Ngwaketse Land Board shows the way

Editor | Tuesday August 7, 2007 00:00

This situation has not only disadvantaged many Batswana but it has also harmed many development projects.  

A few number of land boards, though, have been working very hard to improve the boards' sordid public image.  That is welcome.

It was therefore with a sigh of relief that we learnt about the Ngwaketse Land Board (NLB) pioneering the launch of a website, becoming the first 'e-compliant' body of its type in the country. 

We could not agree more with Marianne Nganunu, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Communication Science and Technology when she noted that 'as Ngwaketse Land Board, you have just opened a door to a whole new world of opportunities'.

As we understand it, the NLB website will make information available and serve as a communication channel for users of land board services.  We have no doubt this will go a long way in expediting the whole development process in the Southern District.

We hope the website will have all the relevant information that includes the Tribal Land Act, outlining the procedures and related information relevant to Batswana wishing to apply for land.

It should also provide a clear and comprehensive land audit or roster in consultation with the Land Tribunal, which will map out all land in the district, its use and its distribution. 
Obviously such information will assist prospective land applicants to correlate the requisite information before submitting an application.  There are instances, whereby even land board employees are unable to clearly explain some of the procedures to the disadvantage of their clients.

We also hope the land boards will use availability of the information technology to improve their services that include timely response to queries, timely notification of applicants on scheduled meetings, and timely preparation of lease certificates and other documents.  It is also our hope that they will regularly update the website.

We take this opportunity to commend the NLB for their pioneering spirit and innovation.

                                        Today's Thought
If you create a highway, then people are going to invent cars. That's dialectics. If you create electronic superhighways, something has to happen.
                                       Nam June Paik