How the ministers fared
The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allocation of State Land in Gaborone has passed verdict on how the different individuals who have headed the lands ministry executed their duties.

Who will be nominated
Gender and youth. These will be the guiding principles when, later in the year - after the general elections to be exact - President Festus Mogae decides the four nominated Members of Parliament.

SADC’s food security situation improving
THE southern African region is steadily recovering from food shortages experienced over the last couple of seasons. Cereal production has surpassed that of the 2002/03 crop season by 10 percent. According to information released by senior officials of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) during technical meetings in Grand Baie, Mauritius, just over five million people may still need humanitarian assistance during the 2004/05 season.

Youth ignorant about Youth Parliament
IT has transpired that many young people do not know about the recently launched Youth Parliament. The majority of young people interviewed by Mmegi in Gaborone expressed complete ignorance about the Parliament and its functions. Others even dismissed it as a side-show and a ploy to entice the youth into thinking “government cares for them, when it does not”. Phoneshop assistant, Basitli Gaebape, admits that she has never heard of the Parliament, let alone its intricacies.

Miracles and wonders
“Ngaka ya Setswana go tswa Malawi.” The inscription, which is now commonplace, lays testimony to the influx of traditional doctors from neighbouring countries who daily bombard locals with flyers and adverts marketing their spiritual miracles and medical wonders.

Shanganani CJSS gives to the poor
TEACHERS and students at Shanganani have responded to the Vision 2016’s clarion call to Batswana to be “a compassionate, just and caring nation”, by giving to the poor through their Remember And Give (RAG) club. Shanganani is a Community Junior Secondary School in Tsamaya in the North East District. The school held an awards ceremony recently to give donations to children of the needy.

A call for assertive culture
A University of Botswana lecturer, Log Raditlhokwa has called for a culture that promotes political assertiveness. He said this when presenting on ‘Culture and Political Participation’ at a seminar based on the Human Development Report (HDR) 2004 at the beginning of the week. The theme of the report is ‘Cultural liberty in today’s diverse world.’ He said in a system where people are not empowered, electorate votes can be bought. Raditlhokwa said for people to demand change, they needed to actively participate in politics. “If people stop demanding handouts, they would stop voting for the ruling party,” he said.