Khama invites unions for talks

Onalenna Kelebeile | Thursday December 4, 2014 11:37

Opening Botswana Public Employees Union’s (BOPEU) convention in Palapye on Tuesday, Khama said he is ready to grant the labour movement a hearing.

 “We do not have to wait for the bargaining council to meet for us to address our concerns because I get a feeling that some of the people who sit in the council have negative agendas. Your executive committee can always meet with us before going to the bargaining council,” he said.

Khama said the Directorate of Public Service Management has a new director and a new minister and they must turn a new leaf in dealing with union issues and the public service in general. He said lack of understanding or negative agendas may be affecting the work of the bargaining council and causing stalemates. He emphasised the need to prevent conflicts in the workplace and upholding constructive relations to enhance productivity. He encouraged civil servants to guard against corruption, red tape and negative agendas.

The President was happy that despite the challenges, the Botswana public service remains the best in the continent. “Let us sacrifice and be flexible to carry our country forward in order to raise a globally competitive public service. The public is not happy with the quality of service you give them hence there is need to double our efforts,” he said.

Khama is happy that the country has a politically non-aligned public service but he regretted that some civil servants are drifting away from their mandate to pursue political agendas. “The country needs public service not political service. Our duty is to serve the nation against political affiliations. We cannot afford to have a politically aligned public service. This would paralyse you and compromise peace and stability. Politicians bring unrealistic and unaffordable demands,” he said.

Khama stated that the demand for a 16 percent increase in the middle of an economic recession was  unaffordable. He said when negotiations were still ongoing about the increment, some people went back to union members and incited them. “If government cannot satisfy you, it does not mean that she does not care about you. I assure you that I will take care of you,” he said. 

Khama stated that Botswana is not a rich country and the national budget stands at a paltry P48 billion this year. He said the development indicators show that 43 percent of the budget goes to the public service wage bill that constitutes only five percent of the population.

He said despite this, government cannot allow the wage bill to undermine the capacity to develop the country. “We are going to construct another power station and carry out maintenance on the old plant at Morupule Power Station at a cost of around P11 billion. We also need P6.6 billion to supply water to the southern parts of the country from the north. We are expected to spend about P1.7 billion in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” he said.

Khama said despite the budget constraints, government has a P14 billion loan from the World Bank that has to be cleared through P800 million annual payments. “Everybody wants increased salaries including politicians. I have told politicians that political office is Tirelo Sechaba so they should not become MPs and ministers hoping to become rich. If they want to become rich, they must run their own businesses,” he added. BOPEU deputy president, Sikalame Seitiso thanked Khama for inviting unions to discuss issues of concern. He said the unions will honour the invite as they know that engaging each other is the only remedy to the current impasse between government and workers. He said they are hopeful that the newly appointed DPSM chief and minister will deliver and understand that trade unions are not enemies but social partners in the development of any country.