Kenewendo gives maiden address in Parly
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday November 4, 2016 19:08
When debating the NDP 11 on Wednesday, the MP said the population structure has changed.
“We have a youth bulge which has led to the growth of the working age population from 46.9% in 2001 to 64.9% in 2011. Our dependency ratios have also changed as a result. When previously we would only focus on the ratio of those aged 0-14 and 65 to that of the working age, we now have to consider some of those among the working age as dependants too. This is as a result of the high youth unemployment in our country,” Kenewendo said.
She said young people are smart, driven and resilient; they are all looking for an opportunity to rise.
“It is not a secret that the economy both domestic and international has not performed particularly well during NDP 10. The economy has become more diversified, such that dependency on mining GDP has reduced. However there remains a strong dependency on government by the private sector,” she said.
In addition Kenewendo said job creation in both the public and private sectors has been insufficient making unemployment a huge problem and a big problem that if not attended to poses missed productivity now and in the future.
The MP said when she went through the first five chapters of the NDP 11 draft, the first thing that jumped at her was the lack of Vision 2016 review and yet the minister of finance and economic development, Kenneth Matambo mentions it in his statement.
She said according to Human Development reports by the UN as well as Consumer and Welfare surveys there has been some success in reducing poverty, but inequality remains high which is to a large extent a result of the unemployment problem.
“The most exposed households to poverty are female-headed. They only have one source of income and make up over 40% of all the households, the majority of whom live in rural Botswana,” she said.
For his part the MP for Nata/Gweta, Polson Majaga said it is time for government to consider issuing citizenship to foreigners who invest in the country.
“It’s like the government has its own foreigners whom it wants to give citizenship to and reject others. We have refugees who have businesses and had employed Batswana. Such people who are business-minded and create jobs in the country deserve to be given citizenship as well,” Majaga said.