20 Feb 2019

Tati East MP, Mr Samson Guma has pleaded with Minister of Finance and Economic Development to consider the review of National Development Plan 11.

Contributing to the budget speech debate, Mr Guma said it was important for the country to undergo a review of NDP 11 before the upcoming general elections in order to check progress made since NDP 11 inception.

 He said a review of the plan was imperative taking into account the development challenges facing the country and the need to align the focus of the plan with global, continental and regional initiatives.

 Mr Guma said government needed to reflect on whether the NDP 11’s theme had realised the inclusive growth of sustainable employment creation and poverty eradication which it intended to address. The NDP 11 review, he said, would also reflect on progress made in achieving set national priorities of developing diversified sources of economic growth, human capital development and  sustainable use of national resources among others.

“It is on the basis of the performance of NDP 11, and taking into consideration the development challenges facing the country, that we need to identify whether NDP 11 has advocated for various policies and strategies to promote growth and employment opportunities in the economy,” he said.

Furthermore, Mr Guma implored government to involve the private sector more in improving the country’s economy through the promotion of the Public, Private Partnership (PPP) policy. He said government needed to establish sustainable alternative means of financing public infrastructure projects, and to accelerate and improve infrastructure development and create a conducive environment for stronger public and private sector partnerships.

Palapye MP, Moiseraele Goya applauded the 2019/2020 budget proposal and highlighted that government would continue to reform the country’s regulatory environment with a view to easing doing business and fostering global competitiveness for local businesses.

Mr Goya stated that the country’s needs had over the years expanded as they now surpassed revenue hence a budget deficit. 

He, however, pleaded with Batswana to appreciate government’s efforts to stabilise and diversify the economy. 

“Batswana should be educated on the government budgeting process so that they understand and appreciate revenue constraints that mostly determine the budget outcome as it is never adequate to address all their needs,” he said. 

He said it was however pleasing to note that government would continue to implement strategies expected to promote domestic and foreign direct investment to grow the economy and create employment opportunities. 

Despite uncertainty in global markets, Mr Goya said Botswana continued to soldier on in economic consolidation as government, through prudent management of resources, continued to ensure that the bulk of the mineral revenue was invested in human and physical capital. 

 He said government would continue to strive to create a conducive environment to promote the development of the private sector and direct foreign investment .ENDS