I will still account for the money
Jan 06, 2006
SIR — The New Vision of January 4, ran a story that I was advanced a sum of $1,700 to enable me travel to Malaysia but that I did not go and had subsequently failed to account for the funds. It is true I was expected to travel to Malaysia to attend a Ministerial Conference on Information Communica
SIR — The New Vision of January 4, ran a story that I was advanced a sum of $1,700 to enable me travel to Malaysia but that I did not go and had subsequently failed to account for the funds. It is true I was expected to travel to Malaysia to attend a Ministerial Conference on Information Communication between November 19 and 23, 2005. actually, the real sum given to me as per diem for three days was $930.
I did not travel to Malaysia as planned because of urgent state duties and the NRM conference that I had originally thought would end a day before my travel but instead ended up on the day I was to travel. The final day of that conference was critical so I decided not to go to Malaysia.
This failure, therefore, was a result of a combination of factors.
When I failed to go, I consulted my Director of Information on the possibility of returning the funds to the ministry’s accounting officer.
His view was that my office could hold on to the funds until another trip would take place. Also, there is a standing procedure that accounting for such funds should be made within six months from the time they are given. Therefore, even if my office has not refunded the money, I am still within the stipulated period of accounting.
Apart from that, I am concerned about your expressed determination to find what your own circles have called ‘dirt’ about me for publication. Recently, your paper reported that in the last year, I was the ‘worst’ minister.
You did not explain in what sense I was the worst minister but that claim squares neatly with your expressed wish to write negative stories about me.
You will recall how, during the recent primaries for the National Resistance Movement, The New Vision and the Red Pepper worked hard to tarnish my reputation in the awfully mistaken hope that both my constituents and political colleagues would withdraw their confidence in me.
Too bad, I am back as a parliamentary candidate for the National Resistance Movement party.
I disapprove in the strongest way the manner you are promoting standards of journalism in this country. your insinuation that I improperly accessed public funds and that I am dishonest must stop henceforth. This method of reporting does not sit well with the new Uganda many of us are seeking to construct.
Dr. Nsaba Buturo (MP)
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting
Ed: we incorporated the minister’s comments in both the Malaysia trip story and the Mega FM advance story. We have always covered his weekly press briefings in detail. The ‘worst’ minister verdict came from a survey of New Vision readers of the best and worst of 2005 and not from the newspaper itself. We believe we have acted professionally in all matters concerning the minister.
I did not travel to Malaysia as planned because of urgent state duties and the NRM conference that I had originally thought would end a day before my travel but instead ended up on the day I was to travel. The final day of that conference was critical so I decided not to go to Malaysia.
This failure, therefore, was a result of a combination of factors.
When I failed to go, I consulted my Director of Information on the possibility of returning the funds to the ministry’s accounting officer.
His view was that my office could hold on to the funds until another trip would take place. Also, there is a standing procedure that accounting for such funds should be made within six months from the time they are given. Therefore, even if my office has not refunded the money, I am still within the stipulated period of accounting.
Apart from that, I am concerned about your expressed determination to find what your own circles have called ‘dirt’ about me for publication. Recently, your paper reported that in the last year, I was the ‘worst’ minister.
You did not explain in what sense I was the worst minister but that claim squares neatly with your expressed wish to write negative stories about me.
You will recall how, during the recent primaries for the National Resistance Movement, The New Vision and the Red Pepper worked hard to tarnish my reputation in the awfully mistaken hope that both my constituents and political colleagues would withdraw their confidence in me.
Too bad, I am back as a parliamentary candidate for the National Resistance Movement party.
I disapprove in the strongest way the manner you are promoting standards of journalism in this country. your insinuation that I improperly accessed public funds and that I am dishonest must stop henceforth. This method of reporting does not sit well with the new Uganda many of us are seeking to construct.
Dr. Nsaba Buturo (MP)
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting
Ed: we incorporated the minister’s comments in both the Malaysia trip story and the Mega FM advance story. We have always covered his weekly press briefings in detail. The ‘worst’ minister verdict came from a survey of New Vision readers of the best and worst of 2005 and not from the newspaper itself. We believe we have acted professionally in all matters concerning the minister.