13 Feb 2020

Member of Parliament for Kanye North, Mr Thapelo Letsholo has on Wednesday opposed the budget provision for air assets for the military.

Commenting on the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr Thapelo Matsheka’s budget speech, Mr Letsholo said the country’s peace and security was not at any risk that warranted the purchase of air assets.

He said government should reconsider and not budget for any military equipment purchases now and at least for the next five years, adding that the only budget provision for the military should be for the maintenance of existing equipment.

Mr Letsholo rather indicated that the most serious risk to national peace and security was youth unemployment and extreme poverty.

These, he argued, were the only risks that demanded a significant chunk of the budget.

“Poverty and unemployment exacerbate inequality and robs people of their dignity,” stated Mr Letsholo, sadding that it was a threat to national security.

Additionally, Mr Letsholo indicated that the budget needed to point to a new era that approached youth unemployment in a fresh and effective manner.

He said young people should be given the opportunities they crave to build a better, advanced and high performing Botswana.

Advocating for the creative industry, Kanye North legislator said it must be given the attention for its absolute ability to contribute to the economy.

Mr Letsholo said Botswana Television should be given a large budget for purchase of local content. “Give Btv P100m every five years to sustain itself and drive serious employment in the arts and creative sector.”

He further noted that Parliament should again table and pass a motion that was geared towards increasing tenders for 100 per cent Batswana citizen-owned companies, from P10m to P1bn by government State Owned Enterprises (SOE).

The lawmaker said if any Botswana citizen-owned company felt that it was short of any specific skills to deliver the project and it was available internationally, then the company would source the skill.

He also called on government to reserve licenses for citizen operators in the tourism sectors, including reserved concessions for citizens only. He said in the event that existing concession licenses wished to sell any shares in their business Batswana should be given first right of refusal, before an offer could be made to any foreigners at the same value.

Mr Letsholo also called on Dr Matsheka to limit the number of board directorships for SOEs to a maximum of two boards per person and limited to only two terms.

He also noted that CEOs of parastatals should not be permitted to serve as board members in other parastatals, as the practice watered down the drive to accountability and affects quality of work.

Government assets, Mr Letsholo indicated, must be put to commercial use even after close of business for government.

He commented that clinics, schools and other facilities should be leased out by the private sector for their use outside government working hours to create revenue for government, while enabling private sector delivery of services to communities.

Mr Letsholo also cited the iconic Orapa House building that had been unoccupied for years, adding that its heritage could generate significant revenue for government by creating a one-stop service centre for consumers.

Some floors, he added, could be rented out to hotels, retail and private sector space, therefore making it functional at no cost to government.

He further added that government should consider privatising the provision of housing for government employees and provide them with a housing allowance to enable them to rent or build their own houses as is the case with the private sector.

He said this could open opportunities in the villages for locals and Village Development Committees to build houses for rental purposes, thereby generating income.

Advocating for his constituency, Mr Letsholo said Kanye North was in urgent need of a public hospital as well as funding for a television production incubation centre for promotion of the creative sector to address youth unemployment in Kanye. He also noted that the Magotlhwane-Tshweneyagae road was of significant economic value to the

Soiuthern District, adding that the road was used during the Cyclone Dineo disaster as a relief road linking the south to the capital city and called for its tar-macking. ENDS