16 Dec 2021

Government and union representatives are making progress towards the resuscitation of the Public Service Bargaining Council.

This was disclosed by Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration Mr Kabo Morwaeng when officially opening the Botswana Government Workers Union  (BOGOWU) general council in Tlokweng yesterday.

“I am confident that in the not too distant future your leadership will inform you of the positive outcomes that we are all expecting,” he told his audience.

He said government was equally anxious to see the council operational because it was for all intents and purposes critical to a seamless and fair engagement between the parties.

“It is a variable of democracy and good governance that we hold in high regard as a government,” he said.
 

Minister Morwaeng said government was committed to working with trade unions to advance the course of workers.

Promising the continuation of a harmonious exchange by promoting dialogue with trade unions, he said government intended to uphold protection of workers’ rights as enshrined in the Botswana Constitution, Public Service Act and other instruments.

Mr Morwaeng assured his audience that government had an open door policy and was keen to work with organisations such as BOGOWU to achieve the goals of Vision 2036 and the Reset Agenda.    
 

He said trade unions were indispensable partners to the realisation of government’s aspirations of having a professional public service that was determined to advance  Botswana’s interests.
 

“Let us - the government, workers and trade unions - hold hands and collaboratively advance Botswana so that we may achieve the Vision 2036 pillars that we set ourselves. It is the wish of this government that we engage and act in the best interest of our country,” he said.

Stressing the importance of collaboration, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19 which negatively impacted service delivery, he implored BOGOWU to go the extra mile to ensure that citizens received the services they desired.

He requested them to employ creative ways of providing services in a manner that promoted their safety and that of customers.

Minister Morwaeng urged delegates to embrace digitalization by developing the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes that would enable Botswana to compete in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era.

He also encouraged them to participate in government’s efforts to build a competitive and prosperous economy.

“Let us partake in the noble initiatives and provide feedback where you realise bottlenecks,” said Mr Morwaeng. Ends