31 Jan 2019

Kgosi Boitshwarelo Difemo of Lotlhakane West near Moshupa has encouraged young people in the Moshupa/Manyana constituency to work with area Member of Parliament to better their lives.

Kgosi Difemo told a kgotla meeting addressed in Lotlhakane on January 29 that MP Karabo Gare was a business expert who could help them utilise citizen empowerment programmes to create employment opportunities.

Kgosi Difemo explained that the youthful MP, who was also an accountant by training, related well with young people.

For his part, Mr Gare explained that employment creation was high on President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s agenda.

He said some might play politics with the issue but it was a challenge the world over.

To this end, Mr Gare shared that he had tabled a motion before Parliament requesting government to come up with a special fund that would assist young people with business loans without asking for security or contribution.

He said if adopted, the motion would enable young people with viable business ideas to create wealth and employment opportunities for themselves and others.

Mr Gare, who previously worked for the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), said he used to see many young people with ideas worth millions of Pula on paper, being turned away by financiers because they had no security for the loans they had applied for.

Mr Gare also informed residents that he would ensure Moshupa/Manyana based companies benefited from the primary hospital and mini-stadium projects to be constructed in Moshupa.

He said the selection criteria would be designed such that it would give the locals a 10 per cent stake in the projects.

Mr Gare stated that engaging local sub-contractors would stimulate the economy of the constituency than it would if they were only to employ a few individuals from the area to do minor jobs.

On other issues, Mr Gare told residents that Parliament had passed a bill that would turn Botswana Builder Society into a fully-fledged bank.

He said the new piece of legislation would enable the institution to give loans to Batswana.

He said the Building Societies Act limited the institution from offering some products to Batswana. ENDs