Archive for the ‘Botswana’ Category
source: BOPA
07 April, 2010
GABORONE – Some union representatives have embraced Ministry of Education and Skills Developments move to cancel the double shift system next year.
Botswana Secondary Teachers Union (BOSETU) executive secretary Mr Justin Hunyepa applauded the ministry for moving swiftly in phasing out the programme, which he said was destined to compromise the quality of education in the country.
He said they have long submitted proposals to government and were not in agreement with the position that the double shift sessions be introduced in the schools.
He said although the system was regarded as a pilot project, the speed and the circumstances of its introduction were not conducive for a successful implementation hence the challenges that ensued since its introduction.
Mr Hunyepa said their reservations on the implementation of the system emanated from a number of concerns citing poor consultation on [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer
Listening to Balete traditional leader, Kgosikgolo Mosadi Seboko, waxing lyrical about alcohol last week one would have thought the Kgosi would go further to add that there is no need for government to keep on introducing levies to fight alcoholism.
She did not. The Kgosi, who also appears on billboards this week as one of the shining lights cautioning the Botswana society against irresponsible drinking, was a guest speaker at the launch of Botswana Alcohol Industry Association(BAIA) at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC).
The BAIA is made up of six alcoholic beverages suppliers in Botswana namely: Kgalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL), Distell Botswana, Botswana Breweries (BB), Heineken International, Namibia Breweries and Diageo. At a time when government has upped its battle against alcohol abuse by hiking prices, the Kgosi came up with a different solution to [continue reading]
source: BOPA
07 April, 2010
MAHALAPYE – Mahalapye Sub-district officer, Mr Mothibi Monyakeng says his office has decided to perform marriage solemnisation at Sefhare in an effort to take services closer to people.
Speaking at a kgotla meeting in Sefhare recently, Mr Monyakeng said his office would like to meet its customers half way as many travel long distances for their marriages, adding that they should register at Sefhare main kgotla and he will come on Fridays to carry out the proceedings.
He said in Mahalapye marriages are performed on Wednesdays while Shoshong has been scheduled for Thursdays.
On decentralisation, Mr Monyakeng said the government came up with the concept where certain powers are given to districts to undertake their own decisions citing the establishment of sub-districts around the country as an example.
He said Mahalapye sub-district is to be subdivided again with Mahalapye being an [continue reading]
source: BOPA
MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Recent rains have increased the national dam levels by at least a percentage with Metrological services predicting more rains today and tomorrow over the South-East, with significant reduction over the South-West areas and parts of Gantsi District.
Gaborone dam has increased levels from 54 percent to 55 percent and Molatedi dam from 30percent to 31percent. Letsibogo dam has increased by 3 percent to 78 percent, while Shashe and Ntimbale increased by 1 percent and 2 percent respectively to reach 100 percent. These increases, however, do not impact the months of supply without inflow.
Metrological services reveal that Radisele, Kalamare, Pont Drift Border, Molepolole and Tonota areas received the highest rains in [continue reading]
source: BOPA
06 April, 2010
PALAPYE – The Palapye library recently started offering computer and Internet services free to the public under the Sesigo project.
The project is a partnership between the government and a business magnate, Bill Gates and his wife.
In an interview, the library officer, Mrs Nonhlanhla Maniki said the eight computers were installed in January this year while the Internet was connected recently.
She noted that they also have a provision for teaching their customers.
Depending on the number of clients per a given time, Mrs Maniki said each customer was given 30 minutes to use the computer after [continue reading]
source: BOPA
06 April, 2010
GABORONE – Botswana has expressed appreciation over technical and human resource development assistance from Germany.
Speaking at a farewell reception for out-going German Ambassador, Mr Ulf Hanel, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mr Phandu Skelemani said Germany has been instrumental in developing Botswanas human resources capacities in various fields.
Mr Skelemani noted that these included provision of expert support to the Department of Vocational Education and Training, the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) as well as training Botswanas young diplomats.
Furthermore, he said, Botswana has sought German technical assistance in areas such as [continue reading]
source: BOPA
06 April, 2010
GABORONE- The Department of Road Transport and Safety, recently launched new branded inspectorate vehicles and two new mobile vehicle testing stations.
This was part of the departments endeavour to enforce the Road Transport/Permit Act, When welcoming guests at the launch, the director at the Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS), Mr Laurence Thebe, said the launch bore testimony to his departments commitment to improving service delivery.
It is envisaged that the acquisition of the two mobile testing stations, vehicle safety on our roads will be improved and the [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
MARANAYNE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer
The public has been warned to look out for car hijackers who pose as commuters at different bus stops.
Botswana Police Spokesperson, Dipheko Motube told Mmegi yesterday that there are car hijackers who pretend to be asking for lifts on different bus stops and have been doing that for a long time.
