Deficit reaches P2.4bn at fiscal year halfway point
Friday, December 06, 2019
Finance and Economic Development ministry statistics published by the Bank of Botswana this week show that while the first quarter of 2019/20 enjoyed a P2.2 billion surplus, the second quarter sank to a P4.5 billion shortfall, resulting in the cumulative deficit of P2.4 billion.
The numbers indicate that over the two quarters, revenues amounted to P30.5 billion while expenditure reached P32.9 billion. The game changer between the quarters was a once-off P4.3 billion windfall received by government from the central bank as residual income in April 2019 which helped the first quarter to a surplus.
With both sides entrenched in legal battles and public spats, the risk to public health, trust in institutions, and the welfare of doctors grows by the day. It's time for cooler heads to prevail. The government and BDU must return to the negotiating table, not with threats, but with a shared commitment to resolve this crisis fairly and urgently.At the heart of this dispute lies a simple truth: doctors aren't just employees but guardians...