Private sector urged to take lead
Isaac Pinielo | Thursday September 17, 2015 16:00
Speaking at the Business Botswana annual general meeting on Tuesday, the minister of Trade and Industry, Vincent Seretse stated that it was the responsibility of the private sector to play an entrepreneurial role in the economy.
“It is for this reason that I urge and encourage you as the private sector to effectively play your leading role in diversifying the economy,” he said.
Seretse said the development of world-class businesses in special economic zones and the transformation of cooperative businesses in profitable enterprises were not within the remit of government, but the private sector.
He said while government was concerned about the huge import bill that stands at P68 billion, it was the responsibility of the private sector to find products that had volumes for a growing market demand that would allow them to set up sustainable and competitive industries that could benefit from preferential procurement policy under the Economic Diversification Drive.
He challenged the private companies to emulate the government and support one another by spending their budget locally.
“Your role in growing this economy and creating the much-needed jobs would bring tangible results which will benefit the whole country,” he said.
Seretse encouraged the private sector to play their role and leverage on this dispensation to expand their enterprises to supply the domestic market and for those who are distributors, to work closely with their counterparts in foreign countries to relocate their manufacturing plants to Botswana.
Business Botswana president, Lekwalo Mosienyane said the organisation’s engagement with the government remained robust and that focus was on the key issues that affect businesses.
He said the water and power situation was a nightmare for businesses.
“Our members continue to experience declining production capacity and increased costs of doing business,” he said. “As Business Botswana we cannot sit back when things are the way they are.”
Mosienyane also said that work and residence permits continued to be a setback in their efforts to improve competitiveness.
He said as Business Botswana they are strongly opposed to the move by the government to allow civil servants to go into business and compete with the people they are employed to facilitate.