15 Apr 2018

Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development says he has a cordial relationship with arts associations and has had interactions with them and even officiated at some of their events.

Answering a question in Parliament on April 12, Mr Thapelo Olopeng said he has held consultative meetings with different arts associations and practitioners on various occasions since he joined the ministry.

He said not all artistes were members of the associations and therefore, for broad consultations, it was important to meet a wide spectrum of industry players.

As a result, he engages with artistes as and when the need arises in order to realise the ministry’s mandate.

Member of Parliament for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa had asked the minister to state the nature of his working relationship with the Botswana Music Association and other associations.

Mr Nkaigwa also wanted the minister to state the number of times he had engaged with such associations and why he chose to deal with artistes directly without the involvement of their associations. ENDS