We will not be spectators - Kekgonegile

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Thursday January 27, 2011 00:00

 

Goretetse Kekgonegile was speaking at a press briefing yesterday at the Gaborone City Council conference room held to introduce the newly elected national executive committee.   He revealed that there have been queries from government that the union should not be involved in politics.  'Politics is part and parcel of the country and what concerns us as Batswana will force us to have a say in that,' he said.   He pointed out that at the moment there are good relations between the employer and the unions.  One wonders if the good relations are of advantage to any party, he said.

'Jobs have been casualised in the form of obviously the Ipelegeng Programme which is going to result in the poor working force in the country.  We are calling for government to increase permanent and pensionable jobs so that the employees have benefits that they can use to improve their lives,' he said. Kekgonegile indicated that BLLAWU is calling for a constitutional review and the direct election of the president, for the ordinary Motswana to have ownership of the government that is in power and give legitimacy to the president.

It is common knowledge that Botswana's constitution is a carbon copy of the British constitution, he said adding that it is time that the constitution is reviewed and re-worded to the country's situation.  He stated that employees in Local Government are worried about their job security as more and more sectors, as seen from the health and decision-making, are being transferred to the Central Government.  'Local Government should be the fourth arm of the government because it is very close to the livelihood of Batswana,' he said.