Sekatle defends government

MASERU — Public Works Minister Semano Sekatle has defended the government’s record in improving the road infrastructure in Maputsoe.

Sekatle was responding to Basotho National Party (BNP) leader, Thesele ’Maseribane’s charge that the government under Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili had neglected Maputsoe since his election into office in 1998.

He said ’Maseribane was wrong to conclude that “the government under Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili has not been doing anything to improve road infrastructure in Maputsoe”.

“I think he is too general in his remarks.

“We have a policy to build tarred roads in every town and as we speak now roads are being constructed in Leribe, Hlotse,” Sekatle said.

He said the government has plans to tar roads in Maputsoe and upgrade Sir Seretse Khama Road.

“Chief ’Maseribane says this at a time when the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Mosisili is doing its utmost to ensure that urban areas have tarred roads and that is inherent in our local government policy,” he said.

Sekatle said it was also not true that the government was folding its hands as Maputsoe lagged behind in road infrastructure.

“We had a construction firm which we had to fire because it had not been faithful to us, otherwise the road in Maputsoe could have been completed by now,” Sekatle said.

“We have since contracted another firm,” he said.

’Maseribane told hundreds of BNP supporters at an election campaign rally on Sunday in Maputsoe that successive governments had presided over the collapse of the town since 1993 when the Basutoland Congress Party took power.