11 Sep 2017

Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Biggie Butale has urged Ngamiland communities to venture into sustainable businesses.

Addressing a kgotla meeting to sensitise residents about his ministry’s mandate and services offered, he said residents could take advantage of  opportunities availed by government and start successful businesses.

He noted that his ministry played a critical role in the country’s economy, and that it was responsible for the promotion and attraction of both domestic and foreign investments in the industrial and commercial sectors.

Mr Butale said it was unfortunate that in the  district most residents wanted to operate lodges and yet there were other tourism activities which they could tap intos.

Mr Butale noted that the district was a tourism hub and explained that  government intended to do special economic zoning to grow the tourism sector.

Furthermore, Mr Butale  encouraged residents to utilise services such as the Local Enterprise Authority, (LEA), Citizen Entrepreneurship Development Agency (CEDA) and Botswana Development Corporation to assist in boosting their businesses.

Mr Butale informed the gathering that efforts had been made to formulate policies that encouraged citizen participation in the economy, citing the Citizen Economic Empowerment Policy (CEE) which aims to foster an equitable distribution of income and wealth to improve citizens’ quality of life.

The policy calls for equal participation between government and the private sector in order to achieve citizen empowerment targets.

“We do not want locals to be spectators in the growth of the country’s economy hence the importance of the policy that would promote citizen  participation in the mainstream of the economy,” he added.

Furthermore, Mr Butale explained that government had started land zoning in order to attract more investors and promote citizen involvement, citing the leather industry planned for Lobatse.

He noted the some residents had brilliant ideas but were discouraged to explore them because they felt officers were unhelpful. He encouraged them to persevere to achieve their dreams.

Running a business “needs passion, commitment and determination in order to flourish.” Government, he said, wished to see more locally made products penetrating the export market.

For their part, residents appreciated available government initiatives, but complained that implementation remained a challenge.

They also said bureaucratic processes, some policies and guidelines in establishing a business denied them the opportunity to benefit from initiatives.

Residents suggested that government should be flexible and simplify policies.

Kgosi Prince Shashe said there had been delays  in the implementation of initiatives due to “laxity from public by officers,” and suggested that  government should  engage expatriates on contract to drive the implementation. BOPA