(Wales Branch) Lesotho Link 29 September – 6 October 2007

Report of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Wales Branch)

Lesotho Link 29 September – 6 October 2007

The Orange River which has its source in Lesotho and emerges in the Atlantic as the border between Namibia and South Africa.

1 Report of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Wales Branch) Visit to Lesotho 29 September – 6 October

Contents Page

Acknowledgements ……………………………………………… .. 3 Summary of Recommendations ………………………………….. 4 Background to the Visit ……………………………………………. 5 The Committee Skills Seminar …………………………………… 7 Visit to Molapo High School, Leribe …………………………….. 12 Meeting with the Irish Ambassador HE Peter Fay …………….. 14 Meeting with Harper Brown, Country Director Sentebale …… 15 CPA Wales Branch Reception ………………………………. …. 16 Visit to Red Cross HIV/AIDS Project, Quthing …………………. 19

Annexes: Annex 1 - Visit Programme

A view over Quthing.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Wales Branch would like to thank:

• The Hon l Makhaola and The Hon Nlthoi Motsamai Branch Joint Presidents of the Parliament of Lesotho Branch of the CPA for their warm hospitality and their co-operation in making the visit possible;

• Ms. L Ramohlanka the Clerk to the Lesotho National Assembly for her support in co- ordinating the clerking skills seminar;

• Mr. Dyfan Jones of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Parliamentary Support Team to the Lesotho Parliament for his assistance in co-ordinating and delivering the clerking skills seminar;

• The Dolen Cymru Lesotho (Wales Lesotho Link) for their assistance in co-ordinating study visits to Molapo High School and Quthing.

The rondavels are still a commonly used form of housing.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The CPA Wales Branch Executive Committee endorses the following recommendations:

• That the suggestions and questions arising from the seminar are submitted for consideration by the Speaker of the Lesotho National Assembly (Page 9).

• That the Branch considers how it might offer further support in future years to meet the need for continued support to see the nascent committees through their formation towards an established and sustainable future (Page 10).

• That the CPA Wales Branch commends the staff and pupils of Cathays High School for their work with Molapo High School and recommend that the project be highlighted as an exemplar initiative to link schools and young people in Wales and Lesotho (Page 12).

• That any Welsh Health presence in Lesotho joins the informal grouping of European aid bodies chaired by the Irish Ambassador (Page 13).

• That the Branch maintains contact with the Irish Embassy in Lesotho with the aim of monitoring, and where appropriate offering support to, any broad based bids for democracy strengthening work in Lesotho (Page 13).

• That the CPA Executive urgently seeks a report on funding of the Quthing project from Dolen Cymru and transmits the current information to the Lesotho Red Cross in Quthing (Page 16).

BACKGROUND TO THE VISIT 2. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is an organisation which promotes parliamentary democracy across the Commonwealth. All Assembly Members are members of the Wales Branch which has been an active member of the Association. Assembly Members and officials have been able to participate in events organised internationally and to host activities within the Assembly. These activities have provided opportunities

• to share expertise and build productive relationships with other legislatures;

• to enhance the Assembly’s effectiveness across the range of its legislative and operational responsibilities by learning from best practice; and,

• to promote the National Assembly and Wales.

3. The Wales Branch decided in 2005 that a key element of its strategy should be to develop closer reciprocal links with another parliament in order to provide a broader programme of sustained activity. In view of the links which already existed between the two nations, and similarities in size, population and electoral arrangements, the Branch Executive chose to seek a long-term reciprocal relationship with Lesotho.

4. In 2005 a delegation from the National Assembly for Wales visited Lesotho to examine the scope for a long term link. Their recommendations were:

• that the Branch should work towards developing a strategic focus for the National Assembly’s international relations, building on the existing and emerging links between Wales and Lesotho; and

• that a programme of work and study visits at both Member and official level be established between the two Assemblies.

5. Amongst the areas of support for Members which were identified during the visit were:

• Capacity building amongst Parliamentary clerks (and committee clerks in particular);

• public information and education (a particular challenge in a country with an oral tradition, where 80% of the population do not have electricity);

• Members’ library and research support;

• the practical issues around separation of legislative and executive components of systems of governance.

