IT can help solve unemployment - Saleshando

OLIVER MODISE
Staff Writer | Thursday August 9, 2007 00:00

 

Contributing to the proposed national information and communications technology policy, Saleshando said it was sad that the IT sector had proved to be a booming industry worldwide but the country was failing to use it to tackle the country's unemployment situation.

'IT skills are roaming the streets,' he stated. Saleshando dismissed plans in the policy that seek to take information technology to the rural areas saying they will not work.
'If you cannot deliver for those at your doorstep then how are you going to deliver the goods for those far away?' asked Saleshando.

He said that he did not know how the young farmers fund was conceived because it was not solving any problem.

'Young people will take the money but they will never have the passion to do farming,' he said, further pointing out that young people will only take the money out of desperation to avoid sinking into poverty.

'The young farmers fund policy is short sighted,' he said, 'and it was a blunder that ought to be addressed urgently'.

He advised that it was about time government changed the strategy and started funding unemployed graduates to go into IT skills.

The youthful legislator reminded the house that the country had a problem with electricity.

'Just a few weeks ago, the Minister of Minerals Energy and Water Resources told the House that the policy at the ministry was to provide electricity on a cost recovery basis,' he said.

Saleshando said it was evident that many communities did not have power so they would never benefit from the government IT plans, particularly those that seek to spread to the countryside.

Lobatse MP, Nehemiah Modubule, said taking the policy to government schools seemed unrealistic because Clause 6.2.5 indicated government still had to do a review to make it attractive and affordable.

He complained that the policy appeared to be more like a vision because it was non-committal.

'A policy is a guiding document that has to show time conscience,' he said. Modubule also registered concern that the proposed electronic health system - e-health - which will be installed around the country could prove to be difficult to implement because the country did not have trained manpower in this field.

Earlier, Gaborone-West-South MP, Robert Molefhabangwe admonished Tonota South MP, Pono Moatlhodi, for being out of order after Moatlhodi mentioned that Saleshando's father, Gilson Saleshando, trained for his priesthood in Tonota.

'Madam speaker, honourable Moatlhodi is out of order for disturbing the House and talking about the senior Saleshando,' said Molefhabagwe.

He argued that there were so many senior Moathodi's and yet the house was not talking about them.

Responding to Moatlhodi's comment, the younger Saleshando said: 'If you are talking about my father, the Botswana Congress Party president, then I know that he will be here in 2009 and engaging you on these issues'.