10 Nov 2016

Specially elected MP, Mr Eric Molale says for the past 50 years, the country’s development planning process has stood the test of time.

Contributing to the Draft NDP 11 in parliament on Wednesday (November 9), he said government has orderly development process that produces efficient and equitable allocation of national resources.

“I must hasten to say government has always done what which many countries have not done, reconciling equity and efficiency principles because they always go in opposite directions. Therefore, I am baffled when people do not see this remarkable feat,” he said.

Mr Molale who is also the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration said the current system of governance was sensible and sensitive to the aspirations of the nation and it was for the reason that after 50 years in existence, two key policy documents of NDP 11 and Vision 2036 were produced which are intertwined. 

He said development plans help to improve quality of life, safety and security of people and open up endless opportunities in the country for all citizens.

He said good governance, peace and order was a dividend that comes out of development planning and that it was a process that was being followed in Parliament.

Mr Molale, said the relevance of national development plans were that the blueprint documents come from the nation, and usually matched the available resources. 

He said the bottom-up planning and top down approach in place was meant to determine priority areas by the nation. 

Mr Molale further said government has always maintained one inherent principle of informing the nation about her failures and successes.

He condemned criticisms by some MPs that there was no consultation in the drafting of NDP 11, adding that as it was a tradition, the plan has gone rigours by being exposed to citizens through consultation.

“It was unfortunate that MPs did not read the plan and could not contribute to it. The document cannot be nullified on the basis that legislators have not done their part,” he said. 

He said consultation was key because citizens have had input in the plan, and that it was a legitimate document with legitimate processes. 

Mr Molale further emphasised NDP 11 should focus more on implementation.

“In order to do that we should strengthen our monitoring and evaluation with key target and performance indicators,” he said.

For her part, MP for Serowe South, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi said government worked hard for the country to become middle income.

She said poverty does not get eradicated by magic and was eradicated from house to house, families and individuals over the years. “When we started as a government, there was nothing for most of us, most of us have lived poverty,” she said.

Her comments came after some legislators condemned government for deserting the poor. 

Dr Venson-Moitoi also Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, further said government was committed to continue fighting poverty, making health and education accessible within 15km of every Motswana and improving lives of Batswana in general.

“We have more or less achieved that. This is how we are fighting poverty as a government,” she said.  ENDS