CA seeks to tighten screws on cartels
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Currently, bid-rigging is not a criminal conduct under Botswana laws, according to Duncan Morotsi, director of legal and enforcement. Giving a presentation at the national bid-rigging workshop that was held in Gaborone on Tuesday, he said the law should be amended to punish those officials found to be engaged in aiding or abetting the conduct.
Morotsi noted that the Competition Act prohibits horizontal agreements, directly or indirectly fixing a purchasing or selling price or dividing markets by allocating customers, suppliers territories or specific type of goods. It also prohibits bid-rigging, which the director described as “hardcore cartel behaviour”.
While the political shift brings hope for change, it also places immense pressure on the new administration to deliver on its election promises in the face of serious economic challenges.On another level, newly appointed Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe’s grim assessment of the country’s finances adds urgency to the moment. The budget deficit, expected to be P8.7 billion, is now anticipated to be even higher due to underperforming diamond...