SENATORS have questioned the productivity of people convicted to TIG (Community service) saying their number does not match the output of their work load.According to statistics from Gacaca and TIG national secretariat, currently the number of TIG convicts is 60,000 and 45,249 respectively.The activities that are usually subjected to the convicts include construction of homes and roads, quarrying, carpentry, farming, tailoring for women among others.While discussing the operation, management and productivity of TIG on Thursday, senators demanded that the line Ministry streamlines these activities in a bid to receive higher productivity from them than it is today.Senator Antoine Mugesera said that TIG has failed to produce tangible outputs mainly due to lack of coordination of its activities in the various parts of the country, which he said the secretariat was partly responsible.“There is need for a coordinated between the Ministry of Justice, Gacaca and TIG Secretariat to oversee the activities of people engaged in TIG to ensure that the out put is much higher”Mugesera said.MP Chrisologue Kubwimana attributed the low productivity to lack of willingness of some districts to support TIG, a government programme aimed at reconciling the masses and at the same time contribute to economic development.Senator Beatrice Mukabaranga recommended that a partnership between the Justice ministry and the Local government be should be strengthened to ensure that TIG activities are clearly identified at the district level.The Minister of Justice Tharcisse Karugarama called on district authorities to identify and register the kind of activities that can be done by TIG in their annual plan of action for better implementation. “The great number of people convicted to TIG challenges people at all levels to answer with full ranging support for the projects of development, having to accommodate this abundant labour force” Karugarama said.He said the ministry has put up a committee at a district level responsible for monitoring and evaluating the Community Service to ensure increased productivity. The work of general interest known as TIG was introduced as an alternative sentence for Genocide convicts.Ends
