24 Sep 2018

President Mokgweetsi Masisi has implored Batswana living in the United States of America to help grow Botswana’s economy.

Speaking during a meet and greet session on September 23, Mr Masisi said Botswana was faced with high unemployment and there is need for the creation of jobs.

He encouraged them to pay their taxes back home and to partner with non-citizens to help grow the economy of Botswana, noting that the role of government is not to create jobs but to provide an enabling environment for such.

Mr Masisi assured them that his government aimed at opening up Botswana for investors and tourists and that he would play a facilitator role for that.

He also implored them to register in the on-going voter registration to ensure they play a meaningful role by voting during next year’s general elections.

“As an eligible voting adult the first thing to do to participate in the democratic process is to register as registration and voting give you that voice,” he said, stressing that by not voting, they would be beneficiaries of others’ voting exercise.

President Masisi further said he was attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as the UN assisted Botswana when the apartheid regime in South Africa disturbed the country’s peace and tranquility.

He said he would also have sideline meetings with other presidents with the aim of protecting Botswana’s interests in areas of wildlife and minerals.

The President also touched on the issue of the alleged 87 poached elephants, saying it was politically driven as the alleged massive poaching was associated with his presidency.

He said the issue was a campaign tool because it came at a time when the government started consulting Batswana on how human-wildlife conflict could be addressed.

He however, promised that the campaign would not deter his government from consulting on major issues prior to making decisions.

President Masisi appealed to Batswana living in the US to help market the country and drive the objective of attracting foreign investors.

He took the opportunity to wish them a peaceful independence day and urged them to be good ambassadors of the country by abiding by the laws of their host country.

A member of a non-government organisation, Batswana in United States of America (BAUSA), Mr Mpho Reed appreciated the President for meeting them, saying the meeting gave them hope that together they could take Botswana to greater heights.

He said his organisation raised funds during the Matsha College tragedy and during the ‘I shall not forget’ campaign.

Mr Reed suggested that BAUSA should have an office within the Office of the President to always be abreast with what is happening back home instead of depending on the media.

Mr Rocky Moncho thanked Mr Masisi for his demonstration of love for Batswana and the country itself. In response, the President advised BAUSA to collaborate with other NGOs as his office does not have capacity to accommodate it.

He thanked the organisation for the humanity it demonstrated during the Matsha College tragedy. ENDS