31 Aug 2020

The ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism is currently developing a long term broad based Tourism Revival Strategy Post COVID-19 pandemic.

This was said by Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Ms Phildah Kereng when answering a question from Maun West MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando in Parliament on Friday.

She said through the strategy, there would be solutions for all hardest hit sectors in the tourism industry.

Ms Kereng admitted that the ministry was aware that employees serving under the tourism industry had borne the brunt of COVID-19 pandemic, saying  the ministry continued to find lasting solutions to assist those affected.

Ms Kereng said the ministry was making concerted efforts to ensure that they were paid after their names were cleared with the Botswana Unified Revenue Services because some workers were covered under the COVID-19 wage subsidy.

Furthermore, she said the funds Germany donated to assist the country were shared by the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area member states.

Mr Saleshando had asked for an update on the Tourism Revival Strategy Post COVID-19 pandemic.

He also wanted to know what the ministry had in place to assist employees under the tourism sector who were the hardest hit by COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Saleshando further wanted to know as to when the minister would address the Ngamiland tourism sector employees about their problems, since  they had long asked for her indulgence in a written communication.

In addition the minister was to state to how the funds donated by Germany to the industry were used. ENDS