30 May 2019

Funeral Parlours Association of Botswana (FPAB) has been challenged to strategically plan to change the funeral parlour industry.

This was said during an annual conference by president of the association Mr Bushie Mosala, where the association met to map a way forward and find ways to align with the global trends. The meeting was also meant to revise FPAB code of conduct, review progress thus far as well as discuss challenges within the industry and the association itself.

Officiating at the conference, deputy mayor of the Lobatse Town Council, Mr Francis Mokwena said FPAB as the only industry-related association in Botswana, could achieve more if members showed collective will and active participation in association affairs.

He challenged the industry to plan for the future prosperity of parlours in the coming decades as well as the welfare of future generations of communities they operate within.

He highlighted that the association had met to resolve a wide range of issues that constrain the performance of the  funeral parlour industry.

“You have contributed to the strengthening of democracy by ascribing to the philosophy of smart partnership and with support of the government and the nation you should do your best to lift Botswana’s economy to the next level,” he said.

Mr Mokwena said going forward, the association should be hopeful that it would continue its mandate and be part of the process of creating an enabling environment for the private sector growth and development.

He cautioned that ‘as Funeral Parlours Association of Botswana it is neither the stronger of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change and challenges’.

To an international speaker  specialising in leadership and strategy development for business, Mr Sebastian Zuze, the association needs strategic ways to achieve success in the industry. Mr Zuze stated that every business, including the undertaker, needs to deliver results and know how to deliver those results.

He stated that there was a need for knowledge in the business industry, as no business could survive without knowledge and called on funeral parlours to acquire knowledge on the industry and learn from others to improve their business.

However, he stated that they could have the knowledge and the skills, but if they did not change their mindset, the association would remain at a standstill.

Thus he urged the association to introduce programmes to keep people alive by leading healthy lives. BOPA