This week, the government propaganda arm, the GCIS, waded into the muck in bid to save the minister's face. After the PPADB turned down the request to pay for the fridge, the Office of President made a decision to green-light the payment, we are informed by the shameless GCIS. It looks like the OP wants anyone interested in questioning the decision-making processes of the minister to instead rely on the OP for an explanation, which implicitly, is entitled to make such decisions without being interrupted by interrogations. The minister is then saved from public criticism because the highest office in the land, which possesses the most extensive powers in the country, decided to okay the purchase of the fridge. The big beast of executive power rears its ugly head again. Executive powers 'gogo' or beast is here again. The GCIS, or more specifically, the OP, in its bid to explain away the fact that this is a serious waste of resources for a government supposedly 'broke' as told to hopeful parents of secondary school students seeking tertiary education sponsorship. Fridges cost anything between P3,000 and P15,000 and anything beyond that adds no tangible benefit to the actual performance of the fridge in cooling things. If anything, the extra cost covers appearance such as the painting or the brand name of the manufacturer. Only people with a particularly expensive taste would procure such a high-label fridge. To think this expensive taste is being satisfied on the public tab shows how drunk with impunity our leadership is. There is nothing wrong with Minister Seretse, or indeed his cousin, President Khama, wanting to drink beverages cooled in a German high-end label fridge. However, we would like to think there are better priorities when it comes to public funds. Secondly, we are worried about this new attitude in the OP where institutions established to serve very specific roles are overruled by officers at OP who often possess no expertise to be making decisions in those areas anyway. The OP has no business making decisions about fridge procurement. The PPADB, an institution that oversees billions of Pula worth of goods every year, is more than capable of making decicions about such a procurement. The decision of the PPADB should not be taken lightly. However, we also note that the OP has become a sort of gogo bandied about in all sectors even where the presidency has no business being involved at all. If the OP wants to have the final say in decisions on every matter in this country, what is the point of having institutions then?
Today's thought
