In a discussion with newspaper editors, Prime Minister Pinda has suggested that all allowance payments have to be approved by his office http://dailynews.co.tz/home/?n=6735&cat=home. The Prime Minister's initiative to cap allowance payments is laudable.
I would like to help the Prime Minister monitor allowance payments, by publishing pictures of notice boards in hotel lobbies reflecting the day's meetings. I have a few but need many more. If people send their picture to me, I will post them pictures on this blog website and flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gloriatwiga/
Please help and email your pictures to: gloriatwiga@gmail.com
Gloria
Monday, January 18, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Bold move by Minister Shamsa Mwangunga
Speaking during the inauguration of the board of directors for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, Shamsa Mwangunga the minister for Natural Resources and Tourism announced a ban on non-essential travel abroad.
The Minister said that personal benefit instead of professional reasons had become a motivation behind many trips and that officials not directly linked to promotional activities will no longer travel abroad.
The move by the Minister is a bold one that deserves to be followed by others. Whose next?
Cheerio
Gloria
(the full article an be found at: http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=16480)
The Minister said that personal benefit instead of professional reasons had become a motivation behind many trips and that officials not directly linked to promotional activities will no longer travel abroad.
The move by the Minister is a bold one that deserves to be followed by others. Whose next?
Cheerio
Gloria
(the full article an be found at: http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=16480)
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Pressure on allowances increases
A number of public officials started to speak out against allowances over the Christmas period. Mr Mwapachu, Tanga Member of Parliament (CCM) and Ms Bafadhili, Special Seats MP (CUF) criticized proposed plans to implement Kilimo Kwanza because too much money would be spent on workshops. Or, according to Ms Bafdhili in the Sunday Citizen of 27 December:
"The plan is defective because a huge chunk of the money will be used as allowances for experts and leaders as they attend seminars while little will be used to improve farming. This plan is not targeting the farmer".
Mr Mwapuchu added:
"This is a shame. Our colleagues from other regions will be amazed to hear that we have passed a plan which focuses on paying allowances to experts instead of improving farming.
On the same day the Guardian on Sunday published an interview with Mageuzi National Chairman James Mbatia who argued that unless the government freezes the culture of allowances, Tanzanians should never expect their taxes to bring tangible results in their lives. He asked the government for reform stating:
"In my opinion it is high time the government reviewed the allowance culture because it does not help this nation in anyway”
Change is in the air,
Gloria
"The plan is defective because a huge chunk of the money will be used as allowances for experts and leaders as they attend seminars while little will be used to improve farming. This plan is not targeting the farmer".
Mr Mwapuchu added:
"This is a shame. Our colleagues from other regions will be amazed to hear that we have passed a plan which focuses on paying allowances to experts instead of improving farming.
On the same day the Guardian on Sunday published an interview with Mageuzi National Chairman James Mbatia who argued that unless the government freezes the culture of allowances, Tanzanians should never expect their taxes to bring tangible results in their lives. He asked the government for reform stating:
"In my opinion it is high time the government reviewed the allowance culture because it does not help this nation in anyway”
Change is in the air,
Gloria
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Sending 95 people to COP 15 led to success
In today's Citizen (http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=16428) the State Minister in the Vice President's Office (environment) Dr. Burian explains how the Copenhagen Climate conference was a success even though the conference failed to agree to most of Tanzania's recommendations.
The good news is that a special commission has been formed and that next year there will be another climate conference. In Mexico this time. Maybe more delegates could be sent to that meeting, just to be sure that that conference will be successful too.
Happy holidays,
Gloria
The good news is that a special commission has been formed and that next year there will be another climate conference. In Mexico this time. Maybe more delegates could be sent to that meeting, just to be sure that that conference will be successful too.
Happy holidays,
Gloria
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Benefits and draw backs of per diems
The latest brief by U4 discusses per diems and seeks to answer whether allowances distort good governance in the health sector. Worth reading: http://www.cmi.no/publications/file/3523-benefits-and-drawbacks-of-per-diems.pdf
Gloria
Gloria
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Allowances cause climate change
95 Tanzanian delegates attend the Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen (http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=15970). As most of these delegates fly business class their carbon footprint for the flight alone (so excluding hotel, local travel etc) equals the annual carbon footprint of 3,325 Tanzanians!
How I know? Check out: http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx. It shows how a business class flight Dar es Salaam - Copenhagen produces 3.85 tonnes CO2 per person. It also shows how the average Tanzanian produces 0.11 tonnes of CO2 per year.
When the carbon footprint of one delegate equals that of 35 citizens, 95 delegates create the same footprint as over three thousand Tanzanians do during an entire year.
The reason for all these delegates visiting Copenhagen is clear: allowances. So allowances are not only bad for service delivery, they cause climate change,
Have a good day
Gloria
--
How I know? Check out: http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx. It shows how a business class flight Dar es Salaam - Copenhagen produces 3.85 tonnes CO2 per person. It also shows how the average Tanzanian produces 0.11 tonnes of CO2 per year.
When the carbon footprint of one delegate equals that of 35 citizens, 95 delegates create the same footprint as over three thousand Tanzanians do during an entire year.
The reason for all these delegates visiting Copenhagen is clear: allowances. So allowances are not only bad for service delivery, they cause climate change,
Have a good day
Gloria
--
Monday, December 7, 2009
International coverage of Tanzania's allowance culture
Earlier I presented a piece from the Financial Times that referred to the allowance culture. Now more international news sources are picking it up. For instance,
http://www.afriquejet.com/news/africa-news/tanzanian-papers-focus-on-public-dismay-over-war-on-corruption-2009120539572.html
Enjoy, Gloria
http://www.afriquejet.com/news/africa-news/tanzanian-papers-focus-on-public-dismay-over-war-on-corruption-2009120539572.html
Enjoy, Gloria
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