EU commits to S/Phikwe dev.

SELIBE PHIKWE - The European Union (EU) representative based in Selibe Phikwe, Mr Stephen Jones says the European Commission (EC) has had a role to play and remains a committed player in the development of the town for the last 17 years.
Mr Jones, who was speaking at an occasion to celebrate the cleanest ward in the town said a case in point was a grant of 30 million which was aimed at assisting BCL and Tati mines to continue operating in order for diversification to firm up in the mining sector and to provide a strong foundation for economic diversification in Selibe Phikwe itself.
He said the EC through the Selibe Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit, has committed funds totaling around P4 million for the development of small-scale projects aimed at advancing the town of Selibe Phikwe.
These projects would accommodate the activities geared at keeping the town clean, improving waste management and encouraging waste recycling.
Further, other projects to be roped under the same programme would be those aimed at improving the quality of life such as recreational and health care facilities in the interest of the community.Commenting on the upkeep of the town and the country in general, Mr Jones noted that government through the Waste Management Act of 1998 has afforded powers to the law enforcement agencies to deal with environmental offenders.
He hailed the local retailers for having introduced measures adopted by the government to charge a fee in relation to the use of plastic bags. The results of this policy were quite evident, he said adding that the policy definitely yielded positive results in environmental terms.
Mr Jones said the initiatives of some private organizations for a clean up campaign were commendable but more companies need to follow suit to ensure the attainment of a more comprehensive strategy in this regard.
He reminded the people of the importance of a clean environment emphasizing greater stakeholders involvement in environmental issues. Having won the title of the cleanest town contest twice in the recent past, Mr Jones said this was proof of what could be done for the towns environmental health even though the nagging problem of littering bedeviling all towns is still a major challenge.
For his part, Education Assistant Minister and Member of Parliament for Selibe Phikwe West, Mr Kavis Kario said the inclusion of school children for this initiative was a step in the right direction as this spreads the message of awareness to them at an early stage. The participation of school children at the community level would help mould them into responsible citizens, a commendable effort indeed, stated Mr Kario.
Mr Kario applauded the EC for its support of the Selibe Phikwe town, saying the part played by the commission was indeed something to be proud of. The Botshabelo North Ward emerged overall winner of the cleanest ward. The event was an initiative of the Selibe Phikwe Town Council and the Multi Anti-Litter Committee (MALC) and the community at large.