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dam-l Editorial on LHWP by Lesotho NGOs/LS



Found this on Africa News Online (http://www.africanews.org).

Lesotho

                               LHDA transparency needs more light - LCN

                               Mopheme/The Survivor (Maseru)
                               October 12, 1999

                               Maseru - Lesotho council of Non-Governmental
Organization (LCN) through its cluster of NGO's monitoring the
                               Lesotho Highlands Water Project wishes to
note with great concern the allegations of corruption and bribery against
                               the former LHDA chief executive during his
term of office and after.

                               The cluster wishes to make it clear that
since the inception of the project 12 years ago, the NGO's in the country
have
                               always indicated that the way the project
was conceived is not transparent and that there might be hidden agendas and
                               self-enrichment going on. Unfortunately at
the time the powers that be never took the concerns of the NGOs
                               seriously. As a result of which the affected
communities and other major stakeholders were not informed of any
                               decisions taken by the Lesotho highlands
Development Authority.

                               It came, as no surprise therefore to the
NGO's when allegations of corruption and bribery surfaced. Furthermore, it
has
                               to be noted that the role of the World Bank
in this case has to be brought to light. It is the world bank whose
                               guideline were used during bidding by the
big companies-now it surfaces that the bid process itself was riddled with
                               bribery and corruption.

                               We want to suspect that he former Chief
Executive may not be the only one implicated; therefore we strongly suggest
                               a commission of inquiry to be instituted to
look into the former and current senior officials of both the LHDA and the
                               Ministry of Natural resources.

                               As NGOs in Lesotho, we are also aware that
it is not only within LHDA where there are allegations of corruption.
                               We would like to encourage the judiciary to
take an active role in bringing to justice all those who are alleged to be
                               responsible, so that justice and the rule of
law can prevail in Lesotho.

                               Lastly we wish to put on record that,
although NGOs in Lesotho do support the Lesotho Highlands Water project we
                               will continue to question the openness and
care with which the project is being implemented. We feel that punishing
                               corrupt multi-national companies involved in
the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and closely monitoring the
                               implementation of the projects social fund
would reassure us that the World Bank's aim to alleviate poverty in the
                               world has meaning for us in Lesotho. Comment
Submitted by LCN Information Uni



                               Copyright (c) 1999 Mopheme/The Survivor.
Distributed via Africa News Online (www.africanews.org). For
                               information about the content or for
permission to redistribute, publish or use for broadcast, contact the
publisher.

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      Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
        and Editor, World Rivers Review
           International Rivers Network
              1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
                  Tel. (510) 848 1155   Fax (510) 848 1008
                        http://www.irn.org
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