Inside the bittersweet “record” economic growth figures
Friday, June 03, 2022 | 1530 Views |
Days of our lives: Fuel prices have increased by more than 40% on average in the last 24 months
Cynics of economic growth figures frequently cite the quote made famous by US literary legend Mark Twain: “'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics”.
When Statistics Botswana recently announced that the local economy had expanded by 11.4% last year, the fastest growth since 1989, many cynics felt the data agency was either fiddling with the numbers or conveniently ignoring the troubles ordinary Batswana have been experiencing in recent years.
But on the particularly sensitive question of cadre deployment, the BNF must tread very carefully.The issue deserves robust debate, not ideological enthusiasm. Recent public comments from the BNF leadership are reassuring: the party has said that government positions should be based on merit and competence rather than party membership, and that it does not have a specific cadre-deployment policy.That principle should remain firmly at the centre...