Reatile calls for equitable development distribution

GABORONE - The Ministry of Trade and Industry has been criticised for failing to establish industries in towns and villages.
Contributing to the debate on the proposed budget allocation for the Ministry of Trade and Industry on Tuesday, Mr Mephato Reatile said the ministry is concentrating its efforts on urban areas such as Gaborone, Francistown, Palapye and Selibe-Phikwe to a lesser extent.
He said mining towns such as Jwaneng, Orapa and Letlhakane are turning into ghost towns in the wake of the global economic recession.
The Ngwaketse West MP accused the ministry of concentrating on regulating liquor outlet.
He called for a more equitable distribution of developments around the country.
The MP also criticised the ministry for engaging too many consulting firms to do obvious studies.
He gave the example of squatting in Gaborone, saying it is caused by the lack of industries in other towns such as Jwaneng.
For her part, Mahalapye East MP, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso complained about the over dependence of the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) on the South African Bureau of Standard (SABS) values.
She said South Africa is Botswana's economic competitor and that services from the SABS may be designed to give South African produced goods an edge over local products.
Ms Tshireletso also complained about the entry of sub standard goods into the country, asking what BOBS is doing about it.
The Mahalapye East MP also complained about the abuse that many Batswana working for foreign firms are often subjected to. She urged the government to revoke the license of any business that abuses locals.
Another contributor, Kgatleng West MP, Mr Rakwadi Modipane urged the trade and industry ministry to collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure that industries are established in rural areas.
He said industrial sites in places such as Mochudi lie idle.
Mr Modipane also complained about the withdrawal of important institutions such as the National Development Bank and CEDA from Mochudi.
He appealed to the trade and industry minister not to relocate the office of the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) from Mochudi.
Another MP, Mr Slumber Tsogwane of Boteti North, said the industrialisation of the country is long overdue.
He also urged the government to establish cottage industries, saying they are less costly than conventional ones.
Mr Tsogwane also complained about the high utility costs.
He said the industrialisation of any nation can never be achieved with high utility costs.
He pleaded with the government to find a strategy to reduce the cost of utilities.BOPA