11 Apr 2016

Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Sadique Kebonang has told the Chinese community doing business in Botswana that the country needs them for the growth of the economy.

Speaking at a workshop organised by the Chinese Embassy termed, the Botswana Business Legal Affairs Workshop for the Chinese community in Botswana on Sunday, he said the Chinese investors were welcome in the country as they help boost the economy.

He said China products were everywhere in the country ranging from clothing, kitchen utensils and building materials. Mr Kebonang urged the Chinese community in Botswana to do their businesses in line with the laws of the country and to avoid clashes with law enforcement officers.

He said the workshop would enlighten them in the labour laws of the country and urged them to adhere to such laws as that would assist them during labour conflicts with their employees.Mr Kebonang said they should be aware that there were some businesses which had been set aside for Batswana only. He said those interested in such businesses should form joint ventures with locals.

He said Botswana has a well literate personnel that would make things easier for them to understand and that they should impart their skills to those Batswana they were working with.  In his welcoming remarks the Chinese Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Zheng Zhuqiang encouraged his country men and women to take the workshop seriously as it would help them do their businesses without any interference of the labour laws.

Mr Zheng said the embassy found it fit to organise the workshop after realising that the Chinese community living in Botswana were always up in arms with the locals regarding employment contracts.

He said he believed that after the workshop things would become much better and urged them to always ask the labour personnel where they have doubts.  ENDS