Scrape-off scrap-yards

| Wednesday March 7, 2007 00:00

I believe time has come for hard hit parastatals (Botswana Railways, Botswana Telecommunications Corporation, Water Utilities Corporation, Botswana Housing Corporation, Water Affairs Department, Mobile /cellular companies) to negotiate with the government and those responsible for the environment to stop operations of scrap dealers in this country.

The public is aware of the fact that government is losing millions of pulas due to this escalating crime. Batswana are losing their property every day due to vandalism and theft hence a quick response is necessary  as this is a national crisis since nobody in this country should be denied access to communicate with friends and family, access to reliable supply of clean water, access to electricity supply, access to rail transport just because criminals enjoy their game at the expense of the innocent.

It is a pity because some locals connive with these criminals to commit such activities. Our soldiers and special support groups (SSG) need to go out and curb the escalating crime. We have BDF camps throughout this country and most of them are not far from major villages and towns yet we still cannot have 24 hours night patrols. We need to put money (national budget)aside for patrols since crime is increasing everyday. Criminals have found loop holes in the security hence they do as they wish. We need to allocate money for patrols and stop and search operations, otherwise Vision 2016 ideals will remain a pipe dream.

Scrap yards are not working for us and we now need to do something. Window frames are removed from houses under construction only to be sold to these dealers as scrap metals.

If we cannot stop scrap metals we should think of another alternative , allowing government to open scrap yards throughout the country and close private ones as the private dealers are giving us a raw deal. We cannot pretend that nothing is happening because of false national empowerment. 

Man-man OB. Goepamang
PALAPYE