INDLOVUKAZI,

EMAKHOSIKATI,

YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES,

PRIME MINISTER,

COUNCILLORS,

CHIEFS,

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER,

CHIEF JUSTICE,

MINISTERS,

MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,

WORLD BANK REPRESENTATIVE,

PRESIDING OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE MANZINI REGION,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

SIYANIVUSELA LAPHA KAMAVUSO BEKUNENE

INTRODUCTION

I AM EXTREMELY DELIGHTED TO BE A PART OF AN OCCASION SUCH AS TODAY’S EVENT WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAPACITATE AND CONTRIBUTE IMMENSELY TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES AND SOME TINKHUNDLA CENTERS.

MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS MOMENTOUS EVENT, PARTICULARLY OUR FRIENDS FROM THE WORLD BANK. WE ARE PLEASED THAT YOU ARE HERE TO WITNESS AND PARTNER WITH US IN THE LAUNCH OF A LANDMARK PROJECT.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF ESWATINI AND THE WORLD BANK

THE KINGDOM OF ESWATINI AND THE WORLD BANK, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, SHARE A LONG STANDING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP THAT WE CHERISH DEEPLY. WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THIS BOND CONTINUES TO GROW FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.

THE WORLD BANK IS AWARE THAT OUR COUNTRY WAS NOT SPARED FROM THE NEGATIVE IMPACT AND RIPPLE EFFECTS OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC MELTDOWN.

EFFORTS TO REVIVE OUR ECONOMY IN ORDER TO FAST TRACK THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS COUNTRY ARE MIRED BY SEVERAL FACTORS.

AMONGST THESE IS THE RE-CLASSIFICATION OF THE KINGDOM OF ESWATINI AS A MIDDLE INCOME STATUS COUNTRY. OUR CLASSIFICATION HAS COST US MUCH NEEDED SUPPORT FROM FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

THIS REMAINS A NATIONAL CONCERN.

WE THEREFORE REQUEST THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WORLD BANK TO TAKE OUR SENTIMENTS TO WASHINGTON.

AS A PARTNER AND A GOOD FRIEND OF THE KINGDOM OF ESWATINI, WE APPEAL TO THE WORLD BANK TO RIGHTFULLY CLASSIFY US AMONGST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS

I AM AWARE THAT THE PROJECT WE ARE TO LAUNCH HERE TODAY IS A CULMINATION OF LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN OUR GOVERNMENT AND THE WORLD BANK.

DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS BOTH PARTIES OPENED UP TO EACH OTHER AND UNDERSTOOD LIMITATIONS AND STRENGTHS OF ONE ANOTHER.

WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN THIS COURTSHIP IS THAT BOTH PARTIES AGREED AND COMMITTED TO A WIN- WIN RELATIONSHIP.

THE NATION IS PARTICULARLY PLEASED THAT THE WORLD BANK UNDERSTOOD THAT THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND HAS TOWNS, CITIES AND RURAL AREAS CO-EXISTING IN MUTUAL HARMONY AND THAT DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT MUST BE CHANNELED TO BOTH URBAN AND RURAL AREAS IN EQUAL MEASURE.

PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES

THE WORLD BANK IS KNOWN FOR HAVING “MICROSCOPIC” EYES WHEN IT COMES TO TRACKING USE OF FUNDS AND RESOURCES.

WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT IN THE FIVE YEARS THAT THEY WILL BE WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT AND OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THERE WILL BE SOME KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER.

WE TRUST THAT THE WORLD BANK WILL NOT ONLY TRANSFER THE MICROSCOPES TO OUR INSTITUTIONS BUT ALSO THE SKILLS AND MOTIVATION TO USE THE SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT FOR PROPER UTILISATION OF RESOURCES.

THIS IS A HIGH PROFILE PROJECT AND ITS SUCCESS, LIKE ITS FAILURE, WILL PUT US ON THE WORLD MAP.

IF THE PROJECT SUCCEEDS, AS IT MUST, WE ARE CERTAIN THAT IT WILL OPEN UP STREAMS OF SUPPORT FROM ALL THE MANY INTERNATIONAL FUNDING AGENCIES.

BUT AGAIN IF THE PROJECT FAILS, WHICH IT MUST NOT FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE WILL BE AN INTERNATIONAL DISGRACE.

WE WOULD BE DEPRIVING OURSELVES AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE EFFECTIVE PLAYERS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE CONFIDENCE OF OUR PARTNERS.

UTILISING STATE FUNDS FOR PERSONAL GAINS

ONE MAJOR FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTES TO FAILURE OF PROJECTS IS DIVERTING PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR PERSONAL GAIN. LET US CAUTION ANYONE WHO WAS ALREADY ENTERTAINING SUCH THOUGHTS TO DESIST FORTHWITH FOR SUCH WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

WE WOULD ALSO IMPLORE THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THE PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, TO BE EXTRA VIGILANT AND REPORT SUSPICIOUS TRANSACTIONS AND DEALINGS TO THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES SWIFTLY.

