Africa-Press – Botswana. Member of Parliament for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, has applauded the successful campaign against illegal mining of gold that has been rampant in the area.
He said during a kgotla meeting he addressed January 23 in Block 9 that the feat had been achieved thanks to collaborative efforts from all stakeholders. Illegal mining of Gold has been proliferating in Francistown South with Zimbabweans doing willy-nilly to get their hands on gold deposits found in the area.
“I am happy that the fight against illegal mining has significantly subsided,” he said attributing the achievement to synergies from the community and government departments such as the Botswana Police Service (BPS).
Mr Mmolotsi said Botswana was grappling with an ailing economy that has led to hyperinflation standing at 12. 2 per cent. So grim, he said, was the situation more so the diamonds which formed the mainstay of the country’s economy have not been performing well.
“The country’s foreign reserves are enough to sustain us for three to four months in case of an emergency,” he said. “This is not good for the economy which we had hoped was getting out of the woods.”
He shared with residents bills such as the Mental Health Bill, and National Planning Commission Bill, which were discussed and given thumbs-up by the 12th parliament. The Mental Health Bill was meant to protect people with mental health conditions while the National Planning Bill would help accord the party at the helm of governance to decide the country’s development trajectory.
He said he was against the notion of the one-size-fits-all approach to development which he stated does not augur well to further human development.
He suggested that programmes should be tailored to benefit people per their diversities and geographical locations.
Mr Mmolotsi said the White Paper containing the recommendations of the Presidential Commission that was charged with the review of the Constitution of Botswana would be tabled before parliament for further deliberations.
Issues contained therein include the death penalty, selection of Ntlo-Ya-Dikgosi representatives, direct election of the President, legalisation of commercial sex work, reinstatement of corporal punishment at community level and schools and many others.
“Cabinet had agreed with some recommendations and disagreed on others. There are those that cabinet deem needed to be resolved through referendums,” he said.
Commenting, the residents welcomed the reinstatement of corporal punishment as a deterrent to unruly behaviour.
They suggested that corporal punishment should also be administered to women found to be on the wrong side of the law. Mr Paul Timela welcomed the recommendation adding that even people beyond 40 years should be punished by whipping their bare backs unlike in the past where the law protected them.
On the death penalty, Block Nine residents had no qualms about the extermination of killers. Granting murder suspects bail was their primary worry. Killers should be incarcerated until the finality of the matter, they pleaded.
One Ms Ookeditse Learners even suggested murders should be executed in public squares for all and sundry to see.
“Re batla go bona ba sheleketa hela jaaka ba sheleketisitse ba ba ba bolaileng,” she said to the approval of fellow residents.
Giving murder suspects bail according to her was not fair to the family of the deceased persons and had the potential to disrupt societal peace.
DAILYNEWS
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