Mokaila Defends 2010 FIASCO

BAME PIET
Staff Writer | Monday July 26, 2010 00:00

 

He was commenting on a motion tabled two weeks ago by the Leader of the Opposition and MP for Gaborone West Sout, Botsalo Ntuane, who wants the government to institute a Commission of Enquiry to determine why, despite massive investment of public money into a variety of infrastructure projects, Botswana did not derive any meaningful benefit from the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Ntuane also wants the enquiry to apportion responsibility for the failure and recommend appropriate action. When presenting the motion two weeks ago, Ntuane called on Mokaila and his colleague at the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Culture, Shaw Kgathi, to resign immediately.

Mokaila explained that the Task Force for 2010 had come into being around 2006/07 and had engaged the services of Alexander Ross, an expert in tourism, who also gave advice on what kind of infrastructure to develop in order for the country to attract tourists.

Mokaila said the government identified roads, stadia, hotels, airports and health facilities as priority projects. Ross recommended some medical equipment usually needed for footballers, which was purchased.

Mokaila said that they also visited Germany (host of the 2006 World Cup) where they benchmarked  on how best to attract tourists. However, things changed when FIFA and South Africa came up with regulations that participating teams should only stay in the host country.

He said that even in South Africa there are hotel operators who complain that they did not benefit from the World Cup despite the heavy investment they put into their facilities prior to the tournament. He said the taskforce spent less than P1.5 million and that there was no excessive spending by the government.

The information was what other MPs insist should be shared with the Commission of Enquiry. The MP for Ramotswa, Odirile Motlhale, applauded Mokaila for sharing such important information with the House, saying there would be no prejudice suffered if that was to be shared with the Commission. 

Motlhale said that if the government wants to retain public confidence, it should set up the Commission so that everybody may know what happened. He added that the fact that some projects were fast-tracked is the reason the commission should sit because there were cost implications.

Motlhale said that cabinet ministers travelled throughout the country encouraging people to prepare for the tournament. In Ramotswa, Motlhale said, Kgathi told a kgotla meeting to start small businesses with which people could improve their lives. He said the purpose of the Commission would not be to punish anyone but to allow authorities to prepare for future major events such as the Olympic Games that South Africa wants to bid for.

The MP for Maun West, Kgosi Tawana Moremi was adamant that the country is headed towards losing tourists because of its stringent laws on entertainment. He said there was a time during the World Cup when he was enjoying himself in Maun watching one of the games with an American tourist but when the game went to extra time, they were chased out of the place because it was 2200hrs.

Moremi insisted that the new laws that 'criminalise fun' are the reason why Batswana injected P26 million into the economy of South Africa during the tournament.

While many opposition MPs supported the motion, most cabinet ministers and BDP backbenchers did not, arguing that the infrastructure is going to be used in future to benefit the country. Tawana was still holding the floor when the House adjourned on Friday.