03 Sep 2020

Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development intends to undertake review of some  policies and programmes during the remainder of the NDP 11 plan period.

Presenting the Ministry's Mid-term Review of the NDP11 to Parliament on September 2, Minister Mr Tumiso Rakgare said there was going to be a review of the YDF to improve beneficiaries training and encourage consortia and cooperatives.

He said the Botswana National Youth policy was also to be reviewed to make it more relevant and to serve the interests of young people.

He said there would be establishment of the national anti-doping coordinating office and review of the national sport and recreation policy which would pave way to the development and implementation of the sport development strategy, commercialise sport and attachment to multilateral organisations.

He said the ministry would review the BNSC Act to enact a sport act, implement the national creative industries strategy and review the national policy on culture.

He added that the ministry would undertake the review of the cinematograph Act, establish the national arts council, conduct YDF tracer study, develop library management system and its roll out to public libraries. He said there were also plans to resuscitate private company placement of internship officers.

Outlining the development projects Mr Rakgare said the initial total estimated cost  of development projects for the entire plan period was P130 million.

He said at P42. 5 million would be set aside for MYSC computerisation, fleet expansion as well as information management system.

He said MYSC infrastructure would be allocated P70 million with only one project being installation of a roof at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium while the development of cultural infrastructure and programmes ,which entailed only one project being library construction, would get P18.4 million.

"It must be noted, Mr Speaker, that the installation of roof at Obed Itani Chilume stadium has suffered many deferrals due to government prioritisation, the most recent one being budget cuts channeled towards the effects of COVID-19. The more we delay to install the roof, the more it is going to cost our government more funds because of the destruction caused by the rains,” he said.

Mr Rakgare said during the course of the plan the ministry introduced the construction of 10 Community Sport Stadia at a cost of P70 million. He said the stadia were implemented in collaboration with the Local authorities in Bobonong, Goodhope, Kanye, Kasane, Mmadinare, Moshupa, Rakops, Tsabong, Tonota and Tutume.

Further, Mr Rakgare said the construction of building structures at Moshupa, Bobonong and Mmadinare were at advanced stage whereas Rakops had just commenced. "The other stadia are at different levels of procurement. The intention is to make Kasane Stadium a state of the art stadium to match the Kasane/Kazungula Re-Development that is currently being planned. It must also be noted that due to limited resources, funds will be transferred from those slow moving stadia to complete those that have already started,” he said.

The minister said another addition to the plan was the refurbishment of MYSC facilities project. He said through its budget the ministry was able to maintain some of its facilities such as libraries and MYSC district offices across the country.

In an effort to construct a purpose built infrastructure, Minister Rakgare said state theatre was also one of the additions but it was affected by the recent budget cuts leading to its deferral.

"The additions mentioned above increased the total estimated cost to P204 million. Out of this amount, my ministry has expended P109. 5 million which translates to 54 per cent. This then leaves a balance of P94. 4 million requested for the remaining part of the plan,” he said.The funds, he said were to be used for the construction of Rakops library and the last Library in partnership with Robert and Sarah Rothschild, Obed Itani Chilume roof, engagement of Transaction Advisor for the construction of state theatre, refurbishment and maintenance of MYSC facilities as well as conclusion of the last phase of the two systems already developed.

He said it was imperative for the ministry to strengthen monitoring and evaluation across policies, programmes and projects in order to ensure that youths were empowered and that all the sectors of the ministry achieved their objectives. Ends