In the last two weeks or so the same Ministry has been running press releases cum adverts on the local newspapers. They have a logo in there that goes 'thinking 2016'. I guess that is an attempt to align their objective with those of Vision 2016. The press releases decry the degradation to the environment brought about by some activities carried out by some sections of the population. They had a long list of these so called decadent activities, including the one that I am in of course - catering. That really got me going! Not because I cater but because of the feeble justifications that are presented. The first release that I saw appeared on the Daily News of January 18, 2007. I would encourage the reader to find that press release, (that is, if you did not see it) and see what you make of it.
Vision 2016 as a national developmental framework must be taken seriously. It should not therefore be used by certain organs of state as a smoke screen to victimise and abuse the very same people it was meant to help develop. To argue that it is in the spirit of Vision 2016 to disempower citizens by stopping them from making an honest living is tantamount to treason. The last time I checked, on one of the pillars 'A Prosperous Productive and Innovative Nation' the Vision 2016 document says' '... Government, in partnership with the private sector, will nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship and creativity in the field of science and technology. ... The economy will be driven and owned by citizens'. The African concept of Botho also comes out very strongly on the document. How do you achieve these noble goals if government sends out a message that has a 'bash a Motswana entrepreneur' bottom line to it?
