07 Jul 2016

Vice President Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi has supported the proposed Trade Disputes Bill of 2015 which he said protected Batswana and the economy.

Debating the Bill in Parliament on Wednesday, Mr Masisi said as the party in government they appreciated all the views and opinions expressed by all Members of Parliament concerning the listing of certain cadres as essential services.

The Vice President stated that it was important for diamond sorting, cutting and selling services to be listed on the bill as essential services because of their value in monetary terms adding that disruption of the diamond mining crippled economy.

Mr Masisi said immigration and customs services were critical for trade and a necessity for sharing goods in exchange for money, noting that a disorder of some kind in the profession would compromise collection of tax and returns. He further argued that government broadcasting services were essential and could not be compromised because there were a medium which important messages were conveyed to Batswana like the disease outbreaks and other dangers that may occur.

Vice President said the bill protected the lives of Batswana above everything else because all the listed cadres were critical.

Also supporting the bill, MP for Boteti West Mr Slumber Tsogwane noted that essential services were qualified on basis of the importance of that particular profession.

Mr Tsogwane stated that as per the African Charter on the Welfare of a Child, every child had a right to education, noting that if teachers were to be removed from the proposed essential services they would go on strike and leave students unattended.

The MP said the bill did not say essential services should not unionise contrary to what people believed adding that the proposed professions would unionise and enjoy the results of collective bargaining.

“Everything that concerns education is important, teaching is a noble profession and we are not saying their voice will be silenced.”

MP for Okavango, Mr Bagalatia Arone stated that he supported the bill adding that there was no way a teacher could go on a strike because of their role in education. He said education was very critical in Botswana hence the sector was being given a large share of the budget.

However the MP stated that he consulted with his constituents and they held different views about the Bill.

MP for Molepolole South, Dr Tlamelo Mmatli said the bill was vague in that it did not provide a definite definition of what essential services were.

He said a definition would guide the House and provide a framework to avoid a situation where every cadre would be declared essential in future.

Dr Mmatli alledged that ever since the 2011 public service strike, “the workers have been stripped of their rights, frustrating them and their unions.”

He said the Bill intended to take away the workers right to strike which he said was an important tool for the workers voice to be heard.

MP for Gaborone Bonnington South, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe said he believed labour movements were not consulted to the optimum regarding this Bill therefore stating that further consultations were imperative to stimulate national dialogue.

MP for Francistown East, Mr Buti Billy said he had consulted his constituents about the Bill who opined that the bill was not explanatory in that it did not address what incentives would be granted the workers if their right to strike was taken from them.

He noted that he was against diamond sorting and cutting, teaching services, Immigration and broadcasting services being made essential in that he did not see what dangers these cadres posed if they were to go on strike.

However, Mr Billy noted that his constituents believed that the Bill would work if the commissioner of labour was granted powers to prosecute cases to augment for the influx of cases at the industrial court. Ends