Textile Industry Needs Saving
Monday, June 24, 2019
MTI Permanent Secretary Peggy Serame PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
The once profitable sector has had its own fair share of struggle with some factories closing shop.
The industry temporarily recovered between 2009 and 2011 when the government, in response to the global recession, granted the textile industry a two-year P38 million ‘special support programme’ designed specifically to fund payment of wages.
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...