Britain tells Malawi to balance JB’s trips with budget

British High Commissioner Michael Nevin has said the Malawi Government should balance the trips President Joyce Banda is undertaking with what the National Budget can afford.

Nevin said this in an exclusive interview with The Nation on Tuesday night after hosting a dinner for journalists and civil society leaders at Sunbird Mzuzu.

The Nation

sought his views on the President’s frequent travels which various sectors have criticised as not in tandem with the economic recovery plan which government put in place to improve the country’s economy.

Said Nevin: “Travel is important and I understand the need to get out there. Malawi is part of the international community. I understand also the need for the Malawi Government to promote its case internationally.

“Obviously, it has to balance that with whatever the budget can afford and this austerity budget which we [development partners] will support. So, there is balancing act to be had and [one can] ask for the government to accord what the correct balance is.”

He said it is up to government to explain what the travels are for and how they would benefit Malawi.

But the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) said on Wednesday Banda’s trips are draining resources and increasing poverty levels among Malawians.

CCJP national secretary Chris Chisoni said Malawi does not need a leader like Banda “who does not listen to the many voices against the trips”.

Said Chisoni: “Her trips are draining public resources. Her trips are a source of self-capitalisation.”

However, presidential press secretary Steven Nhlane, defending JB’s trips in The Sunday Times opinion said: “The President’s travel abroad should therefore be understood in the context of her government’s vision of eradicating poverty through wealth creation.”

The President was recently on a three week-six-leg international trip that took her to Ethiopia, Dubai, Japan, China, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. On Wednesday she left the country for Nigeria for a women’s conference.