“There are hot spots that we have identified. They are normally in Taung, Sebele filling station, Gabane Junction, Tsolamosese, Mogoditshane, Kanye road and Metsimotlhabe,” he revealed.
He, however, promised that Botswana police working together with Botswana Defence Force patrol teams will be patrolling these spots to help prevent cases of car hijacks and other criminal activities. “We will be there in our uniforms as a measure to prevent crime and there are also those officers who will not be in uniforms to arrest those suspected of [continue reading]
source: BOPA
31 March, 2010
GABORONE – Value added tax (VAT) goes up tomorrow, following Parliaments approval of Ministry of Finance and Development Planning resolution presented Monday.
Presenting the resolution, Mr Kenneth Matambo, finance and development planning minister, proposed that the rate of VAT be increased from the current 10 per cent to 12 per cent beginning of next month.
The resolution sailed through despite opposition from some MPs, among them Mr Dumelang Saleshando of Gaborone Central, Messrs Nehemiah Modubule of Lobatse, Moremi Tawana of Maun West, Wynter Mmolotsi of Francistown South and Gibson Nshimwe of Chobe.
Their argument was that most Batswana had been hit hard by inflation hence the high the cost of living for low income groups who would be [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer
The police are yet to make an arrest after the discovery of a hand grenade at the car park behind the Office of the President. It is almost a month after the incident and the police are still investigating and pursuing possible leads.
On Monday, police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa, said their investigations are continuing and they have not made any arrests yet. A grenade is a military weapon, usually thrown at enemy forces during war. The grenade explodes and kills or destroys buildings when thrown from a [continue reading]
source: BOPA
01 April, 2010
GABORONE – Botswana has won an Interpol Eco-message award for her outstanding efforts in combating international wildlife crime.
The 2010 International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) – Interpol Eco-message award was conferred on the country at the 15th Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) on Wild Fauna and Flora held recently in Doha, Qatar.
This was revealed by deputy permanent secretary in the ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Mr Edmont Moabi, during a press brief organized to give feedback on CITES Tuesday.
The over P180 000 (Euro 20,000) award was funded by the IFAW and was presented to the country which had contributed most significantly to the international exchange of intelligence relating to [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
GREG KELEBONYE
Staff Writer
All government departments including the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) are now expected to build flats instead of single house units as the country has an acute shortage of land.
Land Minister, Nonofo Molefhi, made these revelations at a stakeholders’ breakfast seminar hosted by the Botswana Housing Corporation.
“We are moving towards high-rise development and will be looking at issues of costs with a view to building flats more and more, and we are insisting that government should also build flats for best utilisation of the little land that we have. We must appreciate that we have a problem with land. Expanding our residential territory means taking more and more fertile land that is needed for ploughing and pastures,” he said. Molefhi said that to deal with the problem of land, Land Boards would continue to reduce plot sizes.
“We may find in the passage of time that a single unit house is more expensive than a flat – the idea being to get more people to [continue reading]
source: BOPA
31 March, 2010
GABORONE – Ministry of Lands and Housing has allocated nearly 100 000 residential plots to Batswana in the past five financial years.
Responding to a question from Boteti North MP, Minister of Lands and Housing, Mr Nonofo Molefhi, said of the allocated residential plots, 6 011 were state land while 93 973 plots were customary land.
The minister said during the same period the private sector also provided housing to Batswana.
He, however, said it was difficult to indicate a deficit or surplus in the allocation of residential plots due to a number of reasons.
Among the reasons was that most Batswana had been allocated more than one residential plot in both towns and villages, while others [continue reading]
source: BOPA
01 April, 2010
Parliament this week passed four bills, among them a bill to amend the Magistrates Courts Act to allow magistrates to engage assessors in both civil and criminal cases in an advisory capacity. The assessors are expected to, among others, provide assistance in interpreting traditional identification marks (matshwao) and colours as well as animal behavior during stock theft cases.
Again, Parliament gave government green light to raise a loan from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for part financing the expansion and upgrading of the Kasane Airport. The expansion and upgrading of the airport project includes a VIP lounge and runway lights.
According to the loan agreement, Botswana would use its own money to pay contractors and claim the money from BADEA. Also enacted was the Industrial Property Act to provide for the protection of industrial property in Botswana, thus giving effect to [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
MBONGENI MGUNI
Staff Writer
Applications from the troubled textile industry have started rolling into the Department of Industrial Affairs, the lead agency tasked with administering government’s P38 million-rescue package for the sector.
The department, which is housed within the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has established a working committee with the Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association (BEMA) that represents the majority of textile industry players.
The committee is expected to meet this week to, among other matters, begin assessing the applications that have been received so far.
Industrial Affairs Director, Violet Mosele told Mmegi that by [continue reading]
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