01 Dec 2019

The current hunting arrangement is intended to empower Batswana, particularly communities living within and adjacent to wildlife management areas, and bearing the cost of co-existing with wildlife. 

This was said by Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Ms Phildah Kereng in response to a question asked by Maun East MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile in Parliament.

Ms Kereng said the Department of Tourism with other stakeholders, which included the labour department, public health and the environmental affairs department, conducted inspections in September 2019 at all facilities in the delta to ensure compliance, and whether the status of accommodation for workers was in a good condition.

However, the minister said it would be best addressed by the Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skill Development.

On trophy hunting, Ms Kereng said her ministry allowed trophy sales by locals who won hunting licenses except ivory which its international trade was regulated by the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna. She noted that the current policy had no provision for domestic trade of ivory.

She said her ministry was extending hunting quota allocations to community trusts who were managing concession areas that would commence in April to September 2020.

Ms Kereng said the intention was to extend elephant trophy hunting to NG35 in 2020 hunting season due to massive presence of elephants, their destruction, and the continuing loss of life due to elephants.She noted that in accordance with Regulation 7(9) of the Wildlife Conservation (Hunting and Licensing) Regulations of 2001, a single game license may only be transferred once amongst citizens in exception of ivory for the reasons stated above.

Maun East MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile had asked the minister if she was aware that the current hunting policy was of little social and economic benefit to communities living within and adjacent to the wildlife management areas and that some of the working conditions in Okavango Delta lodges and hotels placed workers in extreme danger.

He also asked if the ministry had intensions of allowing trophy sale by locals who won trophy hunting licenses given the economic benefits to the individual and local economy, and if so, when and if not why.

Mr Kekgonegile also wanted the minister to state if the ministry had intentions of extending the hunting quota allocation to community trusts, and if so, when and if not why.

He had asked if the ministry had intensions of extending trophy hunting to NG35 given the exacerbating human-wildlife conflict in the area due to massive presence of elephants, their destruction and continuing loss of life due to elephants, and if so, when and if not why.

The MP also wanted to know if the ministry had any intensions of permitting the transfer of hunting licenses given the economic value of such transfer to the owner and local economy, and if so, when and if not why? ENDS