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BOPA News on 17 November 2003

Charles Chapman, a water conservation consultant, observed at a water workshop in Palapye on Wednesday that rainwater harvesting is not taken seriously in the country.

"It still beats me why we must use potable water which has been treated at high cost by Water Utilities Corporation to water our gardens and wash our cars." Chapman is a consultant working on Water Conservation and Demand Management Project - a joint project by Botswana and Denmark governments.

Speaking at a workshop held by the Botswana Rain Water Harvesting and Utilisation Association (BORHUA), he lauded rainwater harvesting by installing gutter tanks to collect water from roof tops.

But, he expressed concern that gutter tanks that have been installed at schools, among other places, are never cleaned.

In some instances burrows have been installed at roof-tops only to guide and channel water from the roof into drainage trenches.

A senior Engineer (Water) with Botswana Technology Centre (BOTEC) Jackson Aliwa suggested that wastage of rain-water be criminalised.

"Government should issue a directive that compels installation of rain water collecting tanks in all major buildings.

This is the practise in countries such as India where it is an offence not to install such tanks." He said the water can also later be used to recharge the under ground water which he said was getting depleted by the numerous boreholes in the country.

The Water Affairs Director Gabaake Gabaake also emphasised the importance of water management as "we can no longer afford to live like we are in a country where water is in abundance.

"People have to be made to understand that water is a scarce resource and at some point this year we even contemplated issuing a restriction on water usage." Gabaake said in his remarks that Batswana continue turning a deaf ear to their pleas for conservation of water by desisting from such practices as cleaning cars using hose pipes.

"By the end of NDP9 water tariffs will have risen by 200 per cent and maybe this will hit consumers where it hurts most, in their pockets, and start taking the message of water conservation seriously" He said even President Festus Mogae has called on Batswana to consider rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment.

A Botswana Post news release quotes the organisation’s accountant Segomotso Sebego as saying the stamp depicting Poison Beetle would be sold for 55t.

More stamps depicting Blister Beetle would be sold for P2.20, Sand Beetle Stamps for P2.75 and the Jewel Beetle Stamp would sell for P3.

30.

The release explains that the Official First Day Covers depicting Cow-Dung Beetle known as Tlabuwe would be sold for P17 while Souvenir Sheet depicting Flower Beetle known as Kgaladuwa for P5. 50.

Many beetles are of economic importance or beneficial to people because they can be edible or serve as a bio-degrader of organic materials or used in biological control of some insect pests.

The release explains that Botswana Beetles occupy different environments from the swampy areas of the Okavango Delta to the sandy hot desert.

Addressing a meeting in Letlhakane in the Boteti Sub District, Matsheka said some Batswana treat government funds as handouts. CEDA, he said, was started to improve the lives of Batswana.

Matsheka said he had been let down by Batswana who do not start businesses after their loans had been approved.

Some people, he said come to CEDA office with viable and beautiful business plans, "but when given loans they do something else instead of doing what the plan stated".

He said shortage of staff hindered his officials to monitor CEDA projects to the satisfactory level.

He advised those willing to apply for CEDA funds to apply for viable projects which could add value to the country’s economy.

He asked people to took time to understand what application forms wants, saying some people had complained to his office that their applications had been rejected or the office took long to respond.

Matsheka called for business commitment and also informed the meeting that they had suspended projects like supermarkets, general dealers and restaurants, public transport and trucks.

Some people asked CEDA officials to hold public meetings around the country to teach them about the scheme because many are finding it difficult to the fill application forms.

"We believe that the current system is unfair because it punishes good conservation efforts and imposes no obligation on those who are under performing," President Festus Mogae said on Thursday.

Mogae was giving a keynote address at a Washington DC joint symposium of the African Wildlife Foundation and Corporate Council on African under the theme: "Conservation is good business." He argued that parties to CITES had been too restrictive on the trade in elephant products, thus denying countries such as Botswana, Namibia and South Africa the chance to derive maximum benefits from a resource they had in abundance.

