20 Mar 2017

Challenges in filling 120 vacant posts in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism vary at different levels.

Parliament has been informed that at the lower level of C band and below, the main challenge was that employees take time to accept and take up appointment in rural and remote areas.

Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama said most employees tend to prefer to work in urban and peri-urban areas, adding that a few higher level positions take long to fill because of scarcity of professionals required.

Mr Khama noted that the purpose of appointing temporary employees was to meet manpower needs of the department, and not solely for the employee to acquire experience.

He said some employees such as cleaners serve in areas where government was in the process of outsourcing services.

Specially Elected MP, Mr Mephato Reatile had asked the minister to state the total number of vacant posts in his ministry and to provide the breakdown by districts.

He also wanted to know the total number of temporary employees and the challenges that cause delay in filling vacant posts.

In response to another question from Mr Reatile, the minister said there were 27 vacant posts at Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO).

Mr Khama said two temporary employees were engaged by BTO to acquire experience, adding that the position of executive manager corporate services has been vacant since February 6, 2015 and that the main challenge has been lack of funding, especially for new positions.

Mr Mephato Reatile had asked the minister to state the number of vacant posts at BTO, the number of temporary employees engaged by BTO to acquire experience, the period of the longest vacant post and the challenges that cause delay in filling the vacant posts. ENDS