It is expected that while here, Sullivan will help Botswana evolve its communications policies. The government has over the last few years been setting up communication strategies, which have resulted in the coming into being of Public Relations offices. It was hoped that by now these public relations offices will have been fully functional. It, however, appears that government has an intermittent approach to these public relations offices. In the majority of cases, they have not been given a comprehensive job description, which undermines the PR offices as a link between ministries and the public that it serves. It is in this connection that Sullivan's coming to Botswana should be welcomed.
Our expectation is that government should strive to be transparent with the public that it serves. Owing to this principle, a communication policy that underpins, the philosophy of transparency and openness should be adopted and vigorously pursued. Government holds a lot of information in trust and it is high time that, through a sound communication policy, a fully functional communications department was set up. Already it is very clear that government needs to coordinate, not to control, its information so the public is kept informed on government policies and any other decisions.
