Africa-Press – Botswana. Kgatleng West Member of Parliament, Dr Unity Dow, has faulted the government for lack of consultation even on important issues, and departure from policies.
The MP, who was making her contribution to the State-of-the-Nation Address on Thursday, said major policy shifts were announced without Parliament’s input and consultation with Batswana.
For instance, she said the President announced the Citizenship by Investment Programme without consulting with Batswana, the very owners of the country.
She regarded that as a major shift from the norm, adding that apart from the lack of consultation, the price tag for the citizenship was too low.
“In her view, the country’s citizenship was worth more than the proposed price, and should not even be sold.”
The Umbrella for Democratic Change government has had direct appointment tenders, which was also a departure from the norm, Dr Dow said, adding that such stifled competition and transparency.
Also, she said Batswana learned through the media about the creation of a new city in Kgalagadi, something that did not happen with the previous government, which prior to building the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) in Palapye, allowed for the matted to be discussed and debated in Parliament.
Dr Dow said it was wrong for government to designate such a huge piece of land without involving the people.
She said the proposed constitutional review under the new government also lacked consultation, noting that during the previous government, the constitutional review collapsed because of the process, which lacked consultation.
Talking about the Botswana Economic Transformation Plan and National Development Plan 12, Dr Dow said the two were overloaded, unrealistic and bound to fail. She said government should prioritise if it desired to take country forward.
Concerning her constituency, Dr Dow said they were still waiting for the construction of a hospital and also that Bakgatla wanted something done about the smoke from Pilane landfill.
Dr Dow was concerned that government was not clear about if it was going to assist farmers during the current ploughing season and equally so about the poor state of school buildings in her constituency and high unemployment rate, especially among young people.
Gamalete MP, Mr Boniface Mabeo said the government was more on talk, while lacking in action.
While great speeches were important, it was actions which accompany speeches that changed lives, Mr Mabeo said, adding that government’s actions appeared opulent while at the same time selling the nation the narrative of a broke government.
He gave an example of government officials on E-scale and above who enjoyed commuted overtime allowance, while junior officers were barred from overtime on the basis that government was broke. However, Mr Mabeo commended government for the P200 million it would avail for the creatives, but said he was worried that the government could be throwing money at problems.
He said without a proper and comprehensive strategy on how the funds would be used to benefit the industry, its impact would be illusional.
Mr Mabeo appealed to the UDC administration to let go of state media, let it thrive be a money spinner for government.
He said piggery was a popular enterprise in Gamalete but without proper programmes for those engaged in it and neither were statistics available about the industry.
Also, Mr Mabeo decried the poor service at Bamalete Lutheran Hospital (BLH), saying the government was only assisting the hospital partially.
The legislator pleaded with the government to address Bamalete Lutheran Hospital staff welfare issues, noting that it would be prudent if the staff were paid by the Ministry of Health.
He said the community was collaborating with the private sector to refurbish the hospital’s maternity ward.
Mr Mabeo expressed disappointed that the Ramotswa-Otse road was left out of NDP 12, although it was crucial as an alternative road since there was only one road linking Ramotswa to the rest of the country.
Bonno Housing project he said got 175 plots from Gamalete Land Board at no fee, but the houses would be sold at a hefty figure, which would not be afforded by many, a sad reality considering the waiting list for land allocation exceeded 30 000.
Source: dailynews
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