K15m to settle debts
The National, Tuesday 11th June 2013
By SHIRLYN BELDEN
DEBTS owed to service providers would be paid within the next two weeks after the Treasury Department released K15 million to the Electoral Commission on Friday.
The money would be used to settle a K12.8 million debt owed to services providers for food, vehicle hire, accommodation and other outstanding costs that were incurred during the national elections last year.
Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen had said earlier the commission did not have sufficient funds to pay the outstanding debt. This has prompted threats by service providers to disrupt the local level government (LLG) elections this month.
Trawen said yesterday that funds were now available and would be processed for payments within the next two weeks.
He urged all service providers to support the Electoral Commission and the Government to successfully deliver the LLG elections.
“Now that the funding was made available I call on our good service providers throughout the country not to threaten and forcefully close our offices in the provinces.
The election is underway and let the offices facilitate the election,” Trawen said.
“Forcefully closing the offices due to non payment of services simply does not help anyone.”
“The LLG election must be owned by the people and provincial governemnts and so commonsensemust prevail.”
“Do not issue unnecessary threats or engage in illegal activities to jeopardise the smooth process.”