One of the challenges facing Government in the development of cooperatives is to make interventions that will not interfere with the rights and responsibilities of members.

Assistant Minister of Trade, Industry, Cooperatives and Marketing, Mr. Khotso Matla speaking at a three day  forum on re-building the image of cooperatives in Lesotho on January 10, said the survival of the cooperatives movement depends on improved partnership between Government and other relevant stakeholders.

Members of cooperative societies should actively participate in the formulation of policies and legislation to safe guard their interests and activities. The biggest challenge is to ensure that new ideas are adopted to transform the present structures and systems of Lesotho cooperatives, he said.

Mr. Matla pointed out that although there are close to 2000 registered cooperatives in the country; most of them are not active due to management problems.

The meeting is being observed by Secretary General of the International Cooperatives Alliance (ICA) Dr. Dharamjeer Bucktowar.   

10 January 2006