Workers decry slow localisation in tourism
Boniface Keakabetse | Thursday August 25, 2016 14:44
The outspoken founding Chairman of Botswana Guides Association, Kenson Kgaga said the industry is still dominated by expatriates while deserving Batswana have been relegated to junior positions.
Batshu also heard that there is a serious problem of graduates facing unemployment in the tourism sector because a lot of the positions are filled by expatriates.
Kgaga said the expatriates are buoyed by foreign owners who make it difficult for Batswana to enter the industry. He further stated that there are underhanded tactics employed by some companies where junior white managers assisting local senior managers are paid higher wages than their local superiors.
Chief Executive Officer of Hotel and Tourism Association of Botswana, Lily Rakorong however pleaded with Batshu to help the tourism sector hire experienced expatriate pilots as Batswana ones in the market are not well experienced and lack flying time.
Rakorong’s request comes after the Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana partnered to encourage commercial airlines to hire Batswana pilots.
In 2015, government sponsored 50 aviation students in an effort to achieve enough supply of pilots in Botswana, but they face shortage of employment.
Rakorong stated that a lot of Batswana pilots in the market lack the experience and flight time required for the sensitive employment in the tourism scenic flights operations. In response, Batshu admitted that experience and tourist safety should not be compromised in the name of creating employment. He explained that his ministry has been informed that there is oversupply of Batswana pilots. Batshu appealed with Safari air charters to hire local pilots for them to get the desired experience.
He explained that in an event where a position is not a scarce skill in Botswana, his ministry will not easily grant work and residence permits for expatriate workers.
Meanwhile, Wilderness Safaris managing director, Grant Woodrow complained about long queues of tourists at the immigration counter due to shortage of immigration staff at the Maun International airport.
He said while government had invested on the airport expansion, Batshu’s Ministry needs to look into beefing its manpower at the airport to maximise efficiency.
In response Batshu explained there is a provision that when there are long queues at the airport, extra staff has to be sent from immigration offices in Maun. He said, however, he will enquire with the Maun staff why tourists are subjected to the torture of long queues.
Further, Batshu also explained that his ministry will amend the Immigration Act to give what he called ‘serious investors’ immediate residence permits without taking them through lengthy verification processes.
He said this is done to encourage investment in Botswana as lengthy immigration policies have been found to be one of the contributing factors discouraging foreign investment. Batshu also promised that his ministry will expedite processing of work permits within the stipulated 14 days to avoid any delays.