Kgathi defends Sports Bill

Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Thursday July 10, 2014 15:24

 

The bill seeks to streamline the operations of the Department of Sports and Recreation (DSR), the Botswana Olympic Committee (BNOC) and the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC). On Tuesday, Tonota South MP, Pono Moatlhodi said in Parliament that adequate consultations were not done when drafting the bill. He said the BNOC, which is a major stakeholder had not been adequately consulted. “What this bill means is that all sporting activities will be under the ministry. And the affiliates have not been consulted,” Moatlhodi said.

But Kgathi replied by accusing Moatlhodi of misleading Parliament because the BNOC was fully consulted. He said all the BNSC affiliates have been consulted and are aware of the bill. He said the bill is intended to professionalise sports in the country and will address issues like doping which the current Botswana National Sports Council Act does not adequately provide for.

Kgathi was backed by MP for Shoshong and former football boss, Phillip Makgalemele

“When the bill came here for the first time, there was a feeling that adequate consultation was not done but at this point, I believe that has been done,” the MP said.

The bill was first brought to Parliament in December last year. In the proposed law, the minister shall appoint a board consisting of nine members to govern the Sports Commission. That board will have a chairperson, president and secretary of the BNOC and two representatives of sports associations. The two representatives will be nominated by sports associations registered with the Commission. The Commission will have representatives from the ministry responsible for sport, education and local government. There will also be a chief executive officer who shall be an ex-officio member of the board.