LOBAMBA:Senator Princess Ncengencenge came hard on Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg, accusing him of being partly responsible for the death of hundreds of emaSwati by delaying to pay suppliers within the Ministry of Health.
Addressing the Finance Minister in Parliament on Wednesday, the Senator said, some emaSwati died prematurely as a result of the shortage of drugs in public hospitals, she blamed the Minister and officials within the Ministry of Finance for this.
“You have the blood of emaSwati on your hands because the delay in paying the suppliers resulted to the shortage of drugs in public hospitals.I am even surprised that here in this House we are sitting with the Minister and officials from the Ministry of Finance while emaSwati die in numbers in the various hospitals.Can the Minister explain why he is delaying to pay suppliers?”, said the Senator.
But Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg took serious exception to the sentiments of the Senator, denying that “he has blood on his hands” and that, he was responsible for the delay in the payment of Government suppliers.
“As the Ministry of Finance we do everything that we can, you must understand Mr Chairman, the procurement process is a legislation passed by the House that we are implementing as the Ministry of Finance”,he said.
The Finance Minister stated categorically that, the accusations directed to him are unjust because he does not have powers to “pay Government suppliers outside the procurement process” adding that, he must at all times, follow the law.
“We are busy as we speak trying to amend the Procurement Act so that we have one Act dealing with such issues,” he said.
The Finance Minister said, he was also frustrated by the delays but assured Senators that, he “was doing everything he can to address the crisis”.
Senator Princess Ncengencenge(pic: Gov).