17 Apr 2013

Francistown West MP, Mr Tshelang Masisi has called on government to impart skills on citizens to make them employable and be able to successfully manage their businesses.

Contributing to the debate on the mid-term review of the National Development Plan (NDP) 10 on the chapter of economy and employment in on Tuesday, Mr Masisi said at the moment, the Ministry of Trade and Industry was not working in collaboration with that of education and skills development to develop Batswana by equipping them with necessary skills.

He cited graduates of vocational training institutions saying they were ill-equipped with skills necessary for survival. He wondered how government would empower Batswana if they lacked the requisite skills, criticising what he called government’s view that infrastructure alone equaled necessary development.

He said it was worth noting that possessing the appropriate skills was in its own a critical form of development. He said what was happening now was tantamount to poor planning and urged government to be proactive and plan well for the coming years.

On another issue, Mr Masisi decried the scenario where some foreign companies kept their employees on the minimum wage for years without upgrading their payments. He said companies were exploiting the locals. He implored government to consider expelling such companies from the country as they did not add value to the lives of Batswana.

Lobatse MP, Mr Nehemiah Modubule shared the same sentiments that Batswana were exploited by foreign companies. He said the continued exploitation of locals was as if there was no labour department to protect workers’ rights in the country.

He said the fact that the law did not compel companies to continually upgrade employees’ wages exacerbated the problem.

MP Bagalatia Arone of Okavango also concurred that something ought to be done on the issue of the minimum wage. He urged government to do something to address the plight of Batswana. ENDS