16 Dec 2015

BotswanaPost is doing well in discharging its obligation of providing universal postal service.

The Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama,  said this was evidenced by the institution’s enthusiastic support for his ministry’s wildlife conservation and tourism development through its philately programme. 

Speaking at launch of the vulture stamp and the philately re-invigoration road map, Mr Khama said it was through efforts of BotswanaPost that they would be able to brand and communicate the country’s unique heritage and diverse bio-environment.

He said vultures had a central role in maintaining the balance of the world’s ecosystem. He said they cleaned the environment and ensure that the process of circulating nutrients back to the earth continues.

“It is through man’s activities that these fine magnificent birds are facing extinction. 

In thinking we are developing, we increase the perils faced by the vultures, through poaching, indiscriminate killing and disturbing their breeding areas,” he said.

Mr Khama said in the past, BotswanaPost stamps depicted national flora symbols, the spectacular birds of Botswana, lions of the Chobe, the Okavango delta, the African buffalo in Botswana.  He announced that they will soon launch the velvet monkey stamps.

For his part, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo, said in noting the strategic importance that the post office played in the communication eco-system and its desire to reach out and declare itself ready to serve, his ministry had intensified efforts to assist the post office become more efficient and resilient in the discharge of the universal service obligation that it is tasked with.

Mr Mabeo said it is worth noting that the post office is a crucial enabler of service delivery for all sectors of government as it have been entrusted to deliver payment services to the elderly, war veterans and people with disabilities.

“This responsibility comes at a great cost and that is why my ministry has provided funding to refurbish four post offices and construct two new ones in order to better deliver the services.

We are committed to providing further funding and support to expand the post office, as well as provide grants and subventions to aid the discharge of the universal service obligation,” he said.

Mr Mabeo said research had indicated that the Botswana vulture population was declining at an alarming rate and something must be done within the farming, school, tourism and social communities to spread this knowledge.

He said the decimation was due to multiple reasons including trophy hunting, poaching, improper farming methods and indiscriminate destruction of the vulture’s habitats. Ends