"It is necessary to reward good performance in conservation," Mogae said.

Currently, Botswana holds about 20 per cent of Africa’s elephant population. The 123 000 elephant population in Botswana is the largest number held by a single country — and it grows at a rate of around five per cent annually.

He said although hosting such a large elephant population was testimony of Botswana’s commitment to conservation, the impact of the jumbos on the woodland and vegetation was a major challenge.

He added that although Botswana was allowed to sell 20 tonnes of its ivory stockpile, it was not enough because it continued to accumulate large quantities of ivory out of national mortality to the extent that storage facilities were proving inadequate.

Mogae also outlined Botswana’s strategies in wildlife conservation as well as joint efforts with some neighbouring countries to improve prudent utilisation of such resources regionally.

He said 22 areas had been identified in the SADC region where transboundary conservation areas could be established.

"When fully realised those initiatives will provide enormous opportunities for investment," he said.

Mogae also said the tourism sector in Botswana contributed about five per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and was the second largest foreign exchange earner.

He said government was committed to creating a conducive environment so the contribution of the sector to the GDP could increase to nine per cent by the year 2009.

The sector currently employs about 15 000 people while tourist arrivals continued to show an impressive growth and have increased from 751 000 in 1995 to 1 360 000 in 2001.

Mogae said tourism receipts increased from US$162 million in 1995 to US$ 309 million in 2001.

He said after Botswana engaged the services of Kartagener Associates to market its tourism products in North America in 1999, the results had been excellent.

Margaret Nasha was responding to a question from the MP for Mmadinare Ponatshego Kedikilwe, who wanted to be appraised on progress made since 2001 in relation to referral of applications for commercial plots to the main land board by sub land boards.

Nasha said several factors among them the need to amend certain land laws and capacity building at land boards are responsible for the delays. She said all matters concerning amendment of land related laws had to be suspended pending finalisation of the land policy.

However, she said though common law leases are prepared at main land boars they are now signed at sub land boards and that preparation for sketch plans for leases have been decentralised to sub land boards.

Seronga senior chief’s representative Maeze Maeze told the Speaker of National Assembly, Ray Molomo, in a kgotla meeting that elephants were causing deforestation in the area.

He said elephants destroyed the vegetation, which other animals eat forcing animals to travel long distances in search of something to feed on.

Maeze feared that tourists might stop visiting the area because all the beautiful tall trees and grasses and different animal species were being destroyed by elephants.

For his part, former Seronga councillor Mozee Maselaga requested that elections should be held during the week to enable all Christians, especially Seventh Day Adventist Church members, to participate.

Keneilwe Manake, an official of the council’s social and community department, said the babies are still being cared for by the Orapa hospital.

This is because their father is unemployed and can not manage to look after them.

Their siblings are also still young to foster them.

Consequently, she said the council provides the babies with nappies and milk, and is considering how to care for them so that they can be taken out of hospital.

Meanwhile, Mopipi Multi Purpose Cooperative in the Boteti Sub-district has donated P1 000 to help maintain the babies.

Sebolai said that his department had been conducting trial runs to see if the new system is effective, using the learner-drivers who had just passed their provisional driving tests.

"South Africa is the first country to come up with this idea of the licences and I am told that Zambia, too, is using them," Sebolai said.

It costs P50 to get the new licence. Replacement also costs P50.

Drivers have until December 31, 2005 to convert their licences or they would have to undergo a driving test.

Sebolai said people outside Botswana until some time after December 31, 2005 deadline would have to produce proof that they had been outside the country all along.

He said his department has consulted the police throughout Botswana about the new licence and would be talking to neighbouring countries.

Like any foreign drivers’ licence, Botswana’s new licence will be applicable to any country for a particular period of time as stipulated in the Vienna Convention.

"In addition, we will soon be introducing international driving permits for people going abroad for a short time with the hope of hiring a vehicle when they get there," he said.

Sebolai said police would be connected to the computer system of his department to endorse any traffic offence. The new licence has Portuguese as it is one of the official languages in the SADC region.

