BOTSWANA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

ORDER PAPER (FRIDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER, 2020)

QUESTIONS 0900 hrs – 0945 hrs 0.45

MINISTERS’ QUESTION TIME

1. Minister of Basic Education

THEME: SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS AND CALENDER ADJUSTMENTS

To ask the Minister of Basic Education to brief this Honourable House on how schools are going to operate regarding their syllabus and whether their calendars and examinations will be completed given the COVID-19 challenges; and he should further state:

1. (i)  the adjustment dates and if they are going to accommodate both lessons and examinations as scheduled;

2. (ii)  if the Ministry will employ additional teachers to complete the syllabus as planned;

3. (iii)  whether senior government officials from the Ministry are engaged in all processes to help teachers;

4. (iv)  if he will brief Batswana on the developments through print media and radio.

   (Mr. P. Majaga, MP. – Nata-Gweta)

2. Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security

To ask the Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security:

THEME: AWARD OF SECTORAL FARMS AT BANYANA FARMS

1. (i)  The Minister to brief this Honourable House on the farms awarded at Banyana Farms which was said to have happened in two (2) phases; and

2. (ii)  How many companies were awarded farms and the names of the companies awarded at phase 1 and 2.

   (Mr. S. J. Brooks, MP. − Kgalagadi South)

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

3. MR. O. RAMOGAPI, MP. (PALAPYE): To ask the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development to explain the contract entered into between Botswana Post and his Ministry and the 3rd party, Choppies regarding disbursement of social grants through Choppies and to state:

   1. (i)  if he is aware of unfair competition brought by the 3rd party (Botswana Post) through engaging Choppies alone leaving other chain stores or shops;

   2. (ii)  if the answer to (i) is affirmative what is he doing to remedy the situation, providing timelines;

   3. (iii)  if the answer to (i) is to the contrary why then Choppies is awarded the monopoly and was there any tender advertised; if not, why not;

   4. (iv)  why it seems like the beneficiaries are tempted, lured or indirectly forced to buy from Choppies.

4. MR. T. F. LEUWE, MP. (TAKATOKWANE): To ask the Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services if he will consider to temporarily suspend the relevant section of the 2019 Land Policy which requires servicing of land before allocation in selected rural areas as a matter of urgency in order to allocate un-serviced plots and reduce long waiting lists.

TABLING OF A PAPER

Report on the Public Hearings on Botswana’s Food Security, Land and Water Management.

(Chairperson of the Agriculture, Lands and Housing Committee)

NOTICE OF MOTIONS AND ORDERS OF THE DAY

MOTIONS

0945 hrs – 1100 hrs 1130 hrs – 1230 hrs 1.15 1.00

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FROM THE CONSOLIDATED AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDS – FINANCIAL PAPER NO. 1 OF 2020/2021

1. “That the Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure from the Consolidated and Development Funds, as set out in Financial Paper No. 1 of 2020/2021 be approved.”

(Minister of Finance and Economic Development)

GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER RE-ADMITTING ALL BRIGADES AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE STUDENTS AS A MATTER OF URGENCY

2. “That this Honourable House requests Government as a matter of urgency to guarantee that all students that were previously admitted in Brigades and Vocational Training Centres get training and should not be requested to re-apply for scholarships afresh.”

   (Mr. P. Majaga, MP. – Nata-Gweta) (Resumed Debate)

   GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER FORMULATING A POLICY ON PATERNITY LEAVE

3. “That this Honourable House requests Government to consider formulating a policy on paternity leave.“

   (Mr. D. L. Keorapetse, MP. – Selebi Phikwe West)

   GOVERNMENT TO SET UP A SPECIAL FUND WITHIN CEDA

4. “That this Honourable House requests Government to set up a special fund within Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) to finance youth and Batswana who want to buy shares and venture into international businesses.”

   (Mr. P. Majaga, MP. – Nata-Gweta)

   DEVELOPMENT OF A POLICY ON COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP

5. “That this Honourable House resolves to urge Government to develop a policy on commercial production and processing of industrial hemp.”

