13 Jun 2018

Batswana look to the public service as an embodiment of commitment to service and preservation of the virtues of botho at all times.

Officially opening the 2018 public service convention on behalf of President Mokgweetsi Masisi, Vice President Slumber Tsogwane said he was convinced that through the public service, community collaboration was promoted among various constituencies by understanding the concerns and needs of citizens.

Mr Tsogwane urged the leadership of ministries and departments to recognise and nurture talent of public servants and appreciate their willingness and ability to contribute towards the development of the country.

He further said the realisation of the impact of various government policies and programmes was a collective responsibility.

Mr Tsogwane said collective efforts must recognise that unity requires compromise, mutual understanding and respect.

“As public servants, you need to implore management techniques that are inclusive of everybody, as well as the roadmap of the political leadership and customers. Your approach must allow for innovation, problem solving and collective caucus on higher level national objectives,” he said.

He said public servants should not be part of the problem but rather a part of the solution.In addition, he said the commitment of various ministries and departments should be key to unlocking opportunities in the country.

“When all is said and done, let us remember to place national economic interests above individual interests because our actions today will determine our prosperity as a nation moving forward,” said Mr Tsogwane.

He urged participants to use the public service convention platform to discuss innovative ways of delivering quality and efficient service to the public.
“It will also be important to engage and debate on emerging trends and best practices in public service management,” he said.

The public service convention provides an invaluable opportunity for exchanging ideas and benchmarking with the aim of addressing the challenges brought about by resource and capacity restraints among others, he said.

He applauded various stakeholders and Botswana’s development partners for contributing significantly to the growth and development of Botswana.

For his part, Minister for Presidential Affairs, Public Administration and Governance, Mr Nonofo Molefhi thanked President Masisi and his deputy for having graced the celebrations along with other dignitaries.

“I would wish to thank His Excellency the President for his words of encouragement, guidance and pledge of support to the public service in the execution of our mandate of implementing government programmes and delivery of quality service to the citizens and residents of this country,” he said. Ends