Do we need their faces anymore?
The Bank of Botswana (BoB) has announced plans to withdraw P1, P2 and P5 notes from circulation with effect from 1 July 2006 after the introduction of coin equivalents. BoB say this is necessitated by the high use of the three denomination banknotes, which tended to shorten their lifespan, resulting in frequent replenishment at significant cost. Following the announcement, Mmegi Staffer, BAME PIET revisits the issue of portraits on the national currency.

Two show interest in BNF Women's League presidency
The Botswana National Front (BNF) Women's League president Gagolepe Nthebolang is set to face a challenge from Gaborone politician Rhoda Sekgororoane.

Mascom donates to children
Mascom Wireless yesterday donated P700,000 to UNICEF for the protection and support of orphans and vulnerable children. Mascom chief executive officer Jose Ferreira said that although the government and its partners has registered 53,200 orphans who receive material and psycho-social support, the reality is that there are still many who are not supported.

Medswana consolidates pharmacies
As pharmacies find themselves in declining sales and strong competition from larger retail outlets, Medswana has identified and consolidated 49 pharmacies, the general manager Johan Moolman said on Wednesday.

Intervene in Zimbabwe - Ditshwanelo tells SADC
The Zimbabwean crisis can no longer be treated as a domestic issue, the director of Ditshwanelo Alice Mogwe, said on Wednesday. Speaking at a church service in Gaborone, which was conducted in solidarity with victims of the Zimbabwean crisis, Mogwe called on Southern African Development Community (SADC) governments to intervene.

BTU laments ministries' shared roles
Botswana Teachers' Union (BTU) has lamented that shared roles between the ministries of Local Government and Education creates problems for primary education. Speaking at a press briefing on Child Labour Day, BTU publicity secretary Canie Kwante said the shared roles makes planning for primary education difficult. This is because officials from the two ministries often abdicate their responsibilities with the hope that those in the other ministry will take them up but in vain.

Private schools quick on registration
Private tertiary institutions have responded quickly to a call by the Tertiary Education Council (TEC) to register.

I hope you did not dream about me - judge
FRANCISTOWN: Justice Thomas Masuku was in a good mood when he jokingly expressed hope that an appellant did not have a bad dream about him. "I read in the case record that you had a bad dream about the magistrate and wanted him to recuse himself from the case," he told Thabani Moyo who answered in the affirmative.