04 Mar 2018

Parliament has learnt that there are 43 tourism business licensed in the Makgadikgadi Management Area.

Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Vincent Seretse said the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism ‘does not know the total number of youth businesses in the area,’ but for their sector there were no applications from the youth.

Answering a question from Nata-Gweta Member of Parliament, Mr Polson Majaga on behalf of Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism recently, Mr Seretse said there were no Makgadikgadi area tourism sites/plots available in the tourism land bank.

“There are no funds/grants available specifically for the area. However applications can be made to the National Environment Fund (NEF),” he said.

The Nata-Gweta legislator had asked the minister to state the number of businesses located in the Makgadikgadi management area and the number of youth businesses located in the area.

He also wanted to know if there was any land bank available for the tourism business in the Makgadikgadi area and whether any funds were available in the form of grants to help trusts or youth ventures/project formations in the area.

Still in Parliament, Minister Seretse explained that the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism staff turnover from financial year 2012/2013 to 2016/2017 was 444.

Mr Seretse said officers at the strategic management of scale E2 to F1 was 30, middle management of D4 to D1 was 78 while the operational level C1 to A3 was 336.

He however said the cost of the turnover reflected above could not be specified because the vacancies that occurred as a result of attritions were continually filled as and when employees vacated them.

Member of Parliament Mr Noah Salakae of Ghanzi North wanted the minister to state the ministry’s staff turnover for the Financial Years: 2012/2013; 2013/2014; 2014/2015; 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 and the cost of the staff turnover for the above financial years.

MP Salakae also enquired about the ministry’s staff turnover at strategic management, middle management and operational positions respectively for the same financial years.

Furthermore, he asked about the cost of the staff turnover for strategic management, middle management and operational positions for these financial years. ENDS