sides had come and passed saying “now we offer to workers of Botswana a new deal. Let us engage with mutual respect and work together to serve our nation. We need you as much as you need us if we are to prosper. In fact, there is no us and them. We are not a nation of ‘workers’ and ‘rulers’, we are a single untied nation that must work for the benefit of all its citizens.” (BOPA)
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:00:01 +0000
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