politicians-from-botswana

"It is my view that the industry is doing nothing or very little to ensure that those who operate within it do so with high degree of professionalism and integrity. They have little or no regard for national interest, with respect to the role expected of the industry in the development of this country."

"I am still considering whether to contest as independent candidate or not. I have not finalised on the matter. It is not true that I have already registered with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) as independent candidate. Consultations with my constituents are on going. I am a BNF member in good standing and my constituents might encourage me to stay in the party. There is nothing wrong with someone consulting because I do not tarnish the name of the party in anyway."

"If at all water from those dams could make any differences I could have long taken the dams and used the water for consumption. The truth of the matter is that if the rain is not going to rain as it used to seven years ago whether these dams are there or not the water will never reach Gaborone dam."

"We are presently faced with problems ranging from the collapse of new buildings, poor workmanship and unethical practices in the construction industry. It is up to us as stakeholders to step in and raise the level of quality of service delivery in the construction industry."

"I have to point out that therehave been some challenges in implementingthis directive due to among others, thecomplexity of contractual arrangementsand management of multiple contractorson one site which requires additional humanand fi nancial resources."

"Indigenous identification of livestock should be considered in our courts because lots of people lose their livestock especially cattle when they are not branded despite one having an extensive knowledge of how they can identify them, other than the commonly used and visible numerical branding."

"It would be responsible for ensuring sustainable and secure supplies in the regulated sector. Ensuring tariffs in the regulated sector are fixed on the basis of a tariff methodology that has been set up in a transparent manner taking into account government policy on cross subsidies between classes of consumers and setting and maintaining standards."

"There is too much usage and waste of water in schools, hospitals and government buildings hence the debate to change building standards."

"I think they should have approached us with the allegations before printing it but they did not and chose to write the falsehoods."

"This is a source of grave concern to me; as such practices greatly compromise our integrity. This perhaps explains why government projects are always competed behind schedule, with massive cost overruns and poor quality."

"The tax income from the companies in Botswana Innovation Hub as well as the tax collected from the employees in Hub is also a national resource that will benefit all Batswana, including those in rural areas."

"It is my view that between the last Pitsoand now collective efforts have been madetowards overcoming many of the challengeswhich were made then."

"It is envisaged thatthis will be a single window throughwhich major Government projects areexecuted in a more coordinated and efficient manner."

"I know that some people out there are not happy with my decision to be contesting for the elections as an independent candidate. I am not in the race to hamper anyone’s mood but I am also eyeing to win the race. Contesting as an independent candidate is a legitimate process too."

"We had hoped that the much celebrated ESP money would be channeled into the power and water projects to bring stability into the economy. There cannot be any development without these basic essentials."

"these power cuts are a result of leadership failure, the government made a number of false promises which they never delivered on, we came with a proposal on how this should be addressed. We are feeling the pinch. We have an interest to run this country and we want to find this country in a good state."

"Climate change is real, nobody can deny that."

"Somarela Thothi is a project that calls for the reduction of water loss and would be implemented in Gaborone area between now and the end of 2015."

"As it stands I do not have a reason to close those dams."

"Then that is when we can know what we are talking about. I am not resigning, I will remain in my constituency and not a single BDP leader has ever discussed that with me."

"This will also be a referendum on delivery."

"Very few projects are completed within the prescribed time. If they do, then the quality of the end product leaves a lot to be desired."

"This why we consider the private sector to be the engine of economic growth and development."

"The role of government should be to facilitate and ensure that the environment is conducive for business to thrive,"

"These sectors have been identified as having potential to diversify the economy and promote sustainable growth. There would be individuals or companies with business ideas and with research results that can be developed into goods and services with potential for commercialization and export."

"This year’s theme is signalingprogress in that we are now focused towardsconsolidating strategic partnershipsbetween Government and the Private Sector."

"Examples of the latter include MogoditshaneSenior Secondary School staff housingand Block 10 police staff housing projects."

