Africa-Press – Botswana. If downstream economic activity with potential of the diamond value chain are properly explored, Botswana could generate jobs and diversify revenue streams, Assistant Minister for State President, Gaborone Bonnington North MP, Ms Maipelo Mophuting has said.
Partaking in the budget debate in Parliament last week, she said the Diamond Technology Park located within her constituency had great potential to boost economic activity and generate growth.
Noting that most of the factories in the diamond cutting and polishing sector were foreign owned, Ms Mophuting said it was important for Batswana to partake in the full diamond value chain, and citizen entrepreneurs should be aided to become licensed dealers.
She said there were many Batswana already trained in this field and should be accorded the necessary support to be able to set up business in the diamond trade. Another lucrative area in the diamond ecosystem was jewelery making and retailing, Ms Mophuting said, as well as their export to global markets.
She said it was vital for the country to vigorously market natural diamonds to an international market and called for full diamond beneficiation including jewelry making to be done in her constituency.
On key issues facing learning facilities in her constituency, Ms Mophuting said shortage of classrooms and staff in schools, high student-teacher ration, staff accommodation shortage, as well as a lack of sufficient books were key challenges She said despite Gaborone Bonnington Junior Secondary School (JSS) being among the top performing schools countrywide, the teacher’s quarters were in a poor state and required urgent attention.
Ms Mophuting also said maintenance of school properties and the provision of sufficient meals in schools were among the challenges she had identified while touring the constituency. She further called for children living with disabilities to be afforded the requisite care that would address their peculiar needs in schools.
Ms Mophuting said health facilities in her constituency were also besieged by shortage of drugs, being understaffed, the need for staff training and workplace progression, lack of child friendly facilities and not having enough ambulances. She added that the recent floods laid bare the need for improved storm water drainage systems in Gaborone.
Moreover, she said government takes gender-based violence very seriously and commended those contributing their legal services to assist in the litigation process particularly in protecting victims.
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