We are 10 years into the project and there is no clarity nor progress, nor vision on the vision. It is comical!
On Wednesday morning, 13 June 2007, on Masa-a-sele programme, I listened to Dr. Collie Monkge, the Vision Council leader giving a brief about the Vision status: 80 per cent of Batswana are aware of the Vision, but according to him, only 37 per cent are attempting to do something about its realisation. That means 20 per cent of Batswana have not heard of Vision 2016 and 63 per cent of those who know about it are lukewarm, unconcerned or simply uninterested; 63 per cent of 80 per cent is 50 per cent of all Batswana, which added to 20 per cent, means, 70 per cent Batswana, the majority, are completely detached from the Vision process. This happens midway the Vision work-in-progress. On the basis of this data, can we say the Vision enterprise is succeeding?
Vision 2016 document oozes fabulous ideals for Batswana. I believe the majority of Batswana across the ideological divide, identify with the values, sentiments and dreams expressed in the document: The quibble about the Vision, is whether it is meant to be implemented or whether it is all sound and fury, signifying nothing. Provided there is commitment to implement, there seems to be no insurmountable obstacles. Economic potential exists, the traditional values of peace and harmony are in place and communal solidarity, Batswana style, is neatly interwoven in the Vision.
Evidence that there is no will to implement the Vision, however, is obvious. The government suffers a delusion that the Vision can be implemented by amorphous stakeholders chanting "Vision 2016, ke yame.". Vision 2016 is a mammoth project calling for ingenuity, comprehensive planning strategy, hard work, dedication and mobilization of enormous resources. Non-government or private sector organizations are ill-suited for the complex job of implementing public sector projects, anyway.
That is why the statement, "The communities, business people, farmers, employees, employers and other stakeholders have to exploit to the full potential of pooling resources for a common goal and vision," is perplexing. The stakeholders need, organized motivation and diligent supervision. Left to their own devices they will fumble, flounder and flop.
Normally when a government decides to undertake an important national project, they invariably seek expert counsel: engage consultants to study the proposal, do research on the feasibility and determine resources to accomplish it. Why has Vision 2016 been an exception? Government initiative is to be commended, but you still need educated projections by econometricians, social scientists, accountants, demographers, financial gurus and for good measure, anointed high priests, to intercede for divine grace. Without such intercession and expertise, we may be chasing a mirage goal post!
Under "Vehicles of Implementation" the Vision document states," ... institutions such as "BOCCIM and BCCI and other stakeholders will be required to incorporate Vision principles' suggested policies and strategies and to monitor their implementation.". Monitoring, is of the essence. It cannot be done effectively by BOCCIM...and other self-interested stakeholders; it is the prerogative of THE VISION COUNCIL, an instrument of government. The Council was set up, according to Monkge, in 2002 - five years after the adoption of the Vision! For a project of this magnitude, the five-year hiatus, 1997-2002, makes fulfillment date highly improbable.
Originally, the Vision was set to mature in 2020. The rescheduling appears to have been inspired by rather romantic feel-good instincts that sought to have it coincide with the 50th anniversary of independence! Unmonitored, Vision 2016 is as dead as a dodo. Take a look at one of its components: "By the year 2016, serious and violent crime and the illegal possession of firearms will be eliminated, as will the distribution and use of addictive drugs. Violation of the physical well being and human rights of individuals will have been eliminated ... abuse of spouses and children will be completely eradicated," we are told. Preposterous, on hindsight!
Reports, to the contrary, indicate a spiraling wave of crime. In spite of the frightening crime statistics, Batswana have no feedback as to what efforts, if any, are made to reverse this trend. This is due to lack of monitoring. Monitoring implies periodic reviews, identification of snarls, regressions and distortions, followed by timely correction of situation under review. Currently, no known measures exist to prevent or control crime. With monitoring, the following would receive highest priority:
Employment creation, narrowing of the income gap, improving remuneration of police, particularly the lower ranks to buck up their morale; dedicated citizen empowerment programmes and tackling of white collar crime. These strategies are non-existent. How is the project to be steered to the finishing line, unmonitored?
Equipped with the wherewithal of investigation, detection, apprehension and prosecution of criminals, police would be registering a semblance of monitored progress. Police performance is hugely handicapped by inadequate training and shortage of transport. Besides, it is an insidious mark of folly, to persist in deploying unarmed police to get on top of violent crime. All said and done, monitoring of all components of Vision 2016 is necessary to benchmark progress to inform ourselves whether we are coming or going. Crime is a good barometer of prospects of success in the whole undertaking. Without monitoring, Vision may be a big political stunt by the ruling party to impress the gullible! They are legion.
The problem with the BDP government, is their privatization craze. They are obsessed with privatizing this, that and the other; they are now on the verge of privatizing their Vision 2016 responsibility! They cannot do that. Government has contract with the public to promote the public interest, through public enterprise. I will not be surprised however if Government privatized state responsibility, next.
