Botswana slides in mineral competitiveness rankings
Friday, April 29, 2022 | 1410 Views |
Losing allure: The mining industry is not only the country’s economic backbone but the biggest target of foreign direct investment
For 2021, the annual survey of mining companies was circulated to about 2,200 managers and executives around the world in companies involved in mining exploration and development. The survey received a total of 290 responses from individuals associated that reported exploration spending of $2.51 billion in 2021 and $1.79 billion in 2020.
The survey, which is eagerly anticipated by investors annually, is an attempt to assess how mineral endowments and public policy factors such as taxation and regulatory uncertainty affect exploration investment.
That a single private law firm pocketed P6.5 million for just four cases, out of a total P11.1 million paid for 25 matters, reeks of a system that was not merely disorganised but open to abuse.Bayford has taken a welcome first step by telling the Public Accounts Committee the truth. Now he must act decisively to ensure it never happens again and that any money lost to wrongdoing is recovered.The figures are staggering. Whilst ordinary Batswana...