6. Amongst the political issues of mutual interest which were highlighted during the visit were:

• the role of female Members;

• best practice in scrutiny of Ministers;

• best practice in subject committees.

7. In July 2007. The CPA Wales Branch sponsored a visit to Wales by the Deputy Clerk to the Assembly, three committee clerks and the Parliamentary Librarian. The group spent ten days in Wales shadowing their equivalents in the Assembly Parliamentary Service.

8. In exploring the potential for a third exchange in 2007 the Lesotho National Assembly’s new committee structure was identified as an area in which the Assembly could assist in providing its experience. The CPA Branch Executive Committee endorsed a proposal to send a small delegation to Lesotho comprising Michael German AM and John Grimes, Acting Head of Committee Services with the following objectives:

• Objective 1: Parliamentary capacity building: Offer reflective insight into the operation of the Assembly’s committees; Develop awareness within the Lesotho National Assembly of committee structures and programming using the National Assembly for Wales as a case study in order to enhance knowledge of committee systems in order to ensure that the Lesotho National Assembly’s Portfolio Committees have the capacity to operate efficiently and effectively when they first sit.

• Objective 2: Developing awareness of Wales – Lesotho links: Visit examples of development programmes linking Wales and Lesotho in order to increase Assembly Members’ understanding of activities in place and report on issues surrounding the development of further activity.

9. The programme for the visit is detailed at Annex 1.

THE COMMITTEE SKILLS SEMINAR 10. The seminar was presented by Michael German, AM and John Grimes, Acting head of Assembly Committees. The involvement of an elected member and an official meant that each issue could be looked at from the different perspectives and seemed to give the participants a useful breadth to the issues. 11. The seminar was attended by 5 Committee Chairs and 17 Deputy Clerks, Committee Clerks, Assistant Clerks and Parliamentary staff members. The mix of politicians and officials enhanced the range and quality of the Lively discussion discussion. 12. The seminar opened with a presentation on the organisation and structure of the National Assembly for Wales as a background to what the Welsh representatives would be saying about Committees. 13. After that, the participants, in groups, considered why a Committee system added value to an Assembly or a Parliament and the benefits and risks that went with it. This was followed by a presentation and discussion on the different types of Committee that one can have, the different ways in which they can be set up, the different roles they can perform and the ways in which one might choose which to adopt in which situation. 14. The next session looked at how a Clerk goes about providing support for a Committee and considered practical ways of delivering the various requirements that are necessary for a Committee to be effective. Participants were given copies of a range of material that had been used in the Assembly in Wales. As well as providing real examples of how Committees had been supported in practice, these also gave them a resource from which they might take examples to develop their own systems. 15. The seminar then discussed the role of the Chair and how this related to that of the other

members, to Government Ministers and the Clerk. The first day concluded by returning to practical Clerking skills and looking at how a Clerk might brief the Chairs and Members. 16. One of the issues raised during the course of the day was a question about how one introduced a Committee system – in particular, how one changed an organisation which had no experience of one. In response to this issue the Assembly was able to provide some of the material it had used to brief new Chairs on their roles and responsibilities on their appointment after the 2007 elections. The Chair of the Parliamentary Reform Committee in discussion with Mike German.

17. The second day opened with a presentation on the changes in Lesotho from the Hon L Rakuoane, the Chair of the Lesotho Parliamentary Reforms Committee. Following this, and In the light of the previous day’s discussion, it was decided to modify the planned programme and facilitate a series of group discussions on how the Lesotho Parliament might move forward from its present position. The group first identified some of the key practical issues facing the Parliament of Lesotho.

18. Participants were invited to form into five smaller groups, each of which included a Committee Chair as a member and facilitator. This ensured a wide range of views were expressed in each group. The groups raised a number of questions for resolution and also made a number of suggestions as to how the Committees might develop:

• Funding. The discussions suggested that the current level of financial support to committees is inadequate and can only support the status quo. A three year rolling budget is required to fully implement the committee system. A specific parliamentary service fund is required. The Parliament should lobby and press government for more money in the coming year for support and research to committees. External support from NGO’s should be considered to help develop committees in the meantime.

