10 Feb 2019

Francistown West legislator, Mr Ignatius Moswaane says while the recent announcement that public officers’ salaries will be increased was a welcome development, there remained serious need for workers in Botswana to be afforded a living wage.

Contributing to the debate on the 2019/20 budget speech recently, Mr Moswaane observed that the increments recently agreed upon would not bring about any real difference to the living standards of employees, particularly those in the lower salary grades.

He said there was need for a higher minimum wage and also called on government not to turn a blind eye on the plight of private sector workers.

On the health sector, MP Moswaane decried lack of equipment in government health facilities, citing Nyangabgwe and Princess Marina hospitals.

He indicated that the situation was so bad that in some instances critical services such as performing surgeries could not be rendered to patients due to lack of appropriate equipment.

For his part, MP for Takatokwane, Mr Ngaka Ngaka noted that bringing developments was a process and not a once-off event.

Mr Ngaka thus commended the budget, saying it showed government’s commitment to continue developing the nation.

The MP expressed optimism that villages without electricity in his constituency would benefit, following the announcement that electricity expansion would reach 111 villages that were presently not connected to the national grid.

On the transport sector, Mr Ngaka called on government to consider constructing shorter roads that could interlink different parts of the country.

Giving an example, he said it was a challenge for people in the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts to easily reach the northern parts of the country without having to endure travelling longer distances.

MP Ngaka also pleaded with government to improve network connectivity in the country, noting that while the situation was better in urban areas, for people in rural areas proper internet connectivity remained a far-fetched dream.

While also hailing the Minister of Finance and Economic Development for the budget, MP Edwin Batshu of Nkange pointed out that the budget speech was essentially a commitment by government to the nation.

Mr Batshu, who said it was thus critical that government kept the promises it had made to the nation, observed that it was disappointing that the speech did not address the issue of failure to deliver on such commitments.

MP for Gaborone Central, Dr Phenyo Butale implored government to adequately capacitate oversight institutions such as the DCEC so as to enable them to effectively discharge their mandate.

Dr Butale also talked of the lack of separation of powers in arms of government.

He described the executive as over-domineering, saying it treated the others arms of government as subordinates. ENDS