"There is no way you can divide people with just an ordinary three string fence," said Mogae after he described Batswana and Zimbabweans as one people.

Mogae was responding to questions during a live broadcast Voice of America news conference in Washington DC on Thursday.

He said the electric fence had nothing to do with people because it was purely a livestock diseases control barrier.

He observed that with or without a fence the problem of illegal immigrants would still be prevalent in Botswana because of the severe economic situation in Zimbabwe.

Mogae said the fence between Botswana and Zimbabwe was not unique in that stock disease control fences had long existed within Botswana because of the European Union (EU) health requirements.

Botswana does not want to jeopardise its beef market at the EU and has been criticised for erecting fences that block the free movement of wildlife, a dilemma that country was facing.

On other issues, Mogae said Botswana had not openly criticised President Robert Mugabe because Zimbabwe was its closest neighbour.

He said although Botswana did not condone the situation in Zimbabwe, it was compelled by circumstances not to openly confront Mugabe to bring normalcy in that country.

"We can only wish that the people of Zimbabwe could come to terms with each other end compromise for the sake of peace, democracy and their country," Mogae said.

"They should have peace among themselves so that they have the right priorities to fight external enemies such as poverty, HIV and other social ills." Regarding the issue of relocating Basarwa from the Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve, Mogae said they were being moved because "they are not game but people".

In addition he said the CKGR was not their ancestral land as people claim and it was not true that the relocation had to do with diamond mining because currently no minerals had been discovered in the CKGR.

However, he said it was true that other tribes in Botswana had in the past looked down upon Basarwa but that was a social prejudice because the constitution guarantees every Motswana equal rights.

"You are free to visit the relocation areas and the CKGR," Mogae told the journalists so that they get first hand information. "You do not have to get permission from me." Earlier on Mogae had briefed them about Botswana’s socio-economic development efforts and the and problems the country was facing such as HIV/AIDS and human resource capacity constraints to achieve its goals.

Chief health officer Rose Diseko said this when officiating at the intermediate food hygiene certificate awards ceremony at Sanitas Tea Garden in Gaborone last Monday to mark the achievements of the candidates who passed this internationally-recognised qualification.

The candidates attended a five-day course that covered 17 topics that included food hygiene, pest control, street food vendors, customer care, business management, record keeping, and entrepreneurial skills.

Diseko said it is encouraging to note that the private sector, as a major stakeholder, through companies such as FoodSafe International (FSI), is taking the initiative in promoting food safety practices and safeguarding public health.

She said the impact of food borne illnesses on the health of individuals is far-reaching, as are the economic consequences for individuals, families, communities, food enterprises and countries.

She said the economic and social costs relate to expenses such as medical care, productivity loss due to illness, monetary losses to companies through disability or premature death, and a decline in tourism trade.

"Government merely takes a leading role by enacting elaborate regulations and enforcing the food safety legislation.

It also plays the role of providing adequate information on food safety, besides providing health services.

Therefore, the actual implementation of these regulations lies with the stakeholders in the industry." Diseko said with the current HIV/AIDS infection rate in Botswana alone, the food safety stakeholders, particularly the food and hospitality industry, should deliberately step up efforts to confront current food safety challenges.

The candidates who attended the course consisted of environmental health technicians, officers from various district and city councils and catering staff from Botswana Defence Force (BDF), and out of the 10 candidates, one achieved a credit pass, eight a pass and one failed.

She urged the candidates who were awarded the certificates to apply the knowledge they gained and work tirelessly to improve the food safety and public health standards.

She commended FSI for their dedication and encouraged them to continue promoting food safety in Africa.

Training consultant and FSI managing director Nina Hamid, said food safety is a worldwide concern, and it "plays an important role in our daily lives especially in this day and age of the HIV/AIDS scourge".

She said as tourism is promoted in Botswana, it is essential that the international standards of food safety are met to ensure that people eat clean food when they come to Botswana.

