Unity talks now - Saleshando

TSHIRELETSO MOTLOGELWA
Staff Writer | Tuesday July 27, 2010 00:00

 

Saleshando said his party is ready to engage other parties in the talks with immediate effect. The newly elected BCP president was addressing a press conference to introduce the party's executive at the Botswana National Productivity Center in Gaborone yesterday.

Saleshando said his party prefers to dispense with the matter of negotiations before they proceed with campaigning. 'We do not want to be bogged down in negotiations on the eve of the general elections. So we would prefer for the negotiations to commence as soon as the Tonota by-election matter is finalised,' explained Saleshando.

The Gaborone MP further revealed that although they approached the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), the Botswana National Front (BNF) and the Botswana People's Party (BPP) with the view of cooperating in the Tonota by-election, the only official communication they have received is from the BMD. 'We have not yet received any communication from either the BNF or the BPP, but we are confident that by the end of this week this matter would have been finalised,' added Saleshando.

On other matters the BCP revealed that in the forthcoming Parliament they will concentrate on drafting laws to table before Parliament in order to show the public what type of policy a BCP government would pursue.

Furthermore he said that while the party has been successful in putting matters of civil liberty and threat to democracy under the spotlight, they had not provided the same to the economic threats that this country is under.

'We are giving economic matters more attention in order to show how the BDP government has failed in this regard.

The party will lead a public debate on the need to reconsider our economic model and refine its policies to address the challenges we face. Issues of job creation, equitable distribution of wealth as well as citizen economic empowerment will be the main concern for the BCP,' he said. 

The executive members of the party are Lepetu Setshwaelo (vice-president), Batisani Maswibilili (chairperson), Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang (secretary general), Motsei Rapelana (deputy SG), Dennis Alexander (treasurer) and Taolo Lucas (information and publicity secretary).