09 Sep 2018

The Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane says the Central Business District (CBD) has been earmarked for upper market development, hence government appreciates any investment in the area.

Officially opening the new Bank Gaborone head office at the CBD, Mr Slumber Tsogwane said the CBD area had costed government huge sums of money to service it.

He said the opening of the office demonstrated the bank’s continued commitment as a partner in the economic and financial development of Botswana.

“This office will provide new facilities and a much improved environment for both its employees and clientele,” he said.

He said he was certain that the investment would be good value for money resulting in increased effectiveness of the financial services.

Mr Tsogwane noted that Bank Gaborone opened its doors to customers on September 18 2006, hence it was appropriate that they were launching their new head office within the same month.

He said  that the new three storey building was the first of its kind in Botswana and has received an A grade green star.

“This is to say your office has passed an assessment for sustainability at all stages of the building environment life cycle,” said Mr Tsogwane.

Mr Tsogwane further said the new building was a credit to all those who had worked hard to bring it to fruition, noting that Time Projects Company were the project managers while Wheki, a 50 per cent citizen owned company were the developers and a number of other local contractors were also engaged.

“This is highly commendable as jobs were created,” he said.

The Vice President further said the new head office would provide support functions including treasury, credit, human resource, finance, marketing and internal audit among others.

He said  Botswana was committed to competing with the rest of the world while maintaining her founding principles of democracy, self-reliance, development, unity and botho that had united the nation through difficult times.

He said government had facilitated an environment in which Bank Gaborone’s business could thrive the way that it had.

“Of course there are improvements to be made and this is why public and private partnerships are very important,” he said, adding that he hoped that the international media in attendance, as they go back to their home countries, through their reporting would facilitate trade and investment by encouraging their fellow countrymen to form partnerships in Botswana. ENDS