12 Mar 2018

The diamond museum is a legacy for future generations to appreciate the anchoring building blocks of the local economy and the country of Botswana, which at independence ranked amongst the poorest in the world.

Speaking at the opening of Botswana’s first diamond museum and Orapa Game Park expansion in Orapa on Saturday, President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama said Botswana had grown from being a primary producer to having a maturing manufacturing sector and one of the world’s key rough diamond trading destinations.

“There is need to create a platform for appreciation of diamonds and diamond industry among citizens and visitors of the country through the diamond museum,” he said.

He noted that through the visionary leadership of the former general manager, Dr Adrian Gale, Orapa Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines(OLDM) introduced, ‘Orapa Today Boteti Tomorrow’ (OTBT) programme.

The first part of the programme was to make Orapa a great place to live and work, and the second part was to build a sustainable economy for Boteti Sub-district, whilst there were still many more years of diamond mining.

Debswana through OLDM submitted a proposal to government in 2013, which sought to diversify the economic base of Boteti region from mining.

President Khama stated that a committee made of various government ministries was established to evaluate and advise on the proposal geared at achieving establishment of a mining museum capturing Orapa as the first great diamond mine in Botswana and the museum had to include Damtshaa mine as the model mine with tourist tours.

He said it was also intended to create a corridor linking Orapa and Makgadikgadi Pans and expansion park area as much as development of a business park to stimulate economic activity.

“The plan was also to establish a technical university or institute of technology from current training facility, which is a national benchmark in technical training,” he said.

President Khama indicated that the dream of establishing a diamond mining museum was the first to be realised among the many initiatives that OTBT intended to achieve.

He said the layout and design of the museum consisted of museum display rooms which reflected mining processes and mining products, curio shop, coffee shop, storage area, visitors lounge as well as indoor and outdoor display areas.
“Orapa Game Park currently boast of a large variety of species including a thriving population of white rhinos while an important consideration of the game park is the post-mining activity linked to community led tourism,” he said.
 President Khama said he was pleased to note that the new gate to allow access to the park without accessing the closed town had been provided which would facilitate more tourists and community members to enjoy visiting the park.

He said the department of national museum and monuments had contributed significantly to conceptualisation of the expansion of the game park and development of the diamond museum, by combining the two as a combined tourist package for high volume of tourists on transit to Makgadikgadi.

The President explained that Makgadikgadi framework management plan was part of the broader sustainable development and management of cultural and natural heritage in Boteti region.

The P14.2 million expanded game park and diamond museum tourist package he said was complimented by development of Makgadikgadi heritage trail map.

The area MP and also Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Slumber Tsogwane commended Debswana saying it was committed to the vision of OTBT.

Mr Tsogwane said he trusted that Adrian Gale Museum and Orapa Game Park would not only increase tourism traffic in the region but would be an advantage for thriving economic activity.

The managing director of Debswana Mr Balisi Bonyongo said diamonds had played a pivotal role in the development of Botswana and the people of the country, noting with due recognition given by having Orapa’s pilot plant commemorated on the back of Botswana twenty Pula bank note. Ends