TODAYS RESPONSE CLOSING THE DEBATE ON THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS BY THE VICE PRESIDENT MASISI (Part 2) 13. Madame Speaker, I further note that the opposition further endorse that successive BDP Governments have succeeded in reducing the rate of poverty from 47% in 1993/94, to 36.6% in 2002/03 and to 19.3% in 2009/10. This government is aware that this is not good enough, hence our continuing efforts to reduce these levels. I reassure this House that it is precisely because we do believe in the God-given dignity for all that this Government made an unprecedented commitment to eradicate abject or extreme poverty during the life of this 11th Parliament. Hon. Members across the aisle, hold us accountable to this. 14. Madame Speaker, I am pleased to inform this House that just yesterday we launched the 1st street lights in an RADP Settlement, in the world. We are further committed to providing internet connectivity in the same settlement for school children, public workers and the community at large in a couple of months. 15. Amongst other things, we have introduced the Ipelegeng programme, which has so far cumulatively employed three hundred and sixty-six thousand, five hundred and fourty-two (366, 542) people in 2014/15. This programme has contributed to sustaining many households who could otherwise be in real poverty; as they strive to better their livelihoods as a social safety net, not as permanent employment. 16. Madame Speaker, when it comes to the need to provide Batswana with access to world-class quality education that caters to current and future needs, it encouraging that most of the opposition endorse Government’s view that there is an urgent need for fundamental transformation to achieve world class instruction so as to foster globally competitive citizens. Our young people especially, are full of energy, in the next five years we are going to let these young great minds dream and come up with innovations that will take our country and indeed their families to greater heights. 17. To achieve this important goal, H.E. President Khama has taken it upon himself, along with the rest of Cabinet, to drive the transformation process. This is an affirmation of the importance of education as an engine of growth for our economy. To advance this effort, the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) has been delegated the task of creating an economic-demand driven framework for the enhancement of our human capital base. 18. As the Minister responsible, I assure this house that we are closely guiding and monitoring performance of the education sector to ensure that pupils have access to the necessary materials and equipment that support learning. We continue to construct and resource libraries in schools, labs, including ensuring that there is internet connectivity nationally, save for where the schools are off the national grid, where solar power will be used. I launched the Diphuduhudu Solar Lights yesterday. This will facilitate improved quality of education and bridge the divide between districts and people. 19. Madame Speaker, contrary to what has been suggested in this House, the salaries and other benefits for public servants have regularly been adjusted upwards, albeit not as generously as we would have wished in the context of the financial constraints brought on by the global recession. The latter resulted in an aggregate 35% increase in salaries and benefits since 2008. They stood at: 15%-2008, 10%-2010, 3%-2011, following the public service strike, 3%-2012, 4%-2014. In addition those on the lower end of the pay scale, C4 and below, benefited from the recession relief allowances of between P 150-239 per month. Each of which benefitted from successive salary increases being factored in. 20. In addition, Madam Speaker, Government introduced the following: • interest free advance scheme payable in 12 months for officers at grade D4 and below, • free accommodation for officers based in remotest areas, • Adjustment of Remote Area Service Allowance (RASA) upwards. Some received close to P600 over 5 years • Botswana Public Officers Savings and Credit Society which allows for a 10% interest loan; and • Public servants being allowed to own businesses. These initiatives were introduced as a result of Government’s appreciation of the conditions and risks public servants were faced with. 21. Madam Speaker, public servants are vital drivers of the Government agenda and therefore at the core of service delivery. It is for this reason that government continues to review their terms and conditions of service with a view to improve them. Of course this is within the confines and limits of economic performance, competing national priorities and interests of various socio-economic groups that Government has to serve. 22. To those who would further accuse this Government of being against workers, I wish to note that it was this Government’s commitment to reform, in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) guidelines and international best practise, which in fact opened the doors for the unionisation of much of the public service for the first time. As we are in our infancy in this regard, it would serve us well for all parties concerned to keep abreast of best practices and in turn, inform members, who’s best interests should always be in the fore whilst executing their core mandate. It goes without saying that a competitive country is enabled by good working relations with its Unions. Our doors are always open and we look forward to a productive 5 years in which we will continuously engage our unions and staff. 23. It is important for public servants to treat their mandate and role in serving the executive and members of the public with the graciousness they deserve. My Government will continue abiding by international instruments on labour laws and harnessing productive and ethical labour relations. I must pause at this juncture and let the house know that past transgressions from both sides have come and passed and now we offer to workers of Botswana a new deal- let us engage with mutual respect and work together to serve our nation. We need you as much as you need us if we are to prosper- in fact, there is no us and them. We are not a nation of ‘workers’ and ‘rulers’, we are a single united nation that must work for the benefit of all its citizens. 24. Madame Speaker, contrary to the suggestions by some, since 2008 the global economic downturn has resulted in a significant drop in our export earnings, which in turn greatly reduced Government finance. This circumstance was aptly reflected in His Excellency’s address as well as that of the Minister of Finance and Development Planning before this House. 25. That withstanding, Botswana unlike many other jurisdictions around the world, including most of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) high income countries, we did not respond to the downturn with either mass retrenchments or salary reductions in the public service. Instead we chose to protect jobs and cushion the effects of the crisis to Batswana, within our modest means. This underscores this Administration’s commitment to upholding the dignity and welfare of its workers. This was also the premise on which the 2011 Public Service strike was addressed. We upheld the workers’ right to be represented by their Unions. Finally we had to adhere to the decision of the courts as they are independent and respected unreservedly. Once again, I extend a hand of friendship and goodwill from my government to the workers of Botswana as the engine of our growth. 26. Madame Speaker, with regards to the constantly evolving and increasingly sophisticated forms of criminal activity, I am sure we all agree with His Excellency that we have not, and shall not, allow past achievements or international accolades to breed complacency. We remain determined to pursue a zero tolerance approach to all forms of criminal activity, including corruption. 27. To counter emerging domestic and trans-national challenges, investigative and law enforcement agencies deployed integrated strategies to combat all forms of criminality and anti-social behaviour. This has involved an ongoing redirection of resources to deal with violent and intrusive, cross border and cyber based criminal activities. As the custodians of this nation, we have chosen to err on the side of caution in this regard. The result has been the safe, friendly internationally acclaimed nation that we all call home and always come back to. We strive to nurture and protect Botswana, daily. 28. As His Excellency the President said in his address, advancing our country record of peace, order and good governance by upholding the rule of law has been central to our five decades of uninterrupted progress under successive Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) administrations. In this respect the Leader of the Opposition himself acknowledged that His Excellency cited some of the most recent independent comparative surveys, as well as domestic polling, that continue to place us among the best in the world as well as first in Africa in terms of our upholding the rule of law while ensuring the safety and security of all our citizens. 29. One might add that many of these reputable studies rely on perception surveys of ordinary Batswana as well as domestic and international monitoring. One is therefore disappointed that the Leader of the Opposition in his statement, thought it sufficient to dismiss the weight of such evidence by taking us back to an unfortunate incident dating back to 2009 that has long been addressed through the judicial process. And they accuse us of coming up with nothing new!
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 16:49:03 +0000
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