DEVELOPING TINKHUNDLA

THE WORLD BANK HAS WORKED IN SOME SECTORS IN SWAZILAND BEFORE, INCLUDING FINANCING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN AREAS AND HEALTH BUT HAS NEVER FUNDED PROJECTS AT TINKHUNDLA LEVEL.

WE WARMLY WELCOME THIS NEW AREA OF DEVELOPMENT. THIS MEANS THAT THE BANK HAS SEEN THE NEED TO DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN TINKHUNDLA.

THIS PROJECT PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BANK, AND OF COURSE MANY OTHER INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BANK, TO APPRECIATE THE DYNAMICS OF OUR SYSTEM.

IT HAS HOPEFULLY HELPED HIGHLIGHT THE TINKHUNDLA SYSTEM’S DEPTH IN INVOLVING COMMUNITIES IN EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT.

I AM SURE BY NOW THE BANK UNDERSTANDS THAT TINKHUNDLA, BOTH AS INSTITUTIONS AND A SYSTEM FOR SERVICE DELIVERY, ARE THE NERVE CENTRE FOR THE SOCIO- ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION OF THE PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

IN ALL ESSENCE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN SWAZILAND IS ORGANIZED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF TINKHUNDLA.

THIS IS WHERE OUR INDIGENOUS ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURES HARMONIOUSLY COLLABORATE WITH PEOPLE’S ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO ARTICULATE AND CHAMPION SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE.

THE NATION HAS VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS FROM TINKHUNDLA TO DELIVER SERVICES. IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT THAT PROPER CAPACITIES ARE BUILT IN THESE INSTITUTIONS FOR THEM TO CARRY OUT THEIR MANDATE EFFECTIVELY.

THIS PROJECT COULD NOT HAVE COME AT A BETTER TIME WHEN THE COUNTRY IS REDEFINING ITS LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULAR ENSURING THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS INTEGRATED SO AS TO AVOID ANY RURAL- URBAN DICHOTOMY.

I AM PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THIS PROJECT WILL, OVER AND ABOVE CAPACITY BUILDING, BE TARGETING UPGRADING OF ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR URBAN AREAS.

ROADS ARE THE MAJOR URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE BY WHICH WE GAUGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TOWN OR CITY AS THEY ATTRACT NEW PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT.

I NOTE THAT IN THE RURAL AREAS THE PROJECT IS TARGETING FUNDING OF ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT WILL TRIGGER DEVELOPMENT IN DIFFERENT SECTORS.

I AM PLEASED THAT EIGHT TINKHUNDLA, EVENLY SPREAD OUT IN THE FOUR REGIONS, HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO PILOT THIS MULTI-MILLION PROJECT.

FOR A PILOT PROJECT TO BE WORTH ITS TIME, EFFORT AND INVESTMENT, IT MUST YIELD POSITIVE RESULTS. THEREFORE, THE EIGHT TINKHUNDLA HAVE TO WORK EXTRA HARD TO MAKE IT THE SUCCESS THAT WE ALL WANT IT TO BE.

THE SAME APPLIES TO THE URBAN LOCAL AUTHORITIES – WE CHALLENGE YOU TO RAISE THE BAR AND SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE DESERVE MORE OF SUCH SUPPORT.

WE HAVE HEARD THAT THERE IS A PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM SET UP SPECIFICALLY TO MANAGE THIS PROJECT. TO THE TEAM WE CAN ONLY SAY WE EXPECT MAXIMUM EFFORT AND COOPERATION TO MAKE THIS PROJECT A SUCCESS.

CONCLUSION

AS I CONCLUDE MY STATEMENT MAY I ENCOURAGE THE NATION TO EMBRACE THIS PROJECT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN ONLY REALIZE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IF WE CHAMPION IT OURSELVES FROM THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL.

THIS PROJECT IS IN LINE WITH OUR NATIONAL OBJECTIVES TO DECENTRALISE GOVERNMENT SERVICES TO THE RURAL AREAS. IT CALLS FOR COMPROMISE AND UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE IT MIGHT AFFECT OUR PRESENT LIVING ENVIRONMENT.

WE APPEAL TO ALL STRUCTURES IN OUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM SO THAT IT IS CARRIED OUT AND COMPLETED ON SCHEDULE.

WE WISH TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATIONS OF TODAY’S OCCASION. TO THE PERFORMERS YOU HAVE ALL RENDERED SPLENDID PERFORMANCES.

DECLARATION

IT IS NOW MY SINGULAR HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE TO DECLARE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROJECT LAUNCHED.

THANK YOU

MAY GOD THE ALMIGHTY BLESS US ALL.