Commuters Complain Of High Combi Fare Hike
President Festus Mogae has successfully managed to bring the Botswana Mining Workers Union (BMWU) and Debswana management to the negotiation table. Last week, Mogae held a series of meetings with the two parties, which are quarreling over an increase of workers’ allowances and salaries.

GCC Anti-Polio Drive Cost P164,000
A total grant of P164 000 from the Family Health Division and World Health Organisation was used in the Gaborone polio campaigns, preparations and training. Public Health Specialist for Gaborone City Council, Dr Deonatus Malanguka said this at a polio evaluation meeting last week. He said they were able to immunise 16 750 (108%) children in the first round and 16 989 (109%) in the second round, exceeding their expected target. “We did our best to capture all eligible children,” he said.

The Experiences Of A Peace Corp In Ghanzi
Thirty-seven year old Matthew Onega was part of the first group of Peace Corps volunteers to return to Botswana in 2003. The Peace Corps had not had a program in Botswana since 1997. But they returned at the request of President Festus Mogae to join Botswana’s fight against HIV/AIDS. All of the 46 Peace Corps volunteers now in Botswana are engaged in efforts to fight HIV/AIDS.

SADC Develops New Strategy To Tackle HIV/AIDS
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is mapping out strategies to strengthen its response to HIV/AIDS through the development of a five year regional Business Plan for HIV/AIDS. The Business Plan is an instrument for the operationalisation of the Maseru Declaration on HIV/ AIDS and the SADC HIV/AIDS Framework, which spells out a common vision in the fight against the epidemic.

What Others Say On Election Of IEC Members
Raping democracy and perverting justice are some of the terms that have been used to describe the controversial decision taken by the Office of the President to select members of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) despite the absence of major opposition parties. “Such an act is a draw back in democratic dispensation. Botswana Labour Party and MELS are minnows that cannot claim to represent the interests of opposition parties. They have committed a democratic injustice and should be ashamed of themselves,” a member of public who preferred to remain anonymous told Monitor.