REMARKS BY PRESIDENT KHAMA AT THE FAREWELL DINNER FOR HIS HONOUR THE VICE, DR. PONATSHEGO KEDIKILWE (3/10/14)(FULL TEXT) ...Ladies and Gentlemen, Good evening! 1. It is not easy for us to say farewell to somebody who has served our Republic with such dedication, commitment and selflessness as His Honour the Vice President, Dr. Ponatshego Honorius Kefhaeng Kedikilwe, fondly known as “PHK.” 2. Given his love of the language, I suspect the Vice President is familiar with the Latin phrase “Honor Virtutis Praemium”, which may be rendered in English as “honour, in this context referring to the esteem of others, is the reward of virtue.” 3. A few days ago it was my pleasure, on behalf of a grateful nation, to express our collective esteem by bestowing upon the Vice President our highest award, the Naledi ya Botswana. 4. This was done not only in recognition of his many contributions to the development of our country, but also in appreciation of the personal qualities that made his contributions possible. The virtue in the man is above all reflected in his lifelong dedication to public service, which defines him as one of the true statesman of our age. 5. It is thus truly befitting that one finds the word “Honour” – Honorius – among the Vice President’s given names. 6. The Vice President’s record of honourable service can be dated from 1970 when he joined the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, following his completion of a Masters Degree in Public Administration. Four years later he had risen to the level of Director of Financial Affairs, which at the time was equivalent to the rank of Deputy P.S. 7. In recognition of his abilities, in 1977 he was promoted to the post of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines, Works and Communications, as it was then known. Thereafter, from 1979-84, he headed the Department of Public Service Management (DPSM) within the Office of the President, where he on occasion also acted as the Permanent Secretary to the President. 8. “PHK”’s political carrier started in 1984 when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Mmadinare. Owing to his proactive service, the people of this constituency found it fitting that they should have him continue to represent them in Parliament up until now. 9. Here, I think we should applaud Dr Kedikilwe for his own determination to now step down, even whilst the people of his constituency and Batswana at large continue to express their admiration for him. This is not something we always see in politics, where a leader willingly relinquishes a position because he feels he has done his duty and should now pass the baton to others. 10. In the same year that he was first elected to Parliament, Rre Kedikilwe was appointed to Cabinet as the Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning. He subsequently served as full Minister in various portfolios, culminating in his most recent service as Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, where he notably oversaw the relocation to Botswana of the Diamond Trading Company. 11. Apart from being endorsed by the Mmadinare constituency and being a Cabinet Minister, as a consummate politician he has served the Botswana Democratic Party as its Treasurer from 1987 to 1994 and also at its Chairman from 1994 to 2003, a post he currently once more holds. 12. Over the years Dr. Kedikilwe has also served on a number of important national commissions, including as Chairperson of the 1992 Presidential Commission on Education. 13. It is little wonder then that, when I nominated Dr Kedikilwe, PHK, to serve as Vice President in 2012, Parliament was overwhelming in its approval and endorsement. 14. His status has been further reflected over the years in the domestic and international recognition of his many achievements. Aside from his Naledi Ya Botswana, these include the Presidential Order of Honour granted to him in 1992; an Honorary Degree of Laws (University of Botswana) in 2007; and the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, which was awarded to him by the Emperor of Japan in the year of 2011. 15. As Vice President, I can confirm that he has been a rock of support, bringing to the post the emotional intelligence and wisdom born of his vast experience. 16. In this respect I know I speak not just for myself but all the members of Cabinet when I say that we shall remain deeply indebted for his contributions. 17. As we are gathered here today, to express our profound thanks to you as you retire into what we hope will be a life of relaxation, we nonetheless trust that we will still be able to draw on your wisdom from time to time. There is a saying that “youth is wasted on the young.” But in his constant vitality PHK has shown the rest of us that youth can be an eternal mindset. 18. PKK, the eloquence of your orations will be especially missed. We are not likely to soon see another so well versed in the language of the Caesars or so given to learned quotation. 19. We would be remiss if we failed to also take this opportunity to profoundly thank Mme Mma Kedikilwe and the rest of your family for the support they have given you over the years. 20. Your Honour may you indeed enjoy your well earned retirement. 21. Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me here conclude my remarks by requesting that you to rise in joining me in a toast to His Honour the Vice President, Dr. Ponatshego Kedikilwe, a true statesmen and patriot. May God bless you Sir and your family. I thank you for your attention. Pula!!!
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 18:59:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015