• Timing. The approval of the new Standing Orders needs to be resolved as this is viewed as an obstacle to progress. It was suggested that it might be possible to get the Committees working (perhaps in shadow format) before the departmental restructuring of the National Assembly is in place.

• Staffing. The staffing of the committees needs to be addressed. Adequate research and legal support was viewed as a matter of priority. The question was raise as to whether the Committees could function without a research and legal function in place. The need for additional staff to support the committees was identified though it was acknowledged this would take some time. It was suggested that staff be appointed over a period of three years. In the interim, the Attorney General could support the committees need for legal help by loaning some of his staff on secondment to the Parliament. Further legal support might be obtained by the use of experts from the relevant Ministries. Support from the Attorney General staff might also be used to assist Members to draft their Private Members’ Bills. The building up of a research capability to support the committees would need a similar three year approach. A further interim solution proposed was that staff might be borrowed on secondment from relevant government departments. It was also suggested that the Senate research capability was used to help the National Assembly and that assistance from the library should be used whilst recruiting research expertise. The proposed structure for committees needs to be put to the Public Services Department quickly. The existing structure can be used on a temporary basis, drawing down staff as needed

• Accommodation / Logistics. Adequate infrastructure was viewed as a major blockage to operating committees effectively. The construct of two prefabricated buildings to act as committee rooms was proposed as a solution in addition to the use of the parliaments two chambers. If plenary meetings were scheduled to start in the afternoon this would provide an interim solution. The Deputy Clerk might be asked to co-ordinate the meeting space

issue for the committees.

• Training. The CAO must have a workshop for the clerks on how to prepare committee reports. The CAO should also have a workshop for themselves so as to better understand what is happening!

19. The next session sought to reinforce some of the lessons learned by considering some practical situations that a Clerk might face and discussing the ways in which they might respond. 20. The seminar concluded with a general discussion of the two days’ activities and a further discussion of what needed to happen next to take things forward. A number of ideas were put forward by the Group:

• Committees need to be able to budget and to have budgets;

• Clerks and Chairs need to improve their knowledge of how Committees work – it was suggested that a ‘learning mission’ to Wales should be considered;

• Committee Members also need training;

• There is a need for a wider programme of improving understanding of the roles of Committees – to include, in particular, Ministers and officials in the Government; The Seminar was well attended by MPs and clerks.

• Committees need to prepare Forward Work Plans;

• There needs to be a managed programme to underpin the further development of a Committee system for Lesotho.

21. The following day the delegation was shown round the Lesotho Parliament by the Clerk and Deputy Clerk and had a general discussion of the way it operated. John Grimes makes a strong point to the group. The Recommendations Clerk to the Senate scratches his head!

22. The CPA Wales Branch recommends the suggestions and questions arising from the seminar for consideration by the Presiding Officer of the Lesotho National Assembly.

23. It also recommends hat the Branch considers how it might offer further support in future years to meet the need for continued help to see the nascent committees through their formation towards an established and sustainable future.

A Committee chair runs a group session with clerks.

Seminar Attendance Roll

The Hon F. T. Mabethoa The Hon. L. Rakuoane MP The Hon. R Marumo MP MP

The Hon K. Mathaba MP The Hon. Ntsekhe MP

L. Ramohlanka, Clerk M. Maluke, Clerk

R Maluke, Deputy Clerk S. Mpesi, Deputy Clerk K. Manamotha, Assistant Deputy Clerk

MThabane, Committee L. Majoro , Committee M. Mothibe, Committee Clerk Clerk Clerk

M. Molapo, Committee M. Mohenoa, Committee M. Mohlaahatsa, Committee Clerk Clerk Clerk

R. Nthabo, Committee M Moeti, Committee Clerk M. Mokitimi, Clerk Assistant Clerk

M. Motanyane, Clerk Assis- M. Tsepane, Clerk Assis- M. Seloanyane, Assistant Inter- tant tant preter

VISIT TO MOLAPO HIGH SCHOOL, LERIBE 24. Michael German has been closely engaged in the twinning programme between this school and Cathays High School in Cardiff since the last CPA visit in October 2005. 25. During that visit the Head Teacher expressed great anxiety about dealing with the 20 or so double orphans from HIV/Aids at his school. At that time he expressed his number one need for his school as a number of milking cows. With the produce and income from these he would be able to sustain these children and provide a better diet for the young people in his school. Molapo High School students.

