11 Feb 2019

Parliament has been informed that the number of official trips undertaken by the chief executive officer of the Gambling Authority between April 2018 to date is seven.

Destinations that were visited between April 2018 and December 2018 are; Seoul South Korea; Polokwane, Sandton and Durban - South Africa,  Las Vegas and Nevada - USA, Copenhagen - Denmark and Buenos Aires - Argentina.

Answering a question form Member of Parliament for Selebi-Phikwe West Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse, Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Moiseraele Goya said between April 2018 and December 2018 the total number of days and nights away from duty station while on such trips are 39.

The total amount of per diem received by the CEO for all the trips was P113 608.82 while the amount spent on air tickets is P216 608.63.

In the meantime, he said the total amount spent on hotel accommodation, catering and incidental expenses was P183 254.93.

This included hotel accommodation and catering, airport transfers and car rentals.

Mr Goya said these trips were necessary as viewed against the Authority’s short to medium term plans, whose objectives are to create a robust regulatory environment, expand the gaming landscape through a licensing programme and to create a self-sustaining business model.

The Authority is a member of the Gambling Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF) whose annual conference was hosted successfully in Botswana in August 2018.

The chairperson of the Gambling Authority also chairs  GRAF and the CEO chairs the GRAF Technical Committee.

The Gambling Authority is also a member of the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).

The IAGR meets on an annual basis for a members’ conference,   which meetings are held around the world and are shared equally among the countries where members are located.

In 2017, the IAGR conference was in Gauteng, South Africa and in 2018 it was held in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Therefore there is travel related to those commitments, which may not necessarily be initiated from the Authority.

 Meanwhile, he said the primary focus of these bodies is the sharing of best practices in the development of laws, governance and capability for gaming regulations, the setting of standards of compliance for machinery and software manufacturers.

It is through engagements with these bodies that the Authority has gained valuable assistance to draft regulations, gaming rules and obtain information, when needed, on entities that wish to be licensed in Botswana.

MP Keorapetse had asked the minister to state the number of official trips undertaken by the CEO of the Gambling Authority between April 2018 to date, destinations and per diem that was pending before December 2018, a total number of days and nights spent away from duty station while on such trips and the total per diem received.

He had also wanted to know the total amount spent on tickets; hotel catering and incidental expenses; and whether these trips were or are necessary when viewed against the Authority’s short to medium term plans. ENDS