How long will this go on?

Mmegi Editor | Friday April 7, 2017 11:04

The forum is prescribed in the law, as are its duties. The Public Service Act further prescribes its composition and how often it should meet.

This is a forum that should reach a consensus on the working conditions of service for civil servants irrespective of the differences of views held by the members participating in the talks.

Negotiations are a long process that requires cool heads, patience and compromise.

Most importantly, negotiations require the parties to respect each other and be willing to sit around the table for the common goal of ensuring that working conditions of civil servants are improved.

However, what we have witnessed in recent years is a clear sign of how the government of President Ian Khama has no respect for anybody, but members of its inner circle.

How on earth, after so many court cases that the government has lost, does a small group of individuals resolve to ignore the law, and judgments and prefer to go the same route that the courts have declared unlawful?

The answer is clearly found in the way the President has treated institutions that established this republic especially those that entertain debate.

Look at how the President has chosen to ignore the National Assembly rules in expenditure of public funds, among other things. Billions of pula had been lost due to reckless spending by the President on projects that were never debated in Parliament.

This attitude has trickled down to senior government officials who have now adopted strange position to view legally recognised institutions as nonentities that should not have a say in the affairs of the country, hence the unilateral decision to effect a salary increment.

This is embarrassing to a country that is constantly praised by bogus international institutions whose credentials and reputations are suspect. 

The last week’s unilateral decision and announcement of the four percent salary increment is a sign of disregard for the law that established the bargaining council, as well as disrespect for the court that has declared as unlawful the previous salary adjustments.

We call on all involved to desist from disrespecting court decisions and the law and to lead by example in abiding by the law. Perhaps they should resign if they still have respect for oneself and if they want to protect their reputations.

This cannot go on forever and criminal charges should be instituted against the culprits.

Today’s thought

'Commitment to the rule of law provides a basic assurance that people can know what to expect whether what they do is popular or unpopular at the time.' 

- Sandra Day O’Connor