Welfare Committee Hope To Conclude GPF Negotiations This Week

The Parliamentary Welfare Committee which is negotiating with Finance Minister on the delayed General Purpose Fund (GPF) loans has expressed hope that Government will conclude discussions either this week or next week with positive outcome. 

Members of Parliament are demanding Government to implement the GPF loan where every Member of Parliament is entitled to up to obtain K5 million loan from banks to be repaid before expiry of their term of office. 

Honorable Alex Major, Chairperson for the Committee leading the discussions with Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe said in an interview that meetings that began on Tuesday were continued on Wednesday and there is hope that everything will be implemented.

“The Condition of service matter is in progress, and we are still negotiating” he said, “but as MPs we know that we have an obligation to meet and the obligation is to scrutinize the budget. So, what we have decided is, as long as we are negotiating but we should also progress with budget scrutiny and we are scrutinizing the budget and also we are progressing with our discussions with Government.”

He said at the moment the Finance Minister has neither denied nor accept any of the demands by legislators but all seems that he understands their concern. 

“But it is not a matter of him understanding but you know, Government need to implement our conditions of service” he noted while expressing hope that this week “we would have reach the compromise whereby Government must accept to implement our conditions of service.”

Honorable Major also indicated that as of Wednesday, the Minister said he wants to make further consultations before telling the Committee whether Government will accept their demands or will not.

“He said he needs to consult so we are waiting for him to consult the President am sure, otherwise all is in progress.”

Since Monday this week, the legislators from opposition side vent their anger in the House over the delays by Government to implement the loan. The business of the National Assembly between Monday and Tuesday was disturbed as the House had to be suspended several times due to uproar when members from opposition insisted to deliberate on their condition of service and suspend the debate on the national Budget.

However, Government has maintained that it is facing economic challenges and it will not implement the legislators’ loans.