13 Nov 2017

Selebi Phikwe West legislator, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse has tabled a motion that request government to review the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) laws and regulations for ease of doing business, especially in Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

Tabling the motion, Mr Keorapetse said plans to revitalise Selebi Phikwe Town were hampered by poor turnaround time of the EIA.

He said numerous companies that were interested in investing in Selebi Phikwe were complaining about delays in EIAs.

Thus, he suggested that government should consider fast-tracking EIAs for special economic zones.

In his argument, Mr Keorapetse said that after closure of BCL Mine, which was the primary generator of the town’s economy, there were no economic activities in Selebi Phikwe as the mine employed 6 000 people directly and 10 000 people indirectly.

He further said the mine was a major customer to Morupule Colliery, BPC, railway and the financial sector companies, hence its closure has led to the plummeting of the town’s economy.

He said over the years there has been failed attempts to diversify the economy of Phikwe as well as failure to add value to the BCL smelter.

Mr Keorapetse said there was no law that compeled the minister to provide a special dispensation of EIAs with regards to SEZs.

Mr Keorapetse said with regard to countries that had SEZs, bureaucratic bottlenecks such as land servicing and taxation were removed for potential investors, which he said the country should consider.

“In our scenario, Parliament has not approved anything that seeks to provide a different tax regime, especially with regard to SEZs,” he said.

Mr Keorapetse said there was nothing that suggested that SPEDU region was a SEZ, adding that conditions for revatilising the already dying economy of SPEDU were inadequate.

“What exacerbates the problem is EIA as it takes not less than 12 months for an assessment to be done and a certificate to be issued,” he said.  

Commenting on the motion, MP for Shoshong, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele rejected the motion, saying the mover did not speak to specific components of the law that speaks to frustration brought about by EIAs.

He further said government was directing all efforts towards ensuring the ease of doing business, EIAs inclusive.

MP for Nata-Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga said the mover should be asking for holistic review of EIA for ease of doing business, for all businesses and not only those within SEZs.

Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Vincent Seretse appreciated the motion, but suggested that the mover should have consulted relevant ministries that dealt with SEZs so that he speaks from an informed point of view.

MP for Gaborone Central, Dr Phenyo Butale supported the motion arguing that poor turnaround time for EIA scared potential investors away.

He said there seemed to be many departments involved in crafting EIAs that were however working in silos and suggested that they should converge to ensure that the process was seamless and not time consuming.

MP for Molepolole South, Dr Tlamelo Mmatli and MP for Jwaneng/Mabutsane, Mr Shaun Ntlhaile also supported the motion, arguing that bottlenecks caused by the delay in EIA were drifting away potential investors.

Ramotswa MP, Mr Samuel Rantuana supported the motion, adding that EIA had become an excuse for somewhat unwilling investors.

Specially elected MP, Mr Kitso Mokaila said the motion was a non-starter because EIAs could not be waived as the survival of human beings was centered on the health of the environment.

“We can only look at how we can facilitate the process to be quicker,” he said.

Serowe South MP, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi said the motion was not a bad idea, but the fact that government was drafting the law for the review of the Act on EIA made the motion was untimely.

“Procedurally we cannot come and discuss something that government is already considering to do. As the ruling party, we do not want it to look like it was the idea of the opposition members when we know the minister shall table the review of the act,’ she said.

Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama said his ministry was currently reviewing EIA Act 10 of 2011.

He said the act under review would ensure that those ministries dealing with EIAs would have their own consultants for ease alignment.

Mr Khama further refuted allegations that turnaround time for EIA took a year, noting that it only took 90 days provided the consultants had done a thorough job.

“We will not jeopardise the state of the environment for the benefit of the people who are incompetent in carrying out their responsibilities. All environment practitioners will go to an examination so that they do not cost investors by doing shoddy work,” he said.

The debate on the motion continues next week. BOPA