Would privatizing BTC irk DIS?

23 September, 2010 in Botswana, Business

source: The Botswana Gazette
Written by AUBREY LUTE
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 00:00

• Government to hold on to core of company
• Public will own 49%, Government, 51%

The privatisation of the Botswana Telecommunication Corporation (BTC) is likely to pose a dilemma for the newly established Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS). The organisation relies heavily on BTC infrastructure for some of its operations.

“Very soon the Company will be open for the public to buy a stake in. Parliament passed a law that switched BTC into a Propriety Limited Company recently. Initial Public Offerings will be issued soon and Batswana will be allowed to access them,” said a source.

In an interview, the chairman of the BTC Board, Mr. Len Makwinja, told The Gazette that Cabinet had issued a directive giving privatization the thumbs up. He said in essence government will remain with 51% of the shares while “Batswana will own 49%.”

Asked if government will retain the core of [continue reading]

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