Happy Independence!

The Monitor Editor | Tuesday September 27, 2022 13:34

We are 56 years old and what do we have to show for it? Looking at where Botswana started and where it is today, there are a lot of developments, but whether the developments match the number of years we have enjoyed as a country is a topic for another day.

The fact that cannot be denied is we have seen major developments, but we are still lacking in several pertinent areas.

Our beautiful country imports almost everything. We import fuel, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery, electric equipment, and vehicles just to name but a few. And what do we export to other countries? Our biggest commodity is diamonds, so do we export beef, textile, and of course copper and nickel, and of recent a little bit of electricity! Our economy is still mostly dependent on diamonds, and that has remained so for the longest time.

Yes, we do have our success stories and have enjoyed praises, especially compared to some of our counterparts in the African continent. Diamonds have indeed been our pillar of strength, but did we as a country become too complacent and take that as enough and not have to be innovative and come up with other ways of growing our economy?

Government has been trying to come up with initiatives to diversify the economy, but something usually goes wrong somewhere between the planning stage and implementation stage. Yes, we are placed in the upper middle-income category, but issues on the ground tell a different story. Batswana are suffering and a time like this is a time when people should be celebrating, but most find themselves not knowing what they are 'really' celebrating.

The effects of COVID-19 are felt by both the rich and poor, prices of everything have shot up, many people have lost their jobs, and more and more families go to bed hungry. We need to go back to the crossroads as a country and start taking ourselves seriously.

Government decided to ban vegetable importation, a decision which was very painful for consumers, but a step in the right direction because right now we are beginning to see that indeed our farmers have the capability to produce and supply the country with vegetables.

While we go out to celebrate our Independence, let's also introspect and affirm to become active participants in the building of our country. Let's all stand together as a nation! The Monitor takes this opportunity to wish all Batswana a Happy Independence Day! Let us enjoy it responsibly.