We want to appeal to all Batswana to brace themselves for whatever challenges that could be thrown at them in 2010. This year has to be different - it just has to be. All of us have to work very hard in whatever we do to take this country forward. We can do it if we put our minds to it.There is optimism that the recession that battered the world economy could be coming to an end. There is hope that the contraction that we saw in 2008 could soon be replaced by massive expansion and the onset of a boom. In Botswana, we will not host the World Cup, but we are expecting to benefit handsomely from the spin-offs of this most important of sporting events. Of course these spin-offs will not even trickle down to Botswana unless we as individuals, organisations and as a country make concerted plans to benefit from this event that will bring thousands to our region. If we want to benefit, a lot of preparatory work should have been put in place. In the past few editions we have highlighted that our preparedness is questionable, but it is not too late to position ourselves.But the beginning of a new year offers many of us a chance to take a step back and reassess ourselves. This is the time that many people usually commit to some goals in the form of resolutions. There is nothing wrong with goals. In fact, anyone who wants to reach a certain destination needs a goal.
However, goals without a plan can never fire the passion necessary to actualise the dream. As a nation, we have had too many challenges such as unemployment, lack of services and limited opportunities, for the youth to gain access into tertiary institutions but all these challenges are surmountable if all of us could do our bit and that is what we ask for in 2010. Let each one of us set themselves to do their very best.In the past year and indeed over the years we noted a number of areas where we need to improve as a people. Efficient and friendly customer service has been one area where we are disappointingly lagging behind. Most of service centres are easily identifiable by the long queues. Most employees still do not understand the value of quick courteous service and our hope is that will change in 2010. Afterall, we are expecting visitors to this region and we want them to come back.Courtesy on our roads should improve if we want to maintain accident free roads. Otherwise, the highways that are constructed at great cost and with high expectations would mean very little if we do not improve our driving awareness and courtesy on our roads. On a different topic, it is gratifying to note that crime during the festive season has generally gone down except that many more lives were lost on our roads. The crime levels could not have been brought down had it not been for the vigilance of the police and collaborative operations with the BDF and crime prevention units across the country. The efforts of these collaborations are without doubt paying off.
