Tshekedi joins Khama
BAME PIET
Staff Writer
| Tuesday July 29, 2008 00:00
Speaking to the press shortly threafter, the younger Khama said he supports the reduction of trading hours for liquor outlets as set out by his older brother.
At a time when global trends are for shorter working or flexi hours, the one half of twin brothers said Botswana's short working hours could be the reason for the country's high levels of alcohol consumption.
He vowed to support anything that would curtail alcohol consumption, and added his own 'prescription' to his older brother's steep surcharge as a possible panacea for the national affliction of drunkenness - longer working hours: 'Anything that curbs consumption of alcohol is perfect.'
The latest Khama to join a legion of forebears and contemporaries in the National Assembly told reporters that he had toured his constituency and had decided that - not unlike his elder bother - youth development was going to be his priority.
'I will do my best to carry out what the country wants to achieve,' he said.
Like his elder brother before, Tshekedi becomes a lawmaker after running unopposed in a constituency vacated when the older Khama became President. His first cousin, Dikgakgamatso Seretse, is the Minister of Justice, Defence Security.
Dikgakgamatso is the son of cousins the late Lenyeletse and Naledi Seretse, whose mother was the sister of the late Seretse Khama, the founding President of Botswana.
In immediately pronouncing himself to be in support of his elder brother's anti-alcohol crusade, Tshekedi's gesture is a superfluity because from the evidence of the past four months, no-one in Cabinet or Parliament will contradict President Khama on any matter.
Meanwhile, six Bills were tabled yesterday for the Winter session, which is expected to run for three or four weeks.
The Minister of Local Government Margaret Nasha tabled the Local Authorities Procurement and Asset Disposal Bill, 2008 (No. 11 of 2008) by which the government wants to provide for the appointment of procuring and disposal committees, the establishment of a Competent Authority to monitor procurement processes and for the procurement of works, supplies and services for the disposal of public assets by local authorities.
The Minister of Trade and Industry tabled the Small Businesses (Amendment) Bill (Bill No. 13 of 2008) with which he intends to amend the Small Businesses Act.
The Sir Seretse Khama International Airport Upgrading and Expansion Project (Loan Ratification) Bill was tabled by the Assistant Minister for Finance and Development Planning Guma Moyo.
It seeks to ratify an agreement between the Government of Botswana and Vienna-based OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) in order to obtain a loan from OFID for the upgrading and expansion of Botswana's only international airport.
Minister Moyo tabled another version of this Bill that will seek to ratify an agreement between the Government of Botswana and Sudan-based Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for the part-financing of the upgrading and expansion of Sir Seretse Khama International Airport.