Africa-Press – Botswana. The Community Based Natural Resources and Management (CBNRM) Unit from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, which exists to capacitate all trusts nationwide conducted a three-day workshop on Governance and Capacity Building on Natural Resources for Bathoen II Trust’s new governing committee in Kanye.
The workshop, which comprised of the Technical Advisory Committee, Bathoen II Trust and Bathoen II Museum ended last wweek with an appreciation tour of some of the natural and heritage sites entrusted under the care and management of Bathoen II Trust.
“TAC as an advisor to the trust assist the trust to re-align to the CBNRM policy. Despite the existence of both parties; the trust and CBNRM, the workshop is vital to each incoming trust committee, due to each reigning board’s ability to hearken to TAC advises,” highlighted Mr Louis Moroka the Principal Curator and also regional coordinator in the Southern Region.
According to Mr Prince Chibana, the chairperson of Bathoen II Trust, the workshop was meant to impart the trust committee members with understanding of how to run and manage the trust, its revenues and resources and how members of the trust should conduct themselves in relation to handling the work of Bathoen II Trust.
“For all to be given to us we have to align to the CBNRM policy and become members through assessment,” said Mr Chibana.
Mr Chibana said Bathoen II Trust linked well to CBNRM mandate in the sense that the trust had resources that related to their purpose of conserving and managing natural resources in communities, citing the bird sanctuary and the ranch. He said any assistance that the trust might need, should be sought from Technical Advisory Committee as an advisor.
Mr Bakang Lesole, a board member at Kgosi Bathoen II Museum appreciated the workshop, stating that it gave insight on awareness and procedures of running community trusts according to the policies and guidelines. He further added that working without stipulated procedures often land committee members in errors due to ignorance.
“If you fully understand your role as a board member, you would understand your work boundaries as far as decision-making is concerned,” said Mr Lesole.
According to Mr Lesole the excursion to Pharing Gorge and ultimately to Mmakgodumo Dam was to appreciate the tourist attractions existing in Kanye.
“Only when our resources are well packaged that’s when we can sell them,” he said and further added that the thinking around developments of such resources need both the board members and the community to put up the effort.
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