Hamid said her organisation is accredited to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) of the United Kingdom (UK).

Speaking at the Botswana Confederation of Commerce and Manpower (BOCCIM) annual dinner in Gaborone on Saturday night, Luhabe said the ultimate purpose of a good economy must be to meet basic human needs and improve the quality of life for the greatest number of its citizens through distribution and re-distribution of resources.

She called for a courageous leadership, ready for transformation.

"The world has changed from what we’ve known and it is raising fundamental questions about our competence in key areas of governance, economy, sustainability and consciousness," she said.

In keeping with the ideals of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, (NEPAD), Luhabe called for a leadership that does not get discouraged by the changing circumstances, but that which creates new collaborative ways to grow.

Luhabe recommended that a good economy could be fostered by learning to find a way around complex issues whilst maintaining integrity and personal values.

She warned against double standards, which, she said, were "often applied to protect the status quo, usually to maintain power and control that has outlived its usefulness".

Luhabe urged Africans to "carry ourselves one step further than what is required, by creating our own circumstances if necessary and by proving beyond all doubt that the actualised power of our potential is greater than any measure of colonialism, imperialism or discrimination, which seeks to restrain us".

Earlier, when welcoming guests who included President Festus Mogae and First Lady Barbara, BOCCIM president Iqbal Ebrahim said the dinner sought to combine relaxation, fellowship and spotlight on current economic, social and political issues.

"We may have to sacrifice some of our development projects, in order to meet the required P600 million tag to fund the new civil service pay structure which comes into effect in April next year.

"We, as the private sector and others, shall be looking forward to the most efficient and most productive civil service, second to none in the world, otherwise the increase will not be justified. We’ll be observing with great interest," said Ebrahim.

Sigwele said the compensation should be paid after the Department of Labour and Social Security had assessed the circumstances surrounding the accident to determine the amount of compensation.

She said the employee to be compensated must have been seen by a medical doctor whose report must indicate the extent of the injury or incapacity.

Section 11 of the Worker’s Compensation Act stipulates that "an employer whose worker suffers personal injury or an occupational disease arising out of and in the cause of the worker’s employment shall be liable to pay compensation in accordance with the provisions of the Act".

In situations whereby the injury results in death or permanent incapacity, an employer may seek appropriate compensation from the Department of Labour and Social Security for the employee.

Sigwele said where the usual place of employment is in Botswana and the worker suffers injury while he or she is temporarily employed outside the country by the same employer, the worker is entitled to compensation.

The reverse is the case for a foreign worker who is employed in Botswana for a continuous period that exceeds 12 months.

In situations whereby a worker is engaged in Botswana for the purpose of service from another country and suffers injury while on his way to start employment or while being repatriated to his place of recruitment, such worker shall be entitled to compensation.

She pointed out that if an employer fails to compensate his or her employees his or her assets could be confiscated.

According to section 31 of the Worker’s Compensation Act, every employer is liable for ensuring himself as well as his employees, or be guilty of an offence.

Punishment is a fine not exceeding P5 000 or three years’ imprisonment or both. Furthermore, the employer would be liable to compensating the worker or face a P5 000 fine.

Sigwele said an employer could be exempted from paying compensation for injury or occupational disease arising from the influence of narcotics or any other intoxicating substances.

An injury that has been deliberately self-inflicted or one that does not incapacitate the worker to an extent that he/she is unable to work are some of the pointers which may lead to an employer being exempted from paying compensation.

Sigwele was speaking in the wake of concerns that some employers were negligent by failing to ensure the safety of their workers.

Recently, two workers died after a truck they were travelling in overturned.

Kanye MP Omphitlhetse Maswabi, Okavango’s Joseph Kavindama and Lesedi Mothibamele of Kgalagadi said more projects in the districts would create jobs and reduce poverty.

Maswabi and Kavindama called for the provision of health facilities in their respective constituencies.

The latter wondered why the government is delaying the construction of a primary hospital at Shakawe though funds for building the facility had long been budgeted for.

