05 May 2022

The law should compel government to support innovators so that they can actualise their dreams.

A representative of youth in Dutlwe Mr Emmanuel Tlhalerwa said when making submissions before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution yesterday that Botswana's aspiring innovators needed such support now more than ever before.

Mr Tlhalerwa told the commission that in light of soaring unemployment among the youth, it was critical that legislation compelling government to fully support innovators was enacted.

That, he said, would ensure inventions by young people created jobs for them and others.

"The fund would enhance efforts to drive the country towards its ideal of becoming a knowledge-based economy. It will also ensure that both the private sector and government have proper and up-to-date data at their fingertips," he observed.

The youth representative further requested suggested that the law should provide for payment of unemployment benefits by the government.

He said many young people would never have worked by the time they reached old age, and it was only fair for government to cushion them.

Mr Tlhalerwa, who also represented People with Disability (PWD) asked that the law should make it mandatory for all buildings to be made accessible to the disabled regardless of their type of disability.

He also proposed for the law to provide for the establishment of a research fund, from which citizens could source funding for research in different fields.

The projects, he said, would thereafter also benefit government as the data gathered could inform implementation of some government programmes and processes.

Representing Motokwe residents at the meeting, Mr Machel Moeng asked that cabinet ministers should be drawn from the public service.

He observed that due to them being non-aligned and therefore impartial, public officers were better placed to serve the nation well in comparison to politicians.

Mr Katasemeche Mokubiso appealed for the constitution to recognise and protect Basarwa and their culture and customs.

He said their bogosi, unlike that of other tribes, had been looked down upon for ages adding they too deserved to be accorded some degree of respect.

Ms Collin Mochanang decried the plight of foreign spouses, whose application for citizenship, took too long to be approved.

"Upon presentation of their marriage certificate, such spouse should instantly be granted citizenship. Some of these people possess certain key skills and expertise in some areas, but they cannot make use of those until they attained citizenship," she said. ENDS