UWA ENQUIRY ‘STUCK OVER FUNDS’
The anticipated start of the commission of enquiry, instituted by the minister of tourism and chaired by eminent former Supreme Court Justice Kanyeihamba, has delayed according to sources in the ministry. It appears that queries have arisen over the absence of experts in certain fields, but mostly over the lack of allocated fund to carry out the work. This appears to include funding for administrative expenditure but also for sitting allowances and related logistics.
The commission is tasked to investigate the use of funds given to UWA by bi- and multilateral organizations to carry out specific functions, after it has been alleged that such funds have been misused or misdirected, and that laid down procedures and rules have not been observed.
A source from within the tourism ministry on strictest condition of anonymity said: ‘our ministry is struggling as it is. We do not have enough budget allocation left until the new financial year. Funds promised by Finance were eventually not released and used for other aspects of government programmes judged more important. So it is anybody’s guess when the commission will be funded, but they have made this anomaly known and be told to be patient while it is sorted out’.
Not a good start, concludes this correspondent!
