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.
