06 Nov 2016

Members of Parliament on Wednesday  (November 2) continued to debate the draft National Development Plan (NDP) 11 with Specially Nominated MP, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo saying it should be focused on youths who are faced with challenges.

Airing her maiden views since being appointed during the current sitting, MP Kenewendo, said NDP 11 should carry the hopes of the youths who are facing challenges such as unemployment.

She said youths are agile, driven and looking for opportunities to improve their lives hence their constant knocking at the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development.

Ms Kenewendo said job creation had been a challenge and the problem had to be dealt with immediately.

She said the bulk of jobs could only come from the private sector especially since the government’s fiscal policy had changed.

The youth, she said, should not be given false promises that government would provide them with jobs in the private sector.

Other than employment, she said the youths should also be encouraged to succeed as entrepreneurs.

She further said she was concerned that the first five chapters of the draft NDP 11 document were silent yet they have to provide a review of the National Vision 2016.

She said the country had made strides as poverty levels had been halved.

Majority of the people affected by poverty are those living in rural areas and households which are led by women hence the need to focus on them.

Ms Kenewendo also said the government should also focus on constituencies experiencing high levels of poverty such as Boteti.

Meanwhile, Ms Kenewendo has said a Bank of Botswana Business Confidence showed there was a decline and said there was need to address issues worrying the private sector such as availability of water and electricity.

She further said there was need for Botswana to keep up pace and compete with countries such as Rwanda.

For his part, MP for Shoshong, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele said NDP 11 should be driven by the aspirations of National Vision 2036.

He said he was happy the new NDP addressed decentralisation saying it was high time local authorities were given more powers to make decisions on how they could develop their areas and create jobs.

MP Makgalemele however said he was concerned that projects which were earmarked for his constituency in NDP 10 such as an establishment of a sub district council had been excluded from the NDP 11.

Selebi Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse said the government had failed the people of Selebi Phikwe and surrounding regions following the provisional liquidation of BCL Mine.

He said the textile industries, which employed thousands of people, collapsed because the government concentrated more on foreign investment rather than encouraged domestic investment.

Mr Keorapetse further said they talked about value addition saying the refinery plants would have added value to the copper and nickel, hence created more jobs and profits.

He further said there was negligence when government ignored the experts’ advice that the second university should be based in Selebi Phikwe but had instead been built in Palapye.

MP Keorapetse said the mine should have been placed under judicial management saying copper/nickel prices were bound to bounce back.

MP for Mmadinare, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila said Botswana has a comparative advantage in a number of areas amongst them demographic, peace and security, prudence use of natural resources and good governance.

He said it was important that government was basing NDP 11 in investing in areas it has comparative advantage.

MP Mzwinila said there were projects which date as far back as NDP 8 and said these should be prioritised.

He said his area was also affected by the BCL closure.

MP for Bobirwa, Mr Shaw Kgathi said the BCL closure should be seen as a blessing as the Selebi Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) region has many investment opportunities.

He said mineral deposits at Lepokole Area are yet to be explored and semi-precious stones in Bobirwa could also be used for investment opportunities.

MP Kgathi said Talana farm could also feed the entire nation hence a potential in agriculture.

He further said there was great economic potential in the Plaatjan Bridge. ENDS