JB justifies development council
President Joyce Banda has defended the establishment of the High Level Development Council, observing that currently there is a gap between development plans and implementation, a problem the council would help to solve.
The President made the remarks yesterday when she held a meeting with the council chaired by Professor Matthews Chikaonda at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.
The council, formed on January 9 2014, is a multi-sectoral body to deliberate and advise on national social and economic development.
“Institutional development plans have lacked institutional ownership to remind government to remain focused on the long-term perspectives as planned even though situations may be difficulty.
“Our national development agenda needs to be re-organised in order to strike a strategic balance that will harness our development aspirations. We must change the way we do business. There is need to define the architecture of our development agenda as a driver of socio economic transformation for our country,” she said.
The President told the 23-member council that there is need for a new configuration in driving Malawi’s transformation in the next 50 years.
Chikaonda described the council as independent and non-partisan, and asked for support from all Malawians to fulfil its mandate which includes nine terms of reference but are being revised.
He acknowledged the challenge before the council but said failure is not an option.
“It is a daunting task. As a council, we do have a big challenge. The strategic guidance is to improve livelihoods to make a difference to people’s lives. The council will have to come up with a master development plan for Malawi. This council will advise government of the day and future governments,” he said.
The council meets on January 27 to look at the country’s development plans and will call for The All Inclusive National Conference in early March. But the council will intensify its work after general elections.
“One way of depoliticising the council is that most of the work should start after the general elections,” he said.
Social commentator Chris Chisoni of the Catholic Commission Justice and Peace (CCJP) welcomed the formation of the council, saying the desire is to depoliticise development as outlined by the Public Affairs Committee all-inclusiveness meeting in 2012.
But he wondered why the committee has members before Parliament approves it.
“How do you elect people to a body that has not been approved by Parliament? And what was the criteria for choosing the members? It is like the President has taken heed of choosing not to politicise development, but in a hastily manner,” said Chisoni.
This is stupid, we have seen tangible development before without this sheer nonsense. Joice Banda is there to create conduits for siphoning government coffers. These people will be spending taxpayers’ money during their stupid meetings. Don’t forget Chikaonda is a zombie, he agrees with anything on his sight without critically looking at it. He used to do the same with Bingu, he criticized the shortage of foreign currency when the civil society organizations had started it. He always comes after others.
This is great framework to move the country to the next level. Malawian maybe sceptical about the false starts that have been done before or the current political wranglings but as far as having a national development council that is independent of political influence, that can drive forward economic programs, I completely support this idea, absolutely! It is the one that will manage on going national development plan phases on a contiguous basis from phase to phase. Malawi must put political differences aside and embrace this non partisan development framework. Don’t make it a council of elder but a council of professionals! It will evolve overtime to become an executive board of the various heads of strategic policy areas eg head of the nine strategic areas identified.
The ideas of national development and accelerated growth I have been banging on about, this is the ideal forum that must implement them. This is the time Malawi stood up to be counted. Talk is over this is now time for action! This forum must throw away the “rulebook” and charter the path for growth from first principles! Let this forum set the national development agenda in earnest. I am keen to reveal the development secrete that has eluded Malawi. In the past, the practice has been to rush to development partners who turn round and advise you to conduct “a qualitative Impact monitoring study (QUIM)” to get a clear picture of poverty in Malawi as they did in 2000. Do you really need a study to ascertain poverty in Malawi?
As prof Chikaonda has said, it is a daunting task. Yes transforming this country will be more than rocket science but we have the science that is the difference this time! I will be more than happy to make a presentation to this forum to outline the development economic growth solution for Malawi so the forum can deliberate. The solution is not obvious that is why it has been elusive. Unfortunately, Development Economic theory does not have specific solution either so no point rushing to IMF/World bank for help. I have scanned already. Malawi must get on a proper economic growth ladder. I warn you some donors might try to highjack this process, so be on the look out. It is important that Malawi defines where it wants to go before engaging external help. I have been expressing frustration, but this is the best forum to channel “my breakthrough ideas” concerning industrial and economic growth. I truly believe, this can be the day Malawi changed for the better forever, it is possible!