19 Mar 2018

Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila, says libraries are the “store houses of knowledge”, therefore, he implored Kgalagadi constituents to utilise community library for the benefit of increasing their understanding on various issues.

Speaking at the official opening of the 16th community library and cultural centre in Hukuntsi on Tuesday, Mr Mzwinila said libraries were an important cornerstone of a healthy community, as they gave the community the opportunity to find jobs, experience new ideas as well as explore business research to grow their businesses.

He noted that libraries helped to revive the culture of reading and that a library was often the readily available source of comprehensive information, needed by people for personal, family and job related purposes.

He also said the library would aid to nurture the community’s economic growth, as entrepreneurs would use library resources to make wise business decisions.

He also said libraries had vast collections of academic books which were made available to the students and in that way, Kgalagadi constituency could tap onto that opportunity to improve their deteriorating academic performances.

“The intellectual and economic health of the constituency depends on it,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said their ministry was mandated to promote culture therefore, the cultural centre at the library would offer the community the opportunity to share the rich and diverse cultural knowledge, skills and traditions as well as to offer them the opportunity to meet, perform and exchange cultural experiences with other social groups in their locality.

On other issues, the Mmadinare legislator commended the Rothschild Family Foundation for their benevolence in constructing community libraries across the country.

He said public private partnership (PPP) was a commendable gesture, as government could not succeed to meet the ever growing needs of the communities unaided.

He said through PPP affiliations, government would be in a better position to extend services closer to the communities.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Kgosi Merapelo Tshweneyagae, encouraged the spirit of volunteerism amongst his community members in order to advance community developments.

He lauded the donors for their benevolence to see it fit to construct a library in their village to revive the culture of reading among the public.

He also encouraged the public to take care of the facility for future use.

For her part Ms Sara Rothschild said a library was a valuable resource to the village as it would capacitate community members on how best to position their lives through reading.

For his part, Mr Robert Rothschild lauded the government for the recognition of their foundation, as they continued with their courage to engage in social responsibility activities for the betterment of people’s lives.

He also commended the library committee for their massive efforts to ensure that the project became a success despite the hurdles they encountered during their journey.

In his closing remarks, Assistant Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, also the area Member of Parliament for Kgalagadi North, Mr Itumeleng Moipisi, commended donors for their active effort to promote the welfare of community members.

He said through their gesture, they brought hope to the lives of the constituents as job opportunities were created and that, in future the recipients would assist to advance the constituency development. Ends