Stats Bots looking for new �Generals�
Bame Piet | Thursday September 21, 2017 16:05
At this point, it is not clear whether the duo’s contracts will be renewed or whether they would be engaged as consultants.
“The SG, Deputy Statistician Generals and Directors are recruited on five-year contracts. The SG was appointed on December 1, 2012 and her contract therefore ends on November 30, 2017,” says a response from Statistics Botswana.
Majelantle has worked in the statistics field for 35 years. She joined the then Central Statistics Office in 1982 and moved through different ranks, including heading Health Statistics Unit before being appointed to a managerial position as principal statistician in charge of Health and Education Statistics. She then moved through the ranks and was appointed to the deputy director position, by then called chief statistician.
“Consideration for filling the posts will be made to Batswana, followed by members from the SADC region, then international applicants. The two positions are expected to be filled in January 2018,” the public relations office said.
Majelantle led the transformation process of Statistics Botswana and her efforts resulted in passing the Statistics Act in 2009, which ultimately gave birth to the parastatal that is Statistics Botswana. She was appointed SG on December 1, 2012.
Majelantle is an expert in the formulation of statistical strategies and policies. She guides and directs the execution of systematic collection, processing, analysis, interpretation, storage and dissemination of official statistics covering population and housing censuses, social statistics and demographic data, macro economic statistics, environment and agriculture statistics as well as business and household surveys.
She serves as a member of several high-level national committees and forums such as Annual United Nations Statistical Commission in the United States and the Annual Southern African Development Community Statistical Committee.
“She is a member of several other African statistical committees and uses this exposure to ensure that Botswana adheres to international statistical standards and best practices. She is also a Member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Board of Directors”
Buthali started his career as an assistant statistical officer with the then Central Statistics Office (CSO) in 1981. He rose through the ranks and was appointed to a managerial position, principal statistician in charge of censuses and surveys before his resignation in 2004.
He worked for Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) as information and research services department manager from 2004 to 2009. “Buthali has also worked as national census coordinator for UNFPA, as a consultant to Botswana government, where he was responsible for the coordination and overall management of the 2011 Botswana Population and Housing Census. He then joined Statistics Botswana in 2012 as deputy statistician general (statistical and technical operations).
A consulting firm has been contracted by Statistics Botswana to recruit for these two positions. The organisation further said that preference would be given to Batswana and citizens of the SADC region.
Statistics Botswana came under heavy criticism recently when it announced that unemployment has dropped. It emerged that government programmes such as poverty eradication and Ipelegeng were accounted as job creation. The organisation defended itself saying any form of income generating activity is regarded as employment in international practice.