Kavindama suggested that elephants be culled because they were wreaking havoc in his constituency and destroying property and their habitat.

He complained about shortage of drugs in some clinics and health posts as well as delays in the processing of national identity cards (Omang).

Kavindama urged the relevant ministries to arrest the situation.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), should be an autonomous body, he said, arguing that the president should not appoint a top official of the IEC.

Meanwhile, Maswabi accused the government of discriminating against his constituents. He charged that hospitals are either being built or expanded in some districts while his area has been neglected.

The Kanye legislator urged the government to take measures to address the budgetary constraints attributed to, among others, the pula’s appreciation against the United States (US) dollar.

He said the local currency should not be allowed to grow at the current rate because increases in access of 10 per cent could lead to a financial crisis.

Maswabi said government must heed the Botswana Institute for Policy Development Analysis (BIDPA)’s advice to guard against such a ‘suicidal’ growth rate.

He quoted a report from the institute which indicated that the country’s exports and imports have since 1996 been growing at the rate of 12.7 per cent and over 14 per cent, respectively.

This, according to Maswabi, shows Botswana’s lack of competitiveness in the global market as there are more goods imported into the country than exports.

The MP spoke against the proposed Foreign Investment Law, which is aimed at attracting investors by promising them adequate protection of their assets. Such a move, he said, would protect foreigners at the expense of Batswana.

Kgalagadi MP Mothibamele decried the rate of delinquency in secondary schools, citing the recent incident at Matsha Senior Secondary School where some students died after drinking methanol and ethanol.

He said hooliganism, vandalism and indiscipline in schools should be dealt with and called for a change in the administration staff at Matsha because they have failed to impose discipline.

Mothibamele welcomed next year’s HIV routine testing and asked the nation to support it because it would give a clear indication of the HIV/AIDS situation in the country.

He called on the leadership both in government, the private sector and politicians to lead by example and undergo HIV tests.

Mothibamele was optimist that after the 2004 general election the 17 MPs, who would represent additional constituencies, would be provided with both residential and constituency office accommodation without hitches.

He chastised opposition parties and said they have failed to heed SADC’s quota to attain a 30 per cent women representation in political bodies such as Parliament and councils by 2005.

Unlike the opposition, he said, the BDP had before the departure of the former Francistown East MP Joy Phumaphi attained 18 per cent women representation in the House.

He suggested the number of specially elected MPs, which currently stands at four, be increased to cater for people with disabilities.

Mothibamele said government should build hotels in poverty-stricken areas such as Kgalagadi, Ghanzi, Ngwaketse West, Kweneng West and parts of the North West, to be leased to the private sector who then hire residents.

He also called for subsidies of utilities such as electricity.

"Let us make rural areas attractive by purposely subsidising power and water to level the playing field." Legislators also appealed to eligible voters to register so they can elect a government of their choice during the 2004 general election.

Principal Magistrate Annah Mathiba granted Anil Kumar Gupta’s application on Friday.

It relates to calls made between June 6, 2002 and July 10, 2003 through two local cell-phone companies, Mascom Wireless (PTY) LTD and Orange Botswana (PTY) LTD.

Gupta is facing two counts of corruption. He is alleged to have tried to bribe Mfa with a suit worth P845 and P5000 in July in order to gain the minister’s influence in the issuance of a licence, which would have allowed him to operate as an optician.

He is facing up to 10 years in prison or a P500 000 fine, or both if found guilty.

Gupta argued in his application that the itemised calls will prove to court that he had an intimate relationship with Shirley Masima and Mfa.

He stated that the frequency of the calls between himself and the two would go a long way in explaining his relationship with them, as well as the relationship between themselves.

Gupta said Masima introduced him to Mfa, when he Gupta and Masima were sharing a house.

Consequently, he said it was in the context of the relationship that he gave Mfa the two gifts, which are the subject of the two counts he is facing.

And in the event that the relationships are denied, Gupta contended that the frequency of contact made outside the normal official time would be material, and would be supported by the records of itemised calls.

