25 Jun 2015

National Assembly Deputy Speaker, Kagiso Molatlhegi, says in pursuance of excellence in public service delivery, government has taken a number of bold steps geared towards improved performance.

Speaking at Parliament award ceremony recently, Mr Molatlhegi said in addition, public sector reforms that had been introduced in the public service gained increased attention over the last three decades with several strategies devised to implement them.

He said initiatives such as Organisation and Methods reviews, Job evaluation, Work Improvements Teams (WITS) and Performance Management System (PMS) have since been implemented in the public service.

The deputy speaker further said the National Assembly’s 2010-2016 strategic plan also recognised the central role of Parliament in the governance system of Botswana.

He said through the strategic plan, he believed that Parliament would achieve its mandate of making laws, providing oversight over the executive and advocacy to promote and enhance participatory democracy.

“Further to public sector reform initiatives and the common vision created by the National Assembly strategic plan, another step was taken to recognise performance review and reward package which was introduced in 2009,” he said.

Mr Molatlhegi stressed that appreciation was a fundamental human need, adding as employees respond to appreciation expressed through recognition of their good work; it confirmed that their work was valued.

“When the employees work is valued, they get satisfaction and motivated to maintain or improve good performance and ultimately productivity arises,” he said.

For her part, the Clerk of National Assembly, Ms Barbra Dithapo said employees of Parliament in general should strive for excellence, saying government has come up with ways of rewarding those who strive for excellence in accordance with respective public sector reforms.

Furthermore, she said the selection process was mainly guided by institutional values, such as political neutrality, integrity, accountability, transparency and service excellence.

During the award, hard work, resilience and excellence paid dividends for Tumisang Rajane who scooped four awards. He won the Employee of the Year - the D-band; Parliamentary Service and Volunteers Award.

The Employee of the Year Award was accompanied by two nights at Kasane, boat cruise and P3000.

The A-band award went to Kealeboga Pheresi, the B-band and Corporate Service Award went to Phuthego Mothebe, while the C-band and Ntlo ya Dikgosi Award was scoped by Peter Motlhamme.

Best Performing Division went to editorial section, while Ntlo ya Dikgosi took the Best Performing department, the public relations unit won the Deputy Speaker Award and the Long Service Employees ranging from mid-career service who have served for 15-24 years and the silver jubilee were also recognised. Ends