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Businesses use P250m of COVID-19 credit scheme

On the mend: Tourism enterprises were amongst the leading beneficiaries of the loan guarantee scheme PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES
On the mend: Tourism enterprises were amongst the leading beneficiaries of the loan guarantee scheme PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES

Botswana Export Credit Insurance (BECI) has underwritten just P250 million in loans under the P1 billion credit guarantee scheme launched two years ago, as the government-backed arrangement comes to an end this month.

The scheme was launched as part of a range of government’s COVID-19 interventions aimed at helping businesses out of the pandemic.

The scheme aimed to encourage bank lending to qualifying businesses by offering a partial government guarantee of 80% to commercial banks and banks established by legislation. The banks would cover the remainder of 20% of the risk of the financial facility.

Editor's Comment
Micro-procurement maze demands urgent reform

Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...

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