Rentals, the informal sector and govt intervention
Monday, April 27, 2020
Social distancing and lockdown rules, whilst necessary for the control of the virus, are detrimental to many economies and more so an economy like that of Botswana, which is reliant on sectors such as hospitality, travel, tourism, mining and the informal sector.
The Botswana government has in previous weeks announced many interventions to assist businesses that will be adversely affected by this pandemic. These interventions include a wage subsidy ranging from P1,000 to P2,500 for employees of companies and industries affected by the pandemic, tax deferrals, loan guarantees and holidays from commercial banks, a food basket programme and a potential economic stimulus package to encourage Batswana to get into businesses such as manufacturing going forward.
The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...