09 Feb 2024

Botswana government remains committed to ensuring the advancement of the creative industry and optimal utilisation of all available diverse talent for the benefit of its people.

Officially launching the Department of Broadcasting Services’ second road show in Mahalapye on February 8, Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng said Batswana were blessed with amazing diverse talent that needed to be unearthed and nurtured for the creatives to realise their full potential.

In an effort to continue its commitment to advancing such a move, government, he noted, had consistently maintained an enabling environment for creatives to realise their full potential, pointing that it was an investment in the transformational progress for its citizens.

Minister Morwaeng said the road show presented an opportunity for budding artistes to showcase their talent and transform to become renowned creatives. He said the first phase of the road show had produced tangible results thus he was optimistic that the second edition would produce results in three fold.

Urging creatives to recognise arts as a source of living, Minister Morwaeng shared that the creative industry created employment hence needed to be supported to hit optimum levels of out-put.

Therefore, it was against this backdrop that National Arts Council of Botswana (NACB) was formed with a mandate to promote, develop and protect thearts and culture sector of Botswana, both in the local and international domain.

He said the creative industry had potential to diversify the country’s economy and consequently reduce dependence on diamonds.

“The 2024 budget proposals for sharing of the country’s cake for the 2024/2025 financial year availed substantial sums of money to be injected into the creative industry given the significant role it plays in the economy,” he said.

He noted that if the creative industry could be fully utilised in the employment creation space, unemployment would be a thing of the past.

Mr Morwaeng shared that creatives and Department of Broadcasting Services were intertwined in such a way that they were inseparable adding that there were two radio stations; RB1 and 2 as well as Botswana Television with three channels needing appealing content from creatives.

Imploring artistes to double their efforts to ensure quality of their products, Mr Morwaeng said BTV had a demand quota of 80 per cent for local content, with only 20 per cent apportioned for foreign content. Screening of local content, according to Mr Morwaeng meant creatives would receive royalties for their work, pointing out that even after the passing on of artistes their dependents or next of kin would still continue to receive remuneration in the form of royalties.

He said those registered with Copyright Society of Botswana (COSBOTS) were eligible for such royalties as COSBOTS was mandated by the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act CAP 68:02 to among others license and collect royalties from users of copyright, thus imploring artists to register with the organisation.

Over 460 creatives were identified last year through the roadshow,he said, of which 30 had performed in front of President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi at a Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) National roadshow boot camp in Gaborone last year.

This was a platform aimed at empowering 30 fledgling artistes who left an impressive mark at the DBS National roadshow, which took place in 50 places across the country late last year.

Mr Morwaeng said as long as the current government was in power Botswana would continue to cherish talent, noting the future of the entertainment industry depended on skills that needed to be polished and developing creative talent.

He said creatives were portraying the country in a positive light and therefore had potential to market the country in the international domain.

The minister said concerted efforts remained paramount for the growth of the creative industry. Research has shown that the economic contribution of the creative industry stood at over 6.1 per cent to global gross domestic product (GDP), averaging between two and seven per cent of national GDPs around the world.

For his part, Member of Parliament for Mahalapye West Mr David Tshere said Mahalapye was the hub of creative talent and therefore it was befitting to launch a project of such a magnitude in the village.

He thus implored the creative fraternity to shun mixing entertainment with negative effects that could tarnish the reputation of the industry.

Tshere said Mahalapye had over the years excelled in the creative space despite working in the rough terrain back then and remained hopeful that with now having a polished platform they would now excel ‘beyond the limit’ making their creativity to be unique and inspiring. ENDS