Inaugural Junior Chess Championship gets underway
Thursday, September 28, 2023 | 200 Views |
Besa Masaiti PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
The championship is the brainchild of the Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) and Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) first chess Elite scholarship recipient, Woman FIDE Master Besa Masaiti.
Tournament director, Charles Masaiti told Mmegi Sport that the championship has drawn local participants, as well as participants from Angola, Poland, South Africa, and Zambia, amongst others. The registration deadline has been extended to today (September 29). Masaiti noted that the tournament has received support from Courtney Frank and former American champion Grand Master Jennifer Shehad, who are Besa’s mentors in the USA. Besa is currently based in the USA.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...