26. During the intervening years, Cathays High School together with Michael German have been fundraising to fulfill this need. The net result of this fundraising has been to provide sufficient funds for fencing, a milking parlour and cow shed, a greenhouse, seedlings, an irrigation system including a new water tower and pump, and milking cows. 27. At the time of this visit, Michael German was able to observe that the crop field and the pasture land had been fenced, the greenhouse was established and Passing a field for crops on the way out from crops sown in the field. The pastureland had been the school to the to the farm buildings. irrigated with a pipe system throughout. Water is

being pumped from a stream at the bottom end of the land to a water tower at the top end. The materials for building the cow parlour and milking shed had been delivered and building work was to commence the day after the visit.

The Piggery will provide a sustainable source of meat .

28. The remaining task is to purchase the cows of the Brown Swiss variety. These are very expensive and will probably have to be sourced from South Africa. 29. This totally sustainable project will soon be Brown Swiss dairy cows in the cowshed. completed. The next stage in the school’s plan will be to build a bunk house for the double

orphans.

Recommendations 30. The CPA Wales Branch commends the staff and pupils of Cathays High School for their work with Molapo High School and recommend that this project be highlighted as an exemplar initiative to link schools and young people in Wales and Lesotho.

Breeze blocks at the ready to start building. (Greg from the Peace Corps provides project management support to the project.)

MEETING WITH THE IRISH AMBASSADOR – HE PADDY FAY

31. Michael German met with the Irish Ambassador to discuss the work which Wales was undertaking in Lesotho.

32. The only UK government presence in Lesotho is an official from DFID who is housed in the Irish Embassy. The Ambassador now chairs an informal grouping of European aid bodies and agencies working in Lesotho. The purpose of this grouping is to ensure that there is a consistent approach from the various European bodies, and that work is better co-ordinated. The Ambassador recommended that when the Welsh Health presence is established in Lesotho this person should become a member of the European grouping.

33. It became clear that the Irish Government is engaged with the development of a broad based bid to the United Nations Development Programme. The bid would have the purpose of taking forward the democracy strengthening work which the National Assembly has been engaged in this visit.

34. It might be sensible for the CPA Branch to keep a close eye on this bid as it develops, and to consider what future support it can provide.

Recommendations:

35. It is recommended that any Welsh Health presence in Lesotho joins the informal grouping of European aid bodies chaired by the Irish Ambassador.

36. It is recommended that the CPA Wales Branch maintains contact with the Irish Embassy in Lesotho with the aim of monitoring, and where appropriate offering support to, any broad based bids for democracy strengthening work in Lesotho.

MEETING WITH HARPER BROWN COUNTRY DIRECTOR OF SENTEBALE.

37. Michael German and John Grimes met with Harper Brown, the Country Director of the charity Sentebale (Forget me Not in Sesotho) founded by Their Royal Highnesses Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso. The mission of Sentebale is to transform the lives of Lesotho's orphans and vulnerable children. Sentebale targets particular support to the most vulnerable of vulnerable children - the abused, disabled, ill, abandoned and neglected. Harper Brown told us of the near future visit by Prince Harry, and how they were looking at a number of very specific projects linked to children. They are also members of the European donor group chaired by the Irish Ambassador.

24. CPA WALES BRANCH RECEPTION 25. 38. The CPA Wales Branch hosted a reception at the Maseru Sun Hotel to which a guest list focussed on the Lesotho Parliament and NGOs involved in development work in Lesotho. Some 60-80 attended the reception and were able to brief the delegation on current issues. Those who attended included the EU delegation (in force), the Irish Ambassador, various parts of the UN aid bodies, and a large turnout of parliamentary officials. The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly addressed the audience to which Michael German responded.

The Hon Deputy Speaker gives a Basotho hat to Mike German at the CPA Wales Branch reception.

VISIT TO THE QUTHING DISTRICT WITH THE LESOTHO RED CROSS BY MICHAEL GERMAN AM

39. Dolen Cymru have been working with other agencies including the Lesotho Health Ministry and the Lesotho Red Cross to build a project in the Quthing District. The aim of the project is to extend an already existing successful project to a large rural area within the district.