He further said after evaluation of the evidence, the court might conclude that the two gifts were not given and received corruptly.

The accused argued that without the records from the cell-phone companies, he would be unable to list the various factual events relevant to his defence that were made simultaneously with the said calls.

Gupta said no supporting affidavits have been filed by the two prosecution witnesses in which they protest that disclosure of their personal communication would be an infringement to their right to privacy.

Basimane Bogopa who is representing the state opposed the application on the basis that the accused had not stated in his founder affidavit how the itemised listing of calls would be relevant to the matter at hand.

Also, he said such information, if any, which may be of a personal nature, may be used to embarrass or scandalise the witnesses, one of whom holds a high public position.

However, Magistrate Mathiba stated that the constitution of Botswana provides that an accused person should be given adequate time and facilities to prepare his/her defence.

"The applicant has proved that the itemised listing of calls is necessary for purpose of his trial," she said, adding that it is in the interest of Justice that the accused be afforded facilities that he requires.

Winner Ellonah Seleke walked away with a brand new Daihatsu Charade worth about P60 000, courtesy of Arma Motors.

She was also showered with more prizes, including one-year fitness treat at the Gaborone West Fitness Centre, a computer valued at P8 000, a P1 000 cheque, weekend for two at Mowana Safari Lodge and an air ticket, courtesy of Air Botswana (AB).

Seleke will be an ambassador and will spearhead various HIV/AIDS issues, youth reproductive health education and the right use of condom to community.

She commended the sponsors for their social responsibility in putting together events of great significance such as the Miss Lovers Plus pageant.

Miss Lovers Plus 2003 encouraged everyone to "always carry enough condoms if we are to win" the battle against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Seleke said she is ready to execute her mandate as the ambassador on condom use.

Meanwhile, first princess Pearl Moilwa won herself a six-month fitness treat and a cheque for P3 000.

The second princess, Tebogo Koosimile, was not to be left out.

She won herself a six-month fitness treat also at the Gaborone West Fitness Centre plus a P2 000 cheque.

The girls’roles will be to compliment and ensure that the campaign, currently being conducted across the country on billboards, in newspapers and on the radio, emphasises reducing embarrassment to buy, strengthen and promote the habit of always carrying enough condoms.

All the nine participating beauties were presented with P1 000 consolation prizes from PSI|Botswana.

The sponsors of Miss Lovers Plus, such as Yarona FM, Flame Power, Fones 4 U, Gaborone West Fitness Centre, Mowana Lodge, Voice newspaper and Arma Motors, were given certificates of appreciation, In his welcome remarks, PSI|Botswana marketing manager Kebitsaone Kelaotswe said the winner of the pageant (Seleke) was not only beautiful but someone with composure and ability to lead the fight against HIV/AIDS.

He said it is imperative that people who are sexually active carry condoms and consistently use them each time they have sex.

Kelaotswe said young Batswana are still struggling with negotiating safer sex and that there is little change in behaviour regarding sex before marriage.

Furthermore, Kelaotswe said young people use a condom possibly once and then start trusting each other and stop using condoms.

He said this year’s Miss Lovers Plus pageant theme, "Beauties Always Carry Lovers Plus," is timely because it encourages condom use, especially among the youths who are sexually active.

Kelaotswe thanked all the sponsors of the event and the public in general for their support in making the pageant an event of the year.

The girls also strutted their stuff before the prize giving ceremony to showcase their choreography and their stylish outfits.

The girls’ video was also shown on a bigger screen so every could at least get a glimpse of what the ladies looked like before the grand finale.

While in the USA Mogae addressed a symposium jointly with president Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and US Senator Lamar Alexander at the Ronald Reagan building.

He also officiated at the symposium entitled "Conservation is Good Business." The symposium brought together leaders in conservation, business, development and governments to discuss sustainable practices in conservation.

Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Daniel Kwelagobe, Commander of Botswana Defence Force Matshwenyego Fisher, Commissioner of Police Norman Moleboge and other senior government officials met him at the Sir Seretse Khama Airport.

