Air Botswana seeks management company

TSHIRELETSO MOTLOGELWA
Staff Writer | Friday November 30, 2007 00:00

This follows hot on the heels of the collapse of the privatization exercise of the parastatal.

A few months ago the Minister for Works and Transport Lesego Motsumi announced the suspension of the privatization exercise after a drama-filled period during which parliament and cabinet clashed over the legality of the exercise. Government subsequently indicated it would engage a management company to run the embattled parastatal.

In an advert circulated in the local media AB calls for submissions from management companies, 'to revitalize and restructure AB with a view to brining about a sustainable improvement in its performance and to prepare AB for eventual privatization by making it attractive for investment by a reputable strategic equity partner'.

The initial mandate of the new management would be to - install a new AB executive management team and ...implement a fleet restoration plan to quickly replace the airline  with more suitable aircraft. The major long-term objectives are stated as the operating of AB in accordance with international standards in all the areas, implementation of a program to overhaul the airline's ATR aircraft and the preparation of the staff for eventual privatization.

Plans to privatize the airline remain top of the priorities as the advert indicates that one of the roles of the new management would be to prepare the workers for downsizing the workforce and working on a retrenchment packages for them while attracting a 'strategic partner', for privatization.