Ntsebeng Motsoeli
PARLIAMENT will today be adjourned indefinitely for its annual winter break, the National Assembly clerk, Advocate Fine Maema, said yesterday.
Adv Maema said by parliament would have closed earlier had it not been for the delays in approving the 2020/21 budget.
The M23, 7 billion budget was only approved on 8 June 2020 when it should have been approved before the start of the current financial year on 1 April 2020.
Former Finance minister (now Prime Minister) Moeketsi Majoro first presented the budget speech in parliament on 26 February 2020. But it could not be passed after the then premier Thomas Thabane prorogued parliament on 20 March 2020 on the grounds of stopping large gatherings as part of the fight against the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The prorogation was nullified in April 2020 by the Constitutional Court but a vote on the budget was further delayed after Dr Majoro requested to make some amendments to cater for the Covid-19 response which had not been factored in when the estimates were initially proposed in February.
Shortly, afterwards the Thomas Thabane regime collapsed on 11 May 2020 and parliament was adjourned for a week to facilitate the formation of the new Majoro-led All Basotho Convention and Democratic Congress coalition.
Now that the budget has been approved and a new government is in place, Adv Maema said parliament could now begin its winter break.
“Parliament will finally close tomorrow (today) for a winter break,” Adv Maema said yesterday.