"The buildings maintenance budgets for allministries except for the Ministry of Healthwere consolidated into one budget undermy ministry this year and this developmenthas facilitated effective planning andprioritization of interventions. Moreover,my ministry will be undertaking a conditionsurvey of Government facilities in thisfi nancial year using the services of the privatesector to augment internal resourcesand the idea is to facilitate forward planningand to prepare for the execution of rehabilitationworks in the coming year.Theintention is to follow this up with a longterm facilities management programme forthe continuous upkeep of these facilities."

"I was elected council chairman of Gantsi District Council by fellow members, a position I held until 1987 when I won the Constituency seat through a by-election under the BDP banner."

"Madam Speaker, shortly after the commencement of our work, law enforcement agencies started to vigorously investigate the same issue, which then led to arrests of certain persons, some of whom were very key to our review and some who indeed had appeared before us."

"Let me correct the misplaced idea and belief carried by the honourable member. My Ministry has more money than anybody to generate adequate power and water. Therefore the question to reserve the ESP money particularly for the current power and water shortages does not arise."

"It does not take one or two years to accomplish the projects. The infrastructure required is big. The projects therefore are a long term initiatives."

"Our industries terribly need power and water supplies. We had hoped the ESP will bring normalcy into the acute situation."

"We have engaged a team of experts to fix the problem; I can assure Batswana that we will go into the winter season with adequate power supply. I am not shaken by what is being said, the plant is going to work and serve Batswana efficiently. We will make sure that by the end of April the two boilers will be working efficiently. We have come a long way, people should relax."

"It is true that we are slow to connect water in your area because most of the pipes in your area are worn-out whereas many people have moved here. We are pleading with you, if you are able, dig for themselves and we will connect the water as fast as possible. We have failed what we had anticipated or thought we would do for you but that does not mean that the prices will decrease for you, you will still be charged for the services."

"We agree that there is global warming, we agree that it is caused by us human beings and we agree that we need to do something about it, so let's go and do it."

"The principle of common but differentiated responsibility must apply."

"Capacitate us, give us the technology and we will be good corporate citizens of the world."

"When we receive the right amount of rainfall the water will able be to reach Gaborone dam; it’s a fact. But since now because we are faced with drought, we are accusing those dams of interrupting inflows into Gaborone dam."

"On the other hand these small dams assisted us. These dams act as catchment areas for sand. This means the final product that reaches Gaborone dam is largely water and if you go to Gaborone dam now you will realise that the dam is free of sand."

"Nobody has approached me. I have also talked to Minister Seretse, and like me he is surprised where all this is coming from."

"I heard about the issue. I don’t know anything and I’m not going anywhere. I heard people saying they have learnt that the party was in negotiations with me; factually I have never been approached by the party. I did not even bother to engage the party on the matter because what I understood was that the party was in negotiations with me, but because I knew there were no negotiations going on, why bother the party."

"What these ladies and gentlemen have done is a very brave act and we need to salute them for that."

"Turn your back on military rule."

"One day [at school] we were in a queue, and we were asked a question. ‘O mo kae?’ If you said ‘I am a Motswana,’ you were asked to step to one side. If you said ‘I am a Moyeyi,’ you were asked to step to another side. Then all of us who had said we were Bayeyi were beaten up."

"They said our fathers working in the South African mines called themselves Batswana, so why were we saying we were Bayeyi?"

"These examples are a blatant disregard of our labor laws and safety best practice."

"I also wish to reiterate government’s long standing belief that the private sector is pivotal for accelerated growth of our economy through both formal and informal sectors."

"That is why we believe the private sector remains the engine of growth. It was not until the private sector started carrying out its own economic activities on this site that the economic potential made by the government on the development of this site could be realized."

"We are not spared from this global crisis and if current trends continue, well before the middle of this century NCDs will be responsible for more than three-quarters of the deaths in the country."