Change mindset to improve work ethic - BNPC

KEIKANTSE LESEMELA
Correspondent | Thursday August 22, 2013 00:00

 

Discussing the country's economic competitiveness with the media Tuesday, BNPC information and research service manager Phumzile Thobokwe said, 'We need to change our mindset and ensure that we produce quality products and services'.Thobokwe said the BNPC will come up with sustainable strategies to help Botswana's private sector achieve sustainable world-class performance through the application of productivity and quality best practices.

The Global Competitiveness Report for 2012-2013 states that for the fifth consecutive year, businessmen regard poor work ethic in the national labour force, as the most problematic factor for doing business in the country.  The ease of starting a business also remains a major concern as the 10 procedures (which take 61 days) required give the country an unfavourable position internationally. This has resulted in rankings above the 100 mark. Other factors that continue to pull the country down in its competitiveness ranking are technological readiness (ranked 106th), market size (ranked 97th) and business sophistication (ranked 95th).Other factors identified as the most problematic for doing business in the country include access to finance, inadequately educated workforce, inefficient government bureaucracy and restrictive labour regulations. The report states that although Botswana has been improving since last year, its macroeconomic environment remains of some concern as it is ranked 81st this year. However, Botswana's primary weaknesses continue to be related to its human resources base. Education enrolment rates at all levels remain low by international standards and the quality of the educational system receives mediocre marks.'The rates of disease in the country remain very high and health outcomes are poor despite improvements in fighting malaria and reducing infant mortality,' states the report.

In terms of the goods market efficiency pillar, Botswana is ranked 78th owing to competitive tax rates and agriculture policies. Botswana is ranked 21st in the government spending indicator and 15th worldwide in efficiency of legal framework in challenging regulations. The country was also ranked 22nd worldwide in the public trust in politicians indicator and 31st of 144 countries in the (non) diversion of public funds category. Botswana also performed well in the labour market efficiency pillar, scoring highly for professional management, (lack of) brain drain and the ratio of women in the labour force. The country's poorest performances were in health and primary education, technological readiness, market size, business sophistication and higher education and training.The Cabinet-committee led initiative to push up the country's competitiveness has identified several trouble spots, which are being cleared through a variety of initiatives involving both public and private sector leaders.