21 Sep 2016

The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu has  appluded Botswana’s development partners for assisting the country.
 

The gesture, he said had allowed the country grow to a point where it could meet the needs of its people.
 

Mr Batshu said this recently when giving a keynote address at a combined ceremony of Botswana 50th anniversary of Independence and the 2016 Chinese Moon Festival Charity Gala dinner, an event which was organised jointly by Grand Palm and Botswana Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

“It is pleasing to find the nations who are friendly to Botswana such as China and the Chinese community who can spare time to organise an event such as this one in order for them to be able to wish Batswana a prosperous future. We thank you in this endeavour,” he said.

Mr Batshu said today the country was able to boast of developments owing to the  help of the partners.

“We  could not have been able to achieve all these, if it was not for the other nations such as yourselves.

As we go into the future, we look forward to a prosperous future of Vision 2036, which requires support from friends such  as yourselves,” he said.

He said as country, Batswana should continue to respect other people and demonstrate Botho in every person and all friends joining them in developing the country to go forward.

For his part, the ambassador of China to Botswana, Mr Zheng Zhuqian commended Batswana for having built their country into what it was today.

He said over the past 50 years Botswana had enjoyed independence and played its role well as a member of the international community and made a positive contribution towards maintenance of peace and development in the world.

While commenting on the moon celebration, he said the Chinese people all over the world were looking forward to the family reunion, adding that those away from home celebrated the day in their respective places in remembrance of the hometowns and relatives back home.

“The bright moon rises on the sea. Though we are far away, we look up to gaze at the moon and we are missing our hometown. The 15th day of the eighth month of Chinese lunar calendar is not only the Chinese people’s traditional Moon Festival, but also affectionate day as well,” he said.

The Chinese community living in Botswana in collaboration with Grand Palm donated a sum of P20 000 to Maitengwe Homebased Care Centre, which is an orphanage based in Maitengwe, taking care of the disadvantaged, the sick and the elderly. Ends