23 Nov 2017

Monopoly of the Botswana Meat Commission is said to be disadvantaging local beef farmers.

According to Ghanzi North Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Noah Salakae, despite cattle rearing being a taxing venture, local cattle farmers were not reaping any benefits from their labours due to the BMC having monopolised the local beef industry.

Mr Salakae, who was contributing to the ongoing debate on the State Of the Nation Address on November 22, said he had expected President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama to address the issue in his speech.

He observed that Batswana had for years been complaining about the low prices that the BMC bought their cattle at. 

He said for local farmers to benefit from the sale of their cattle, time had come for the lifting of the BMC monopoly.

Mr Salakae also condemned the state of Botswana’s education system, labelling it unproductive and attributed the failures of the system to several factors among which he mentioned dilapidated infrastructure in schools and the low morale of teachers due to unfavourable working conditions.

All these, he pointed out, led to poor academic results.

Further, the MP expressed disappointment that to date there were still some bogus tertiary education institutions that Batswana wasted money attending only to come out with worthless and unrecognised qualifications.

In addition, he said time had also come for local languages to be used as medium of instruction in schools.

He said studies had shown that children learnt better when they were taught in their mother tongue.

Mr Salakae said it was disappointing that Botswana’s successive presidents had shown disdain for such a move, pointing out that it was disappointing for the heads of state to have seen the move as divisive and therefore not good for national unity.

He also stated that he had expected President Khama to have addressed the issues of lack of community radio stations, shortage of health personnel, especially doctors, as well as that of corruption, which he said was rampant. ENDS