07 Aug 2019

 The Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Karabo Gare, has told Parliament that the Business Botswana Annual Report is still under audit. 

He said according to the 2017 statistics, Business Botswana members employed a total of 92 855 people. 

He was responding to Nkange MP, Mr Edwin Batshu, who asked the minister to state the number of companies affiliated to Business Botswana and how many people were employed by the said companies. 

Meanwhile, Parliament learnt that rationalisation of Botswana Defence Force salary structures had come at a cost, which called for readjustment and re-prioritisation of other cost factors in the remuneration package. 

The Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Shaw Kgathi said rationalisation was not the only reason there were no promotions this year since few officers reached compulsory retirement age owing to the amended BDF Act. 

He, however, noted that the rationalisation did not leave any member worse off than before as all ranks below Colonel moved a scale up. 

The minister was responding to a question from Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi regarding BDF pay structure on whether it had been affected by this year’s promotions. 

Mr Mmolotsi also wanted to know how the minister would resolve the matter to ensure that no officer was disadvantaged. ENDS