OWNERS of local hotels and guest houses whose establishments were used by the government as quarantine facilities finally started getting their payments effective from Thursday.
business
Nov. 13, 2020
STAFF REPORTER
2 min read
Hotels finally get their dues
LHHA president 'Marethabile Sekhiba
The payments were delayed for the past six months without any particular reason given by the government.
Last week during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting, the Principal Secretary Cabinet, Kabelo Lehora pledged that the first payments would be processed starting Thursday this week.
President of the Lesotho Hotels and Hospitality Association (LHHA) 'Marethabile Sekhiba confirmed that the payments are being processed, adding however, that the process is not been done as they had expected.
They had assumed that the invoices would be paid all at once per individual.
'If one submitted five invoices, they only get payment for one but we are hopeful that we will eventually get all our monies” Mrs Sekhiba said, adding that the process has brought a ray of hope to the business owners.
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In April, the government and hotels along with guest houses struck a six-month contract in which the establishments were to provide accommodation services for suspected COVID-19 patients travelling from outside the country.
While it is still not clear as to how much the government owes the facilities, LHHA estimates that the total bill could be around M100 million with at least 41 facilities having provided accommodation services as per the contract.