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Gov’t fiscal crunch squeezes business confidence

Slowing down: Government’s fiscal challenges are the biggest concern facing local firms PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Slowing down: Government’s fiscal challenges are the biggest concern facing local firms PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Business confidence is being hit hard by worries over slow government spending, with most firms expecting a tight operating environment through to the first half of next year, a Bank of Botswana survey has revealed.

The Business Expectations Survey (BES) for the second quarter of this found that long-term expectations of the business environment are skewed to the downside, with the main worries fuelled by the government's limping revenues and spending.

The researchers found that businesses were wary of market conditions following a series of government announcements to cut spending and halt an array of planned and budgeted expenditure.

Editor's Comment
Our digital safety is in our hands

That sounds like good news. But the report also warns that this may simply be because our digital economy is still young, not because we are safe. As more people shop, bank and pay online, criminals will follow.We Batswana do not need a report to tell us that danger is real. Many of us have heard of or fallen victim to KYC scams. A caller impersonates your bank or mobile money provider. They say they need to “verify” your account. They ask...

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