21 Mar 2013

Kgalagadi South MP, Mr John Toto has implored government to consider improving conditions of service for police officers, particularly their salaries.

Mr Toto said currently employees of some security companies were being paid better than police officers at the lower ranks.

Contributing to the debate on the budget proposals for the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security in Parliament on Wednesday, the MP also called on government to ensure that police volunteers are paid on time. He noted that there was a prevailing situation where some of them were paid late, which lowers their morale and impacts the enthusiasm they had when they were employed.

With regard to the Department of Prisons and Rehabilitation staff, Mr Toto urged government to consider introducing some allowances for officers who carry out specialised duties such as chaplaincy.

Making his contribution, MP for Kweneng South and Minister of Health, Dr John Seakgosing said although crime was a serious concern in Botswana, the police were doing a commendable job in bringing this societal ill under control.  He also noted that prisons officials were doing well in rehabilitation of prisoners.

On a different issue, Dr Seakgosing expressed concern about cases of violence against women and children. He said it was time that the nation as a whole introspected and devised strategies of how best to deal with the situation.

Kweneng South East MP, Mr Mmoloki Raletobana called on government to consider paying Special Constables through banks if that is yet to be done so that they too could be eligible to apply for bank loans and be in a position to improve their lives. He also pushed for their absorption into the police service.

Mr Raletobana said there was need for government to purchase new tankers for the BDF, especially for the security of visiting heads of states. He noted that the tankers currently in use were outdated as they were bought in 1976,  adding that it was necessary for the army to have modern equipment.

Palapye MP, Mr Moiseraele Goya decried what he termed the poor quality of the police uniform.

Mr Goya stated that time had come for police officers to have uniform that was suitable for varying weather conditions. He noted that it would not be surprising for criminals to take advantage of certain weather conditions knowing well that the police would not be in a position to pursue them due to limitations imposed by weather-inappropriate uniform.

Still on the same debate, Francistown MP Mr Wynter Mmolotsi called for equal treatment of all security organs.

Mr Mmolotsi noted that although their qualifications were similar, there were some discrepancies in their salaries depending on which department they worked for.

On a different matter, MP Mmolotsi advocated for the setting up of a forum that members of security forces could use to voice their grievances and concerns. He said the current state where they have no such platform was bad.

Earlier, MP Saleshando had complained that the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security’s report on Botswana’s human rights bill was too brief.

This he noted, was likely a sign that government was hiding something regarding its treatment of the Basarwa. Mr Saleshando said it was sad for Botswana to talk highly of her human rights record at international forums when she continued to trample against the rights of her own people.

 In response to MPs’ comments, Minister Dikgakgamatso Seretse thanked them for their contribution.

Mr Seretse assured the house that government was doing something about the plight of Special Constables, but that budgetary constraint were an impediment to their efforts.

He also agreed that some BDF equipment was outdated, adding that it was sad that some people were of the view that the army always received the bulk of the ministry’s budget.

He said had it been so, the issue of outdated equipment would long have been addressed.

On Basarwa human rights abuse allegations, Minister Seretse said there was nothing to hide, noting that though there may be problems, government was doing everything possible to address them.

At the end of the debate, MPs approved the ministry’s budget proposals budget of over P3 billion (P3 725350 570) for the 2013/2014 financial year. ENDS