Addressing the 23rd meeting of the association in Gaborone on Saturday, Mogae said the association runs a home-based care at Otse in the South East District, often picks up litter, patrols the highways to chase livestock away from the roads and helps to mend the road-reserve fences.

Mogae, who is the chief scout, said the Botswana Scouts Association should repeat its efforts in other parts of Botswana to help make Vision 2016 and youth policy commitments a reality.

He said such work should be done by the scouts themselves, not their elders. He stressed the need for adult mentorship.

He said the adult training courses, which were conducted over the past year, would enable the leaders to become more competent and effective in delivering scouting to the youth.

Mogae also noted that scouting has been revived in Lobatse and Masunga and that plans are on to replicate the initiative in other districts.

Regarding participation in world events, Mogae noted that the association has sent participants to a number of events including the World Scouts Jamboree in Thailand and the scouts’ conference in Lusaka, Zambia.

He also noted that the association would send participants at the next Africa Jamboree, which will be held in Mozambique in December 2004.

Regarding youth participation in elections, Mogae said the Botswana Scout Association has made an effort to educate its membership about the importance of taking part in public affairs.

He called on the scouts to take the lead and test themselves for HIV so as to know their status and to get help if they test positive.

Finance and Development Planning assistant minister Slumber Tsogwane said this is done mainly because the departments of Accountant General and Internal Audit have now built capacity to carry out frequent audits to minimise fraud.

The MP for Mmadinare, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, had wanted to know when the ministry would end the practice of issuing one receipt book to Livestock Advisory Centres (LAC).

The practice inconvenienced and subjected farmers to economic hardship of being asked to come the following day because there is no receipt book.

Tsogwane said only one receipt book was issued to curb fraud and that the practice was necessitated by lack of qualified staff to carry out regular inspections in revenue collection centres.

Ten of the doctors are already on duty, while the rest are expected this week.

Superintendent of Nyangabgwe hospital Loetso Mazhani said recently, the assistance from Cuba will go a long way in alleviating the acute shortage of medical staff at the hospital.

Welcoming a Cuban delegation, which included deputy foreign affairs minister Jose Armando Guerra Mechero, he said Nyangabgwe hospital started its anti-retroviral drug programme on May 13, 2002, without additional infrastructure nor manpower.

Consequently, the hospital could not cope with the flood of patients from the city and surrounding areas.

"The hospital still does not have sufficient manpower and the decision of the Cuban government to assist with skilled health personnel is highly appreciated," Mazhani said.

He explained that patients are complaining of being put on the waiting list for a long time before being enrolled in the ARV programme.

Some die before they can be put on the programme because they come to the hospital when they are lready weak.

Mechero said Cuba can only afford to assist with human resources because it does not have money. He urged Batswana not to despair as the drugs will give them a new lease on life.

Mechero advised that efforts must be stepped up to teach Batswana to avoid infection.

"However, since the establishment of his Ministry (Communications, Science and Technology) the issue has resurfaced and my ministry is attending to the matter." He was answering Tonota MP Pono Moatlhodi in Parliament last Tuesday.

Moatlhodi wanted to know if the minister was aware that some employees from the department had petitioned the Ministerial Consultative Committee through the Office of the President in 2001 on such allegations.

He said nothing has been done to date, thus resulting in the worsening of the situation.

Moatlhodi wanted to know what the ministry was doing to solve the problem.

BBL marketing manager Dorcus Tafila said in Gaborone that BABA must work hard to impress the sponsors if it is to secure sponsorship in future.

"If what I have seen today is how you are going to behave in future, I do not think that you will ever get anything from us," Tafila said last Thursday. "You have to impress us." Speaking at a ceremony to announce the sponsorship by Keone Mooka Mageu and launch the BABA tournament, Tafila said preparations for the event started late with few BABA members and affiliates present.

Most boxing clubs and officials were absent at the poorly attended ceremony, and Tafila said BABA must advertise its events to generate excitement.

