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From 6 July 2006, a graphic version of the current edition is available at the Daily News Online web site.

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"Our artists do not achieve the same rate of success as those in many other countries. I think lack of a school of the arts is an important factor in the difficulties of our artists.

A school would be an important source of inspiration for artists as they would be exposed to other ideas," said Slater.

He was speaking during Vision 2016 workshop for artists in Gaborone and attributed the problems artists to the country small population, Batswana's attitude towards arts and the limited resources in the country.

Slater added that artists needed performance exhibitions, recording studios, distributors as well as agents and unions to get known and appreciated in the country.

Another artist Taolo Moshaga said a lot needed to be done to realise the ideals of Vision 2016. "There is more to it than just to talk of people embracing the vision.

This vision is our culture and our pressure as artists is reality versus assumptions, but I can assure you, artists are a step ahead when talking about this vision." Moshaga said, "as artists, we are faced with a lot of challenges as most of us are self-sponsored but 'there is no acknowledgement.' The cost factors are higher, given time, we will get at the top." Most of the artists who attended the workshop argued that government was not doing enough to support them, noting that art should become part of the school curriculum so that training starts at a very tender age.

However, Greg Losibe, an artist and employee of Botswana Television (Btv) said artists were not committed to their work except for a few. Some of them do not have self-respect. They do not treat their art as gold, nor do they have a price tag for what they are doing, he said.

Loseibe argued against pointing of fingers at the government for funding, when artists could even manage their own businesses properly.

The workshop was aimed at raising awareness and encouraging sustained ownership of the Vision 2016 among all stakeholders.

Vision 2016 council has adopted the theme, 'Artists' contribution in realising Prosperity for all by year 2016' hence probing artists to make introspection and determine the way forward in terms of how they can positively contribute to the attainment of the vision.

The workshop was also aimed at analysing the role of artists in realising the vision and to advocate for the promotion of the values and ownership of Vision 2016 by artists.

Meanwhile, Former President Sir Ketumile Masire is expected to officially launch the Vision 2016-awareness month slated for Gaborone on September 4-30, in his capacity as the pioneer of the Vision 2016.

The council has adopted the theme "Vision 2016 ke yame, ke tsaya boikarabelo," for the awareness month.

The theme is meant to re-affirm the importance of the role of the individual Motswana in the implementation of the vision that adds an element of taking responsibility for the realisation of the vision by all stakeholders, hence the suffix of the theme, 'ke tsaya boikarabelo.' During the event, a Vision 2016 torch will be lit in Gaborone and will be carried and floated around the country to highlight the importance of Vision 2016 to the nation and to re-affirm it as a national manifesto born out of a national consensus.

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