11 Jun 2019

The ongoing mid-term review of National Development Plan 11 (NDP 11) is an opportunity to align and re-orient priorities and projects towards digitalisation and the knowledge-based economy, says President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Speaking on the ocassion of this year’s Public Service Day, President Masisi said there was need to review policies, institutional and legal frameworks in order to create an appropriate environment supporting all aspects of a knowledge-based economy.

“This is even more critical as the whole world around us is also transiting from a resource based to a knowledge society. This new order is a shift from human communication to hi-tech modes such as the internet and the provision of online services amongst others,” he said.

President Masisi said as the ICT strategy was being reviewed, there was also a growing need to create a public service that was globally competitive.

It was important, the President said, that public officers were able to adapt, employ and regulate technologies.

“The future of our economy will be dependent on our knowledge, creativity and imagination. My government’s focus going forward should therefore be on equipping public officers with knowledge and skills necessary to drive innovation and learn from the public that you serve, with a commitment to keep improving quality service at all times,” he said.

President Masisi said since 2012 when Botswana joined the rest of the world to celebrate public service day, Work Improvement Teams (WITS) had displayed innovative projects for the benefit of communities and customers. 

The efforts were commendable as they had transformed the work environment and developed creative solutions to work challenges, he said.

The President said the fight against unemployment, particularly among the youth, required collective efforts from government, public and private sector, non-governmental organisations, non-state actors as well as the labour movement.

“I wish to urge our people in both the public and the private sectors to improve their productivity and competitiveness as these are key to enhancing growth across all sectors of the economy. This also speaks directly to the need for us to change our work culture and transform into a facilitative workforce that provides an appropriate environment for growing the private sector as well as help drive the national development agenda,” he said.

For his part, Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration Mr Nonofo Molefhi said ministries and departments should collaborate more than ever before because Batswana must have confidence in services they were offered.

“We can only be able to produce the best when we fully apply ourselves and explore our creative and innovative capabilities. It is more than business as usual, it challenges us to think out of the box,” he said.

 

The highlights of the 2019 celebrations, held under the theme, ‘Public Service Innovation and Transformation’, include an excellence awards dinner slated for today and a football match between cabinet and accounting officers on Thursday. ENDS