BDP is a pathetic big brother

| Thursday March 4, 2010 00:00

Many people were shocked to hear this morning that the party caucus has decided to whittle Gaborone West South MP Botsalo Ntuane's motion calling on parliament to come up with a bill seeking a constitutional review.

The BDP caucus in less than a week has seen two progressive motions comatosed. First it was through what is clearly a deceptive move to kill MP Dumelang Saleshando's motion on the introduction of declaration of assets and liabilities bill. This time the BDP guillotine otherwise known as the caucus has killed the constitutional review motion. What is next on the agenda of this democratic aberration?

The reasons given by the BDP caucus are flimsy and outrightly nauseating. Who in this day and age will claim that a discussion to review a constitution that is without doubt out of date and inconsistent with modern democratic values is untimely? Since 1966 there has been much change touching about everything and a lot of things need to change including our constitution. Even without engaging the public that they represent, this disaffected BDP organ has the gall to say an undertaking to review the constitution is untimely.

The BDP caucus has degenerated into a pathetic big brother clearing house where all the good motions that hold promise for a democratic country are stifled to death. The Caucus, unfortunately, has become an operating table where BDP MPs are sedated with generous executive filibusting wishes.

Almost everyone has seen through the postures that the executive has now turned the BDP caucus into their unthinking attack dog which does their undemocratic bidding.

When the BDP demigods use the party caucus to hijack national debate in the national assembly, it is the public that is short-changed and in the end it is democracy that suffers.

There are of course BDP MPs that are obviously perturbed by this undemocratic adventure and we can only appeal to them to be resolute and do what is necessary even if it means breaking rank. This country is crying out for champions and this is the time for principled men and women to do what is right.

Ministry of EducationIt is a breadth of fresh air to learn that the Teaching Service Management act and the Education Code of Regulation will be reviewed. This is long overdue as teachers have over the past years been complaining that these instruments are redundant and only serving as impediments. Assistant Minister Rakhudu at a meeting with teachers pointed out that a level of operation system that disregards one's qualification in remuneration will be phased out. This has been one of the most absurd practices in the education ministry where teachers who hold the same qualifications are paid differently mainly because one is teaching at a junior school while the other is at a senior school. This certainly has to go. 

                                                                                     Today's thought

                                                            Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.

                                                                              - Benjamin Franklin