Bingu cancels trip to Trinidad & Tobago

By Frank Malemia

Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika has cancelled his trip to the Islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Malawi Digest understands.

President Dr Mutharika was due to attend the Commonwealth Heads of State Summit in Trinidad and Tobago.

Commonwealth is a global grouping of countries that were once colonised by the British and Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the organisation.

The State President was scheduled to leave the country Monday morning through the Kamuzu International Airport in the administrative capital, Lilongwe.

His plane was expected to leave the country at 07:00am but the whole trip has now been cancelled.

In a statement, the Office of President and Cabinet said that Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika has cancelled his trip to be exemplary to public officers who were last week directed only to travel abroad six times a year.

The statement said that the State President wanted to lead by example hence his stay at home.

The statement said that Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika wanted to ensure that there is prudent use of public resources in the country.

On Wednesday, in a continuation of showing his strong fiscal discipline skills, Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika ordered that all public officers should travel abroad for a maximum of six trips.

In a press statement from the Office of President and Cabinet, the State President’s directive is aimed at all cabinet ministers and their deputies, civil servants, public servants, employees of statutory corporations and government agencies and employees of institutions that draw their salaries from the consolidated fund.

According to the statement, the move taken by Dr Mutharika is aimed at assuring that there is prudent use of public resources.

The statement said that the State President has also ordered that for those that have been allowed to travel, they will stay outside the country for periods not more than two weeks.

The statement said that he hopes that the call from the State President will be adhered to in making sure that government resources are put to better use.

Since taking over power in 2004 from the nearly collapsed economy under Bakili Muluzi, President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika has won himself respect both locally and internationally for his strict and tough fiscal discipline measures-Malawi Digest.