POVERTY ERADICATION THROUGH TOURISM DEVELOPMENT - PM
	Qacha, May 19(LENA)-Prime Minister Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili says the infrastructure development inside the Sehlabathebe National Park constitutes to the government policy of combating poverty as many people would be employed during and after the construction process. In his speech at the sod-turning ceremony for infrastructure development of the Park recently, the Prime Minister said the initiative marks Lesotho and Republic of South Africa’s (RSA) achievements in improving their infrastructure following the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA), and commended that it is an opportunity that the two countries had been waiting for in a long time. Mr Mosisili explained that tourism is dependent on a well-managed environment; therefore people should ensure that they manage and would continue managing even the proposed infrastructure developments in the park. He further appealed to the Khomo-Phats'oa community responsible for the park, to visit their neighbouring colleagues at the Uk'hahlamba park and seek for assistance in managing their park, adding that they should also stop destroying and burning grass in the park as the act would hinder developmental changes in the area. The Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture Ms. Lebohang Nts'inyi appealed to the Khomo-Phats'oa community to ready themselves to welcoming large numbers of tourists as the infrastructure developments that would be constructed would attract them. She noted that the government of Lesotho is working hard to construct and rehabilitate the roads that would provide free access to the tourists leading into the country. Speaking at the same ceremony, the RSA’s Minister of Environment Affairs and Tourism, Mrs. Rejoice Mabuda Fassie said the RSA government has allocated a sum of R120 million that would be used to upgrade the Sani-pass road near the border-gates of the two countries so as to also provide tourists with free movement between the two. Mrs. Fassie further noted that the improved accommodation standards that would be available in the Sehlabathebe National Park will enable Lesotho to also benefit from the up-coming world cup tournament that would be held in RSA in 2010 with the services they would be providing. The four phased infrastructure development that is spearheaded by the Maluti Drakensburg Transfrontier Project (MDTP), is expected to be completed in 2008 and will include among others the construction of lodges, 12 up market chalets that will accommodate 60 tourists, environment centres for students and houses for staff accommodation. Present at the ceremony included other government ministers, members of parliament, senior government officials, community councillors, director of the Peaks Parks Foundation (PPF) from RSA and the community.
	Source: LENA