02 Jul 2013

The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu has urged the business community to demonstrate love, care and compassion to the needy.

He said they should concentrate on both making profits and giving back to the community to augment government efforts to uplift the living standards of the underprivileged in the society.

Speaking during the handover of a two-roomed house donated by Viking Gas Company to Gaetsholwe family at Boseja ward in Maun, Minister Batshu said the house would restore the family’s dignity. Prior to the donation, the family which comprises of nine people, lived in a one-roomed mud house and tent. 

Mr Batshu urged the community at large to understand that God created people differently and they would never be the same, hence the need to support each other. 

 He said time was ripe for all to revive the spirit of giving. “We used to have mafisa, majako and metshelo in the past and people lived a happy dignified life because relatives and neighbours supported each other during difficult times”, he added.

The minister said the donation by Viking Gas Company was in line with one of the pillars of Vision 2016 which calls for all to be compassionate and care for the less fortunate in the society. He said the National Anthem also called for all to stand up and serve the nation by supporting each other.

He praised the company for the good gesture adding that the donation signified good heartedness and encouraged other businesses and the community at large to emulate that.

The company also donated a house in Goshwe, something which Mr Batshu said was a clear recognition of people in poverty. He appealed to other companies to respond positively to President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama’s call to assist government in providing shelter and helping the less fortunate in society.

Mr Batshu said government was doing all in its power to improve the lives of Batswana by introducing initiatives such as LIMID and Poverty Eradication initiative aimed at uprooting poverty amongst the communities. He encouraged the communities to take advantage of such programmes to earn a living.

For his part, the director of Viking Gas, Mr Pius Cyriac said they decided to help the family taking into account the direct call by the Presidential Housing Appeal that the private sector and government ministries should come up with projects that could assist individuals and communities.

He said they found it fit to support the communities they operated within noting that with funds permitting, they would do more. Mr Cyriac said they had in the past built a house for one of their employees. Mr Cyriac thanked all who contributed towards the success of the project. ends