17 Feb 2021

The Member of Parliament for Serowe West and Leader of the Minority Party in Parliament, Mr Tshekedi Khama said the 2021/22 budget speech should provide light at the end of the tunnel.

Debating the budget proposals on Tuesday, MP Khama said the pandemic should bring everyone together despite their political differences as no party had a monopoly of ideas.

He however advised against the extension of the State of Public Emergency, saying it had not achieved its intended purpose.

He appealed to the Minister of Health and Wellness to engage the medical aid companies in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines.

MP Khama further called upon government to create food banks to save Batswana from starvation, revamp Ipelegeng into a national COVID-19 response scheme and to tap on the Disaster Fund to roll out a programme of assisting the most vulnerable in society.

He further called upon government to engage with Bank of Botswana to put in place a moratorium on bank loans repayments.

“This is not a cancellation of debt but a deferment for the next year at least,” he said adding that this would pave way for a National Credit Protection Law.

He also suggested ways on how to improve livelihoods and attain economic growth, adding that one of them include allowing people with business ideas to seek CEDA funding even if listed with ITC.

He further said corporates must use a percentage of their current savings to save jobs and this would be an offset against a special tax holiday in next year’s budget.

Utility companies must not demand payment from those who cannot afford to pay, he said and called on government to engage with BOFINET and other data providers to ensure children are able to connect at home and continue their studies, he added.

He also appealed to government to engage Kgalagadi Breweries to use some of its infrastructure to manufacture sanitisers instead of alcohol.

The private sector, he said, had been called to contribute a percentage of their revenue towards the COVID-19 Response Fund.

The Serowe West legislator also said companies must adopt communities that were immediate to them, further suggesting that a National Unemployment Insurance Fund should be used to compensate temporarily laid off workers.

MP Khama called for the privatisation of State Owned Enterprises that were to be rationalised.

He further said the pension funds should be used to develop the country and Batswana owned companies be allowed to participate in mega projects approved by Parliament.

Brigade students should be given necessary tools in line with their trade.

On President’s Day Competitions, the legislator suggested that they be held three times in a year.

MP Khama said the 100 monuments national heritage sites programme should be revisited and implemented.

“These suggestions are immediately implementable and could remain permanent, whilst waiting for vaccines to reach our shores and the economy is on an assured recovery footing,” he said. Ends