40. In essence the project is about the prevention of HIV/AIDS, and also detection and support measures. The current project run by the Lesotho Red Cross works through a network of village facilitators, who are trained by the Red Cross in all three areas (prevention, detection and support), and who are then supported by continuous training and support by a small central team based in Quthing, adjacent to the local hospital.

41. The area of expansion covers a Council area of 14,200 electors. Many of the villages are accessible on foot only. Most of the others are accessible by track. There is no electricity or running water in these villages. Only a few have a mobile phone signal.

42. I met with seven members of the local Council in their office. The Council secretary operates a laptop powered by a solar panel.

Meeting the local council members. The solar panel running the council laptop can be seen outside the right hand door of the office.

43. My enduring memory is of the number of graveyards – one in every village, and the number of fresh graves in them. I was given harrowing accounts of double orphaned children and the difficulties of supporting them.

44. In addition I visited the Quthing hospital and spoke with the Medical superintendent and the senior doctor. The picture I was given indicated an escalating number of cases presenting with HIV/AIDS. There is a shallow decline in the numbers of newly infected presenting (the young), and a big increase in the numbers of people 30+ presenting who had been infected for a long time. I was told of the side effects of the retroviral drugs and how important diet was in sustaining life on them.

The Red Cross Clinic Quthing

45. The Hospital identified key problem areas as lack of palliative care, and a shortage of nurses and doctors. Many doctors and nurses are being attracted by higher salaries to leave the country. They are also short of space and equipment, particularly CD4 machines to take samples from presenting patients.

46. The project which Dolen Cymru is working up will receive funding from a number of donor agencies. The local council had been given an indication that this project would commence in July of this year. Expectations have been raised, and there is a danger that Wales is not receiving a good name if the project start is unduly delayed. The funding will principally be for training of village facilitators, and an honorarium for these volunteers (currently 200 Maluti [£14] plus expenses, plus additional support for the central team (3 extra posts, an extra vehicle, laptops and a photocopier).

47. I am unclear on the progress of putting together this funding package. I would recommend that the CPA Executive urgently seeks a report on this matter from Dolen Cymru and transmits the current information to the Lesotho Red Cross in Quthing.

Recommendations 48. It is recommended that the CPA Executive urgently seeks a report on funding of the Quthing project from Dolen Cymru and transmits the current information to the Lesotho Red Cross in Quthing.

The area around Quthing is mountainous. The terrain provides real beauty but difficulties for the delivery of public services.

Annex 1 – Programme of Activities

Programme for CPA Wales Branch Visit to Lesotho 30 September – 4 October 2007

Delegation:

Michael German OBE AM John Grimes

Programme Organiser:

Peter Kellam Secretariat CPA Wales Branch Tel: +44 (0)29 2089 8642 Email: [email protected]

Sunday 30 September

Afternoon: Delegation assembles in Maseru. Local area visit c/o Dolen

Evening: Meeting with Harper Brown, Country Director, Sentebale.

Monday 1 October

All Day Seminar at Maseru Sun Hotel

Tuesday 2 October

All Day Seminar at Maseru Sun Hotel continues

Evening CPA Wales Branch Reception at the Maseru Sun Hotel

Wednesday 3 October

Morning Visit Lesotho Parliament

Afternoon John Grimes

2.00pm Michael German visit to Molapo High School, Leribe Dis- trict arranged by Dolen Cymru

6.00pm Travel back to Maseru

Thursday 4 October

08.00 Dolen Cymru car pick up from Lancers Inn. Mike German travel to Q’thing accompanied by Dolen staff. ETA midday.

Afternoon Check into Orange River Hotel, Q’thing

Evening Dinner with Mr Mohlokonya of the Lesotho Red Cross

Friday 5 October

08.30am Check out hotel

09.00am – 12.45pm Visit to Lesotho Red Cross

12 Midday Lunch at Orange River Hotel

Afternoon Travel back to Maseru andcheck in Lancers Inn

Saturday 6 October

06.30am Check out of hotel and accompanied by Dolen Cymru staff to Maseru Airport for flight home.

The Committee Skills Seminar.