Government Gets Thumbs up from Parliament

A four-year government programme presented by Prime Minister Guilherme Posser da Costa was yesterday approved unanimously by the parliament of Sao Tome and Principe even though some legislators expressed reservations about it, according to news reports. According to Lusa news agency, the programme sets as priorities the strengthening of government institutions, the fight against poverty and the stabilisation of the economy of the archipelago, which has about 126,000 inhabitants and lies off the coast of Gabon. The Alianca democratica independente (ADI), which has 16 seats in the 55-member parliament and supports President Miguel Trovoada, said the programme had “shortcomings” and called for “more rigour, dialogue and transparence” from the government. The Partido da Convergencia democratica (PCD), which has eight seats, said the programme lacked direction, AFP reported. In presenting the government’s programme, Posser da Costa, who was appointed in December 1998 following legislative elections held the month before, promised “to establish a dynamic and active partnership with the National Assembly so that we can resolve our country’s problems together”. He commented at the end of the three-day parliamentary debate that the legislators “showed maturity by approving this programme”, according to AFP.