"The Francistown City Council has the responsibility to service the land by providing access roads, water and electricity to make it easy for investors to set up their plants here," said Billy. He added that many programmes have been put in place to make Francistown attractive to investors. Billy said they are interested in industrial investors who can absorb many unemployed people. He stated that the FCC continues to partner with countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa and Belgium to lure investors. "Partnering helps the FCC to learn useful things from cities in these countries so that we can develop Francistown better." Billy said that at the FCC High Level Consultative Committee (HLCC), which he chairs, they always discuss how to bring investors to Francistown. The HLCC reports directly to President Festus Mogae.

Billy emphasised that Francistown has potential because of abundant land that can be used by investors to set up industrial workshops. However, he lamented that one of the major disadvantages that make investors reluctant to invest in Botswana is the small population. "Our population is very small and this always does not work for us when we talk to investors even though we have a stable economy and a peaceful country," he said.

Chairman of the Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) Iqbal Ebrahim told Monitor that in order to get investors, there is need to streamline procedures.

Ebrahim explained that currently, it is difficult for investors to get the necessary papers during their stay in Botswana and this proves very difficult for them as efficiency is slowed down.

"We have to change our way of thinking and the regulative bureaucratic procedures will not do us any good. We have to realise that we are competing with the rest of the world therefore unless our regulations become welcoming, nobody will be interested in coming here," said Ebrahim.

He explained that being a peaceful and democratic country would not get Botswana what it wants and regulations need to be streamlined. He said Botswana need to embrace investors and make the overall environment for investment more friendlier.

BOCCIM spokesman Tebogo Rapitsenyane said that they are always on the look-out for investors to come to Francistown.

He pointed out that BOCCIM hosts major events in Francistown to make investors aware of the strengths of the city. The annual Northern Trade Fair and the biennial National Business Conference (NBC) are some of the events organised by BOCCIM to promote Francistown.

"The National Business Conference attracts external presenters and resource persons from outside the region who mostly are decision makers. These people have the power to influence and bring big business in Francistown," said Rapitsenyane.

He expressed disappointment in the Northern Trade Fair, which he said has not really matured to the level that they want it to be. He said they aim to see six to eight countries participating in the fair.