On this occasion, The Monitor applauds the resilience of the nation for having graduated from the list of the 10 most impoverished countries at independence to what is now regarded as a middle level economy. Within the movement from a population of 350,000 in a territory of 220 square miles, shared with twice as many cattle to modern day Botswana, much has been accomplished by achieving near universal access to education, water and primary health care. The country also boasts a credible record of non-violent political discourse and manageable levels of crime and official corruption. The Monitor wants to make the case that the country stands accused of failure to achieve effective diversification of the economy. May we propose that Botswana enjoys a unique resource that has not been exploited to its fullest potential: the arts. The artists of Botswana, despite the fact of their being neglected and almost denigrated in the social sphere, including deprivation of educational benefits at the Ministry of Education, the brigades, and schools of technology, have made a mark on the economy by way of individual enterprise and collective effort.
Their only assets are: -
* raw talent
*the determination to escape poverty
* and every citizens dream of a prosperous Botswana
