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{
    "id": 158352,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/158352/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 179,
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    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Many valuable comments that were made by the Members touched on issues regarding areas of priority and where we need policy change. We had a lot, especially about our procurement rules. Indeed, there is need for us to relook at that in order to be able to shorten the process of procuring, so that we can endeavor to speed up economic recovery. A lot was also said on the need to prioritise, for example, on irrigation, so that we move from being rain-fed agricultural country to a country that plans for food sufficiency through irrigation. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to assure this House that all sentiments are sentiments that I intend to carry and take on board, especially when we are now looking at the Budget of the year 2009/2010 Financial Year. However, allow me to make specific reference to certain issues that were raised with regard to the Supplementary Estimates. The first is to assure Members that as I said in the opening remarks, we have no intention of cutting back on planned expenditure, especially development expenditure on roads, energy and so on. What we have done is just taking cognizance of the fact that a number of projects are unlikely to be started between now and the start of the new financial year. Rather than borrow and increase the deficit that we already have, we took a decision that those projects that have not started and are not likely to be started, can be moved to the next financial year. They will, indeed, be given priority in the next financial year, so that those resources that are currently sitting in the accounts of Ministries can be utilised to provide much needed intervention, especially in this period of drought and famine. So, there is no intention to move away from what this Parliament approved. But rather, it is just taking cognizance of the fact that a number of those projects would not have started. Those monies would have ultimately returned to the Treasury. So, we took an active decision rather than borrow, to utilize those resources and move them to other priority areas."
}