09 Dec 2014

Members of Parliament have concluded debate on the State-Of-the-Nation address delivered by President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama last month

In his deliberations on December 8, MP for Thamaga-Kumakwane, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo applauded President Khama for taking keen interest in the livelihood of Batswana.

Mr Mabeo said in the years that Botswana was faced with economic challenges, President Khama continued to introduce programmes that ensured that Batswana did not suffer during such trying economic times.

However, he said expectation was that some projects that were shelved during the economic downturn would be continued. That, he said would help in addressing unemployment problems.

Among such projects, he said should be those in the transport and communication areas, particularly roads construction.Nonetheless, he acknowledged that some roads around the country were in bad state, thus urged that they be maintained and ensure that some new roads were also constructed.

He opined that such would help in addressing problems of road accidents that continued to claim lives as well as ease traffic flow within the city and around the country.On his constituency, Mr Mabeo said there was need to establish a clinic that they had been promised by the private sector to assist the already overwhelmed Thamaga primary hospital which he argued also needed to be extended.

He also said there was need to transform Sekgele Junior Secondary into a unified school. He cited other concerns in his area such as the slow implementation processes, adding that there was need to address delays in payment of tractor owners and restoration of standpipes.

Meanwhile, Mr Mabeo expressed concern that Parliament business sometimes had to suffer due to failure by members to form a quorum. That, Mr Mabeo said was a problem that needed to be addressed, thus encouraging other members to work together so that they could reach a common goal in addressing challenges facing Batswana.

MP for Boteti North, Mr Slumber Tsogwane said his area had potential to grow the economy of the country in the areas of agriculture, mining and tourism

The area, Mr Tsogwane said needed to be fully developed to benefit local communities, especially in the tourism industry given that the area housed different types of wild animals. That, he added would also attract tourists to Botswana.

However, he noted that there were substantial challenges, including the animal-human conflict which he said needed to be managed.

To that, effect, he noted that government was making efforts to address such issues and would continue to do so.Further,Mr Tsogwane indicated that government would continue with programmes such as Ipelegeng, poverty eradication and affirmative action on rural development, among others.

On the eleventh National Development Plan (NDP 11), Mr Tsogwane pleaded with the minister of transport and communications to consider improving roads in the area, particularly in Motopi, roads from Rakops to Xere as well as from Mokobaxane to Kedia to continue to Xumu.

He said there should be some special dispensation in the provision of roads to people living in settlements because they got services from nearby villages but bad roads and lack of roads hampered such efforts

Mr Tsogwane also argued that as the economy was improving, they needed a bridge crossing the Boteti river to Motopi. He also indicated that Boteti, as an agricultural area needed facilities that would assist farmers such as depots to access markets

He also indicated that he expected that the youth centre and the multi-purpose stadium that were shelved during the economic downturn would be revived.

Mr Tsogwane also called for the need to efficiently deal with the backlog eradication process, particularly with accommodation for public officers and especially cluster doctors. He also said there was need to address problems of shortage of potable water in the area. ENDS