06 Jun 2016

Organisers of Mr and Miss Public Service 2016 are conducting a seven-day boot camp for the 24 finalists.

The grand finale is billed for Gaborone on Friday June 10.

In an interview, Mr and Miss Public Service pageant coordinator, Monica Somolekae said the pageant was an initiative to find an ambassador who would bring change to the public service.

She said the winners would go around the country doing projects that they would choose as well as engage the public service employees to address different issues concerning public service.

Ms Somolokae said they were looking for somebody with a great degree of professionalism, understands the governing policies of the public service, and wants to take on the challenge head on by finding innovative ways of mitigating the challenges.

She added the boot camp was organized to train contestants on different issues such as the public service charter, government priorities, business etiquette, table etiquette, public speaking and smart work ethics and others.

Furthermore, she emphasized the pageant’s key objective is to bring innovation to the public service for good service delivery and the committee pride itself  in training and transforming employees or contestants to better their individual capacity to become professionals, who serve the government with diligence and selflessness.

Somolekae said prejudging will be done to choose top 10 contestants who will battle at the finale and criteria will be focused on confidence of delivery of the project, attire and ability to deliver on stipulated time.

She said as Botswana would be celebrating its 50th anniversary, the contestants will showcase own designed costumes of national colors and each will also showcase their transformations in ministries and how they have embraced new technologies since country got independence in 1966.

Somolokae noted the winners of the title will walk away with P25 000 each, which was sponsored by Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU), tablets with internet packages sponsored by BoFINET and they will receive many small packages from different sponsors yet to be confirmed.

She thanked the organising committee for the spectacular job they are doing in organizing the event of such magnitude, adding they go an extra mile to bring greater entertainment, adding in 2015, they had motorbikes pulling stunts on the stage and this year’s entertainment will be off the hook and Batswana should come and witness the crowning of Mr and Miss Public Service 2016.

Ms Public Service 2015, Lorato Force applauded the initiative of coming up with a boot camp, saying it prepares contestants to fit in the world as there are  pressures and high profile people and senior officials one will be working with.

She added it allows one to see the other perspective of how other people do some things as it gives one a chance to interact with people from different backgrounds.

Force said she encourages civil servants to take part in the pageant as it can benefit them on both personal and professional level and it is important as they are given chances to implement their projects.

Mr Public Service 2015, Thabo Seema shared his experience that his reign has been a journey of growth both personally and pro