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Renowned Agronomist and Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr John Basera has lambasted civil servants from his ministry who are directly soliciting United Nations agencies for invitations to attend meetings in New York with the world body recently expressing concern over this frivolous development.
The Agriculture Permanent Secretary wrote and circulated an internal memorandum now awash on social media in which he addressed all directors and department heads, condemning such unbecoming behavior, detestable conduct, which he described as “undiplomatic”.
The highly energetic and hardworking Perm Sec said some trips were an unnecessary waste of resources, also pointing to the fact that engaging such conduct puts the country into disrepute.
“It is also of concern that there are other scenarios where delegates travelling to New York for UN sessions end up attending the sessions virtually or travel to the sessions out of time, and attend closing sessions,” said Basera.
He added; “This is unnecessary wastage of resources.
“In line with the pronouncement by his Excellency the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) on the need to apply prudence when undertaking foreign trips, officials in the ministry are called upon to take note of the observations above in order not to bring the country’s name into disrepute.”
Sounding embarrassed, Basera wrote that,
“The United Nations secretariat has complained to our mission in New York over the conduct of some government officials who directly contact the secretariat soliciting to attend UN meetings,”
“The practice is un-procedural and undiplomatic and, therefore, government officials are hereby directed to desist from such behaviour.”
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