Batswana and the private sector have been urged to continue supporting charities to assist government in its mandate of restoring dignity to the vulnerable and the poor, President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama has said. President Khama said during the annual Lady Khama Charitable Trust family fun day in Gaborone on Saturday that the positive response received from the private sector and members of the public was encouraging. The President said the event was a success in comparison to previous events, saying it would enable the trust to deliver on its mandate.

COSBOTS launches braille book

Expired Omang cards threat to electoral process

The government plans to resuscitate the poultry industry after suffering from unfair competition for years. The government also acknowledges that the industry collapsed largely due to monopolisation. Responding to concerns raised by parastal staff under his ministry, the Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Keletso Rakhudu also said the government was aware of the high input costs incured by farmers in the piggery industry, hence the government also intends to free the market.

Botswana has made progress towards meeting the 2013 SADC and 2015 world deadlines of migrating from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting. Vice President, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe yesterday launched the commencement of digital broadcasting migration in Botswana. Dr Kedikilwe said the commencement of terrestrial television in Botswana included the establishment of a joint task force between Japan and Botswana as they facilitate the switchover from analogue to digital television broadcasting. He noted that ostensibly, government alone cannot achieve such transformation without private sector participation and support.

Btv receives P3.7m from Japan

Giving a keynote address at the Pitso yesterday, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Dorcas Makgato-Malesu, implored key partners in SMEs development, trade and business facilitation to join her ministry in ensuring that the national dreams of business growth, economic diversification and poverty eradication were realized in the medium to long term. The Pitso themed: “SMEs, A Stepping Stone and Solid Foundation for Business Development and Economic Growth” was also meant to map the way forward on the next steps, on the guidelines, once adopted and finalised. Ms Makgato-Malesu said the aim of her ministry was to continue fostering stakeholder partnership in business facilitation, with particular attention to the development of SMEs, as these were a stepping stone and a foundation for business development as per the Pitso theme.

Government has declared 2013/14 a drought year following the Drought Assessment Tour Exercise conducted from the April 15 to May 7. The exercise confirmed that rainfall was poorly distributed and much below normal in most parts of the country thus government concluded that that the overall food situation in the country has deteriorated and has approved that the whole country be declared drought stricken