02 Apr 2014

Members of Parliament (MPs) have supported the amendment of the Immigration Act presented to Parliament by Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Mr Edwin Batshu on March 31.

Supporting the amendment, Kanye North MP, Mr Kentse Rammidi said he did not have a problem with the proposed amendments. He said there should be reasons put forward as to why one was declared a prohibited immigrant (PI) without going through the courts if they committed any crime.

Mr Rammidi said the country should not scare away investors and called on the judiciary to be brought on board on such cases to provide a balance and ensure the President did not step on individual rights when declaring someone a PI.

Maun West MP, Mr Tawana Moremi said there should be a certain body that could review decision to declare someone a PI and also said the country should be wary of scaring away investors. The MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said the rate of deportations was too alarming.

He said people could not be deported without giving out valid reasons and under the disguise that they could not meet certain security requirements. The legislator argued that even the assets of the deported individuals were often bought by a cartel of individuals and not happy with the status quo.

He opined that the country appeared to hate foreigners despite the investments they had made, adding that the turnaround times for residence and work permits should also be improved. Mr Mmolotsi said it appears personal problems often lead to declining some applications and not professional reasons.

He welcomed the decision to search people at various immigration points by people of same gender and suggested that it should apply across all areas.

Mahalapye West MP, Mr Bernard Bolele said intelligence presented to the Minister should be shared on why those who applied for residence and work permits were declined.

He said he agrees with the amendment of searching of people by people of like gender and noted that sending foreigners to prison and declaring them PI is serving double jeopardy on them and is unfair and unjust.

Mr Bolele said there should be a board modelled around the likes of the Clemency Board to advise the President before declaring someone a PI. South East MP, Mr Odirile Motlhale said through such Immigration laws, the country wants to ensure there is economic stability and peace in the country.

He said other countries amend their Immigration laws from time to time, noting that foreigners with special skills critical to the economy should be retained by giving them something like permanent residency.

Mr Motlhale said amendments to the Immigration Act should be responsive to current trends and should not lose investors due to outdated laws.

Tonota South MP, Mr Pono Moatlhodi said he is worried that Batswana have a wrong attitude towards foreigners and ill-treat them and warned about doing such as they will never know when they will also become immigrants in some countries.

He said this tarnishes the image of the country and can create conflicts between countries. Mr Moatlhodi said there are many foreign investors who were employing Batswana and were then declared PIs.

He said no country can survive without foreign investors and said there is need to put in place Immigration policies that would guide them.

Selibe Phikwe West MP, Mr Gilson Saleshando said any serious investor would want to know the background of where they want to invest their money, noting that all the current deportation reports all over the media does not augur well for the country.

He said it appears the country is under army rule and said there should be clear guidelines on how one is to be declared a PI, noting that up to date they do not know why former University of Botswana (UB) Professor Kenneth Good was deported.

Mr Gilson Saleshando said going through the courts to eventually declare someone a PI will not delay other court cases in any way. ENDS