She said the money that Botswana Breweries spent on the association should earn returns for the sponsoring brand — Keone Mooka Mageu. Also, the association must ensure that the sponsor gets priority in the display of promotional materials during BABA events.

However, Tafila said despite the national boxing team’s poor performance at the recent All Africa Games in Nigeria, BBL still had a lot of faith in BABA.

The company is investing its money into the sport to revive enthusiasm among the concerned parties. So, BABA has to fulfil its obligations.

She called on the boxers to take AAG results as a motivator because she they have gained "experience, exposure and a better standing of what boxing is all about".

The Minster of Agriculture, Johnie Swartz, said in Parliament last Tuesday that the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) is unable to buy maize from the farm because it has 1 968 tons from the 2001/2002 harvest season it is unable to dispose off.

Swartz said maize has a short shelf life, hence it is not cost effective to keep more than what can be moved within a short period.

The minister was answering a question from Bobirwa MP James Maruatona, who asked Swartz whether he was aware that Talana Farm had produced over 700 tons of maize, which BAMB is not prepared to purchase.

Maruatona also wanted the minister to explain where he expects the farm to sell its produce.

By so doing, they have succeded in reaching where they had been failing since they started participating in the World Cup games.

The two teams drew 0-0 in Maseru where the Zebras were hot favourites following their 4-1 hummering over Likoena in the first leg in Gaborone last month.

The draw dealt Likoena a heavy blow and was a welcome development for the Zebras who although being outplayed in the first half, escaped unscathed.

The Zebras entered the game with a more defensive 5-4-1 formation while their opponents usedd the more attacking 3-5-2 formation. They appeared to be tactically superior but, skilfully inferior.

However, coach Jelusic Vaselin’s boys successfully foeledattempts Likoena as they failed to convert the five cocreated in the first half.

In the second half, pressure was on the Zebras again but still the hosts failed to penetrate the formidable defence. Had they utilised the chances they created in midfield where games are usually won and lost, the story could have been different.

Twice in this half, goalkeeper Modiri Marumo was called upon to make some brilliant saves. Both sides made substitutions twice.

When the Zebras brought in Sox Molwantwa for Duncan Kgopolelo, hopes were that it would change the complexion of the game. Instead, pressure continued to mount on the visitors. Only lady luck was against the hosts.

Assistant Superintendent Boy Balo said the man was nabbed at Serorome Ward and will be brought before the court to answer charges of attempted rape.

Police arrested the suspect at his home after a tippoff.

The incident occurred after the man waylaid three women on their way home from a weeding reception.

He managed to pounce on one of them and dragged her to a secluded spot where he allegedly tried to rape her.

Continuing debate on President Festus Mogae’s state-of- the nation address last Thursday, Ambrose Masalila said: "We are tired of too many passengers in the public service".

He said in this era of the Performance Management System (PMS), officers must be effective and efficient in their work.

On other issues, Masalila said government has good policies and programmes but lamented their poor implementation.

He said proper implementation would create employment and play a positive role in poverty reduction.

Masalila emphasised the need for the government to condemn and fight corruption.

Fighting the menace, he said, would ensure that Botswana maintained her reputation as a peaceful, transparent and democratic country.

Masalila said the unruly behaviour in schools is disheartening and embrassing and appealed to the Ministry of Education to monitor and appoint capable administrators to curb such conduct.

Children’s rights, he said, did not give students a licence to behaviour as they pleased.

He criticised parents, who blamed government for their children’s misconduct.

He said parents must take responsibility for the control and discipline of their children.

The legislator also lamented the high cost of utilities, such as electricity, which he said could scare away investors.

He said government must subsidise these essential services so Botswana could compete with other countries.

Assistant superintendent Molefe Mokwatse of Orapa police told BOPA that the vehicle the woman was travelling in had six occupants, including the driver.

The other vehicle had two. The 49-year-old driver of the vehicle carrying the woman was referred to Nyangabgwe Hospital in Francistown and three others after suffering serious injuries.

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