Hostel food probe finished

THE report compiled by an inter-ministerial technical committee probing alleged irregularities in the hostel catering trade has been submitted to the responsible Ministers, after which it is to be tabled in Cabinet, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Finance Erica Shafuda has confirmed.

“The report has been given to the Ministers, after which it will be tabled in Cabinet,” Shafuda said in a telephonic interview. She could, however, not say when Cabinet was expected to take action on it, or whether it would be released for public consumption, some seven months after the initial investigation was launched.The investigation was launched after publication of a report in The Namibian, headlined ‘School hostel food scare’, on January 6 this year, which alleged irregularities in the supply of food.The three-year contract had been awarded to Independence Caterers and associated companies.The Ministers responsible for reviewing the technical committee’s findings are those of Basic Education, Finance, Health and Social Services, Youth and Sport as well as the Office of the Attorney General.The Ministry of Finance, as the line Ministry responsible for the Tender Board, chairs the higher-level committee that it is to evaluate the findings of the technical committee.Shafuda declined to comment on the contents of the report, which was compiled under chairmanship of the Director of General Services in the Ministry of Basic Education, Bollen S Khama.He was assisted by three other Government officials, including Sackey Shanghala of the Attorney General’s office.Khama, while confirming that the technical report was completed last week, also declined to discuss its specifics.”We have done our work as best we can… it is now up to the higher authorities to evaluate our findings,” Khama said recently.Meanwhile, legal action has been instituted against The Namibian and the writer as a result of the report in question.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587She could, however, not say when Cabinet was expected to take action on it, or whether it would be released for public consumption, some seven months after the initial investigation was launched.The investigation was launched after publication of a report in The Namibian, headlined ‘School hostel food scare’, on January 6 this year, which alleged irregularities in the supply of food.The three-year contract had been awarded to Independence Caterers and associated companies.The Ministers responsible for reviewing the technical committee’s findings are those of Basic Education, Finance, Health and Social Services, Youth and Sport as well as the Office of the Attorney General.The Ministry of Finance, as the line Ministry responsible for the Tender Board, chairs the higher-level committee that it is to evaluate the findings of the technical committee.Shafuda declined to comment on the contents of the report, which was compiled under chairmanship of the Director of General Services in the Ministry of Basic Education, Bollen S Khama.He was assisted by three other Government officials, including Sackey Shanghala of the Attorney General’s office.Khama, while confirming that the technical report was completed last week, also declined to discuss its specifics.”We have done our work as best we can… it is now up to the higher authorities to evaluate our findings,” Khama said recently.Meanwhile, legal action has been instituted against The Namibian and the writer as a result of the report in question.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587