   (Mr. D. L. Keorapetse, MP. – Selebi Phikwe West)

   INTERIM LIVELIHOOD PACKAGE TO AVERT HUNGER OCCASIONED BY COVID-19 PANDEMIC

6. “That this Honourable House requests Government, pending the roll out of the Labour Intensive Public Works Programme, to put in place an interim livelihood package for individuals and families to avert extreme hunger occasioned by the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

   (Mr. T. B. Lucas, MP. − Bobonong)

   ESTABLISHMENT OF A CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW COMMISSION

7. “That this Honourable House resolves that Government and/or His Excellency the President, should within three (3) months establish a Constitutional Review Commission, whose Chairperson and terms of reference should have the approval of the All-Party Conference.”

   (Mr. D. Saleshando, MP. − Maun West)

GOVERNMENT TO PUT A MORATORIUM ON ALL LICENSES FOR RIVER SAND MINING ALONG MAHALAPYE RIVER

8. “That this Honourable House requests Government to immediately put a moratorium on all licenses for river sand mining along Mahalapye River and all smaller rivers in Mahalapye Sub District; and instead facilitate that quarries in Lose and Palla road be opened to meet the sand demand for construction purposes in the District.”

   (Mr. D. Tshere, MP. − Mahalapye West)

   GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER INCREASING INTERNSHIP ALLOWANCE FROM P1300.00 PER MONTH TO AT LEAST P3000.00

9. “That this Honourable House requests Government to consider increasing internship allowance from P1300.00 per month to at least P3000.00 taking into consideration the cost of living.”

   (Mr. O. Ramogapi, MP. − Palapye)

   ALLOCATION OF PART OF BANYANA FARMS TO VULNERABLE PEOPLE

10. “That this Honourable House requests Government through the Banyana Farms Board to consider allocating fifty percent (50%) of the three hundred and seventy (370) hectares at Banyana Farms to vulnerable people, for example; youth, disabled people of Kgalagadi South and Goodhope−Mabule Constituencies.”

    (Mr. S. J. Brooks, MP. − Kgalagadi South)

    PROMOTE LISTING IN THE BOTSWANA STOCK EXCHANGE BY FOREIGN AND BIG COMPANIES BASED IN BOTSWANA

11. “That this Honourable House requests Government to promote listing by foreign and big companies in the Botswana Stock Exchange to enable Batswana to acquire shares in these companies thus promoting Citizen Empowerment.”

    (Ms. T. Monnakgotla, MP. – Kgalagadi North)

    INCREMENT OF OLD AGE PENSION

12. “That this Honourable House requests Government to consider increasing old age pension to P1 500.00 per month for Pensioners of this country.”

    (Mr. P. P. P. Moatlhodi, MP. – Tonota)

    GOVERNMENT TO SET UP COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS

13. “That this Honourable House resolves that Government sets up Community Radio Stations.”

    (Mr. M. I. Moswaane, MP. – Francistown West)

RELOCATION OF THE RESEARCH UNIT ON ANIMAL PRODUCTION TO LOBU

14. “That this Honourable House requests Government to relocate the research unit on Animal Production to Lobu in the Kgalagadi South Constituency.”

    (Mr. S. J. Brooks, MP. – Kgalagadi South)

    RESERVATION OF DRIVING SCHOOLS OPERATION TO BATSWANA

15. “That this Honourable House resolves that Government reserves the operation of driving schools to Batswana.”

    (Mr. M. I. Moswaane, MP. – Francistown West)

    GOVERNMENT TO CREATE MORE PERMANENT TEACHING POSTS AT THE MINISTRY OF BASIC EDUCATION

16. “That this Honourable House as a matter of urgency resolves that Government through the Ministry for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration assist the Ministry of Basic Education to create permanent teaching positions and employ more teachers in light of the effects caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic which have led to the introduction of a double shift system in schools designed to reduce the teacher-student ratio and ensure compliance with the mandatory COVID- 19 preventive and containment measures.”

    (Mr. T. F. Leuwe, MP. – Takatokwane)

    OUTSOURCING OF TELEVISION AND MEDIA PRODUCTION SERVICES

17. “That this Honourable House resolves that all Government entities including the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Botswana Police Service, to immediately disband all their television and media production services and outsource all production to private entities with the aim of creating employment opportunities for the many unemployed talented creatives in Botswana.”

    (Mr. T. Letsholo, MP. − Kanye North)