21 Jul 2019

Government will continue to engage with unions on public officers conditions of service, says Vice President Slumber Tsogwane.

Speaking at the launch of Maun East prospective parliamentary candidate Mr Konstantinos Markus and council candidates in Maun on Saturday, he said government had shown commitment  with regards to improved labour relations.

He observed that government had, through negotiations, managed to increase the salaries of public officers which had also been guaranteed for next year. Mr Tsogwane also said the BDP government had a cordial relationship with public officers unions contrary to detractors.

On other issues,  Mr Tsogwane said government intended to transform Botswana from a middle-income to a high-income country.

Mr Tsogwane, who is also the BDP chairperson, said President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi had achieved most of his targets, saying government had opened investment opportunities with other countries, including transport links.

The Vice President said the BDP could only promise Batswana  what was tangible and ‘not dreams.’ He said government would ensure that the economy was diversified to move away from dependence on the mining industry.

He pointed out that the BDP had a plan which detailed how it would attain its promises on job creation.

The Vice President added that the BDP government encouraged entrepreneurship, noting that the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) would be divided into two. He said the other ministry would only be focused on entrepreneurship and industry. Mr Tsogwane said a bill on industrial development policy, which encouraged industrial revolution would be presented before Parliament.

A national employment strategy, he said, was also on the pipeline as one of the ways of empowering Batswana and assisting in employment creation.

Furthermore, Mr Tsogwane said the BDP led government had inclusive policies in their manifesto to address challenges of unemployment affecting the youth.

For his part, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) secretary general, Mr Mpho Balopi described Mr Markus as a hard working individual who had shown his capability through  his contributions at Parliament since elected in 2014.

Furthermore, Mr Balopi said Mr Markus was instrumental in the implementation of the Constituency Fund in which each constituency received P10 million for developments while awaiting implementation of National Development Plan (NDP).

The other contribution by Mr Markus, he said, was the lifting of the hunting ban.

Mr Balopi said Mr Markus visionary leadership resulted with the construction of a primary school at Khwai to help minor children from that village who previously went to a boarding school about 200 kms away.

He urged the 11 prospective council candidates to be united and to put the interest of the people first and to avoid marginalising people based on tribal or any other categories.   
For his part, prospective parliamentary candidate, Mr Konstantinos Markus said he had some  achievements since he was elected to Parliament in 2014, citing the constituency development fund as one of his brainchild.

The funds, he said, had contributed to the connection of water, kgotla offices and internal roads in his constituency.

Mr Markus appealed to be voted back to Parliament and give the BDP another opportunity to improve the lives of Batswana. ENDS