INSIDE THE PRESIDENCY: PROUD NATION BEHIND TEAM BOTSWANA Welcome once more to your weekly window into events and issues involving the Presidency. It has been an exceptionally busy week highlighted by last evening’s spectacular opening of the 2nd African Youth Games, which was addressed by H.E. the President, Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, before a full National Stadium and millons of television viewers. The two week competition has attracted the participation of over two thousand athletes from the entire continent, who will be competing in twenty-one different sporting codes. Last Sunday, President Khama hosted Team Botswana for lunch at State House, where he was joined by the Acting Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, the Hon. Shaw Kgathi, and senior officials. At the event the President informed the athletes that they had been invited so that he could both congratulate and encourage them as they undergo final preparations to represent their country at the games. He further observed that the fact that they had been selected to wear the national colours was already a great achievement. The President also expressed his confidence in the team, observing that: I believe you have set yourself a target of acquiring at least 30 medals and we encourage you to achieve that. You should use the home ground to your benefit because you will get maximum support from the nation. In response Team Botswanas head of delegation, Mr Tshepo Sitale, thanked President Khama for his support, further affirming that: I wish to assure you that we shall be good ambassadors; not only that, we shall also bring glory to our country. Also yesterday, President Khama chaired the 36th meeting of the High Level Consultative Council (HLCC). The Council, which normally meets twice a year, consists of the entire Cabinet, along with Permanent Secretaries and other senior officials, and parallel representatives from the private sector and civil society. The latter prominently includes representatives of the Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM). The HLCC is mandated to consider the submissions of its various sub-sectors, which meet quarterly within line Ministries. It is within the sub-sectors that the primary work of the HLCC is actually carried out. Chaired by the Ministers responsible, they serve as consultative fora for public and private sector members to address areas of domestic concern. If an issue cannot be resolved at sectoral level it may be referred for further consideration to the full HLCC, which is Chaired by the President, with H.H. the Vice-President acting as Chair in the President’s absence. In addition to the sector reports yesterday’s meeting was updated on the progress of various economic development clusters, namely diamond sector beneficiation, financial services, tourism, mining and livestock development, including progress at the BMC. The Council also received an additional background briefing on ongoing interventions to enhance education and skills development. This morning Minister Kgathi and Office of the President staff members will be engaged in this month’s Community Service Day activities, which will involve the refurbishment of playground equipment and other infrastructure at the Block 5 Public Park. This afternoon Minister Kgathi will also officiate this year’s Ministry of state President Award’s ceremony. Also this week, the Minister hosted a delegation of Ugandans who arrived in our country arrived in our country undertake a four day benchmarking exercise into local good governance practices. The delegation, which is led by Uganda’s Minister in the Office of the President for Economic Planning, the Honourable Henry Banyenzaki, met on three occasions with the Minister Kgathi. In addition they held talks with the Minister of Trade and Industry, the Honourable Dorcus Makgato-Malesu and the Permanent Secretary to the President, Mr. Eric Molale. The delegation also received briefings at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Botswana Public Service College, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM), the Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) and the Botswana Institute of Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA). In welcoming the delegation, Minister Kgathi paid tribute to the proactive role played by Uganda in promoting regional cooperation and security, more especially in seeking to resolve conflicts in the Great Lakes region, Somalia and South Sudan. He further noted that Botswana and Uganda had a cordial relationship, with about 1,500 Ugandans now living in Botswana. He further acknowledged the contribution that Ugandan nationals were making to the local economy and society in such areas as education and health services. For his part the visiting Minister Banyenzaki noted that while their visit had been for only a few days he and his team had learned a lot about how Botswana has emerged as a middle income state through good governance, transparency and the prudent management of its resources. He went on to note that Botswana was holding the flag high as a beacon for other on the continent to achieve greater peace and prosperity.
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 04:58:58 +0000
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