07 Mar 2017

Owner of Malkara Consulting also Director of Africa AML & Financial Services Mr Chris Douglas is seeking support of the government to secure inclusion of Botswana in the Australia’s Working Holiday Maker Programme (WHMP).

Mr Douglas said under the WHMP, only citizens of eligible countries aged between 18 and 30 can apply adding that WHMP enables young people from eligible countries to enter Australia and work in a range of industries for a short period.

“Botswana being a stable democratic country should be included,” he said. He said the benefits of Botswana being included in the WHMP are many including enhancement and recognition of the reputation of the country as being a stable democracy that is competently lead and governed.

He said that Botswana youth would gain important practical skills or enhance existing knowledge by working in another industrialized country which in turn give them a global exposure which normally possess threats but offers big opportunities.

He noted that they would also develop entrepreneurship skills if they work in industries particularly the agricultural and mining sectors which employs advanced industrial methods which make Australia the world leader in those fields.

Mr Douglas said it would enable Botswana youth to earn foreign currency to build their personal wealth for future investment in Botswana or to be sent back home to support their families hence reduce the rate of poverty and unemployment in the country.

“Botswana’s highly educated youth would bring skills and knowledge to Australia that would benefit the development of Australia and the exposure to Australian companies, Australian educational institutions and Australian Government authorities leading to potential investment opportunities in Botswana” he said .
However, He said Africa AML and Financial Services has a social conscious citing that at the heart of their core values is their support for human rights particularly the rights of women and the rights of young people everywhere including the important obligation to train, coach and support youth.
He said the moment youth become idle they could be involved in organized crimes and drug abuse.

Mr Douglas said when he first visited Botswana in February 2016 and made subsequent return trips that year, he fell in love with this country. Consequently, based on his research, he decided to expand his business with the intention of using Botswana as a base to market a new venture in Africa and to assist in developing Botswana as a center for excellence in the field of financial crime training and prevention.

On the other hand, to achieve this objective, he has entered into a corporate arrangement with a local Chartered Accountant in Botswana. The company and business will trade under the name of Africa AML & Financial Services which is directed by a young entrepreneur Ms Lynn Modiradilo.

They will offer a range of financial crime training workshops and consultancy advice based on international standards to government and organizations in Botswana and to other governments and industry sectors throughout Africa.
He said it is their belief that by hosting the workshops in Botswana they could attract to the country a large number of professionals from the financial and business sectors.
As an Australian business person he has noticed that Botswana is not included in the Australia’s Working Holiday Maker Programme (WHMP), which includes the Working Holiday visa and the Work and Holiday visa.

“I want to make Botswana a center of financial excellence through financial crime training and I want Botswana to be on the national map and be able to compete against United States of America, Hong Kong, Singapore and Europe markets,” he said.

Currently Mr Douglas operates a successful financial crime consultancy business in Perth, Australia with his clients situated throughout Australia and parts of Asia, he is also a consultant to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Nigeria. ENDS