The Ngami Times - Homepage

20 May ' 19:56

Edition 603. 18 - 25 May 2012

Maun's first traffic lights were switched on this week, and there was immediate chaos as motorists many unused to the lights struggled to understand what to do. Long traffic jams took place in some areas. Police who said more than 80% of Maun motorists were not used to traffic lights - were on hand with pamphlets explaining how to use the lights and keep traffic flowing.

BETHIA DITCHED BY BDP

By Boniface Keakabetse

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councillor for Nokaneng, Latlhang Molonda, was voted in as the new North West District Council (NWDC) chairman last Friday, taking over from Tebogo Bethia who was ditched by party colleagues during the BDP nominations caucus a day before the elections.

Molonda beat Peloyame Monyame, of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), by 28 to 17 votes to chair the chamber for the next two-and-half years. In the vice chairman elections, Duncan Enga got the nod by 27 votes to 20 against Tubu councillor Mpuke Karapo, of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP).

Contrary to his earlier public pronouncements, aired on Btv before the elections, that he had long taken a decision not to contest the council chairmanship it has since emerged that Bethia was edged out by his colleagues.

The former chairman has since come clean narrating the machinations that led to his dethronement.

Speaking after the Friday elections Bethia revealed that he had intended to continue leading the council for the remaining two years before the general elections but was ditched by party colleagues at the last minute.

He said he lost by 10 to 16 votes to Molonda in the caucus on Thursday afternoon, which were supervised by the BDP executive secretary Thabo Masalila after apparent concerns were expressed over the building-up tension between the supporters of the Molonda/Enga team against that of Bethia.

Bethia said his defeat was plotted by some BDP councillors with an interest in the Maun East parliamentary 2014 party primaries.

He slammed specially-elected councillor Enga for influencing Molonda, who until Thursday was Bethia's deputy, to stand against him. He claims that the move is calculated at diminishing his standing among voters as his detractors suspect he has parliamentary ambitions.

The speculation doing the rounds has been that Enga, by virtue of him being nominated by the Maun East Member of Parliament, Frank Ramsden as a specially-elected councillor, he owes much allegiance to his benefactor. He is therefore, goes the speculation, at the forefront of a campaign to retain Ramsden in the 2014 party primaries (bulela ditswe).

Bethia revealed that he had previously hinted his intentions to contest the 2014 parliamentary elections to his BDP colleagues, the disclosure he suspects could have rubbed some of them up the wrong way.

Bethia said some of his achievements for the last two years include the ongoing streetlights installation in Maun and the Gumare bus rank projects which he said went well within the allocated budget - It has been my intention to do more with little and I have achieved that, he added.

Contacted for comment, Enga refuted allegations that he influenced Molonda to stand against Bethia. He said in fact he had initially indicated to Bethia that he intended to stand for the chairmanship but Bethia requested him not to oppose him as they both come from the Maun East constituency.

Enga said he had wanted the chairmanship and had approached Bethia over his intentions but the latter dissuaded him from contesting. He said it was then that he decided to contest for the vice-chairmanship.

He pointed out that Molonda decided on his own not to contest against him, choosing instead to go for the chairmanship as he (Malonda) felt having been a deputy he now wanted elevation to the chairmanship.

Molonda expressed gratitude for the media, especially The Ngami Times, for publicising news from Ngamiland. His said as a leader he intends to expand that relationship to ensure that members of the media get the information on NWDC on time without glitches for their reports.

Enga also expressed his willingness to continue leading and uniting the council chamber in the service of the people of Ngamiland.

Meanwhile, the leader of opposition in NWDC Tapoloso Mosika of the Botswana National Front (BNF) decried lack of transparency in the council elections. He said BDP by the virtue of being majority does as it pleases in the house. He said he was not aware of any leadership concerns being raised against Bethia either at an all-party caucus or any forum. Mosika said as opposition they have set their differences aside to work together as opposition parties in the voting. Despite them be fewer in the council they have collaborated when voting, as three parties - the BNF, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD). He said despite the raging war between the BCP and umbrella parties of BNF and BMD all the opposition councillors voted Mpuke Karapo who lost against Enga.

Monyame said is in an interview that he accepts the results. He said the biggest loser in the elections is the BDP that has sown discord within its ranks saying as opposition they went in to the elections with the knowledge that the BDP has an upper hand as they are in the majority. He commended the three opposition parties for working together and said from results it appears only one opposition councillor voted with the BDP while another opposition vote got spoilt. Meanwhile, speaking after his enthronement Molonda thanked Bethia for the leadership of NWDC during the last years. He said as Bethia's previous deputy he had learnt much from him. He stated that the vote does not mean he is superior whatsoever save for the reality that there can only be one leader at a time.

He reiterated that against prevailing challenges posed by the council budget cut due to the recession he intend to lead the council to the best of his capabilities.

Unlicensed teacher kills and injures students

A teacher at Gowa Junior Secondary School without a driving licence and driving an overloaded vehicle has been remanded pending investigations into a road accident in which he knocked down four students, killing two of them instantly and injuring others late last week.

According to Shakawe Police Station commander, Superintendent Ndiko Size Malibala, the accident occurred between Kauxwhi and Xhakao villages when a Toyota Mark II driven by the 29-year old teacher, Bathobogeng Motini, of Gowa Junior, knocked down four students aged between 14 to19.

The students were walking along the road to school when the incident happened. Malibala said there were also five other students in the car, four in the back and one in front. Two students died on the scene while the other two were referred to Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone.

Among the students who were in the vehicle, one of them was hospitalised at Gumare Primary Hospital while the other four were treated and discharged.

The teacher paid P500 on admission for overloading and P500 for driving without a licence. He said even though investigations are still ongoing, they suspected that the accident was caused by over-speeding and overloading. Malibala cautioned drivers using the Xhakao gravel road to drive with care to avoid accidents. He also discouraged unlicensed drivers as he said they are putting their lives as well as other road users in danger.

Motini has since appeared before the Gumare magistrate's court for the offence of causing death, which attracts a fine of not less than P5 000 but not more than P10 000 or imprisonment term of not less than five years but not more than 10 years or both.

Tlagae case: Witness contradicts himself in court

A State witness in a land case in which Maun lawyer Charles Tlagae is being tried for uttering a false document and providing false information, Sakaumba John Sakaumba, was this week inconsistent when giving his evidence-in-chief.

At first Sakaumba denied ever having had any dealing with Maun horse race sponsors, Mascom in 2009, regarding the land in question and which the latter had used for the race. He said this on Monday.

However, on the 4th day of cross-examination by Tlagae's lawyer, Dick Bayford, Sakaumba admitted to having received a pay out of P10 000 for the horse racing operation by Mascom.

He told the court, during cross examination, that he had found people from Mascom on his farm sometime in March 2010 preparing for the annual Mascom horse race and told them to get off his property.

He then said that since there were only two weeks left for the race to take place, Mascom said they would pay him for the use of his farm and asked for him to write a confirmation letter.

When asked by Bayford how much he wanted from Mascom, Sakaumba said he negotiated with them for an amount from P25 000 and eventually came to an agreement on P10 000.

However, evidence by the defence counsel in the form of a letter from Sakaumba to Mascom showed no mention of either P25 000 or P10 000 but only P15 000, contrary to Sakaumba's evidence-in-chief.

Sakaumba told the court that Mascom did not tell him that Ntshemang Gaboekae, who had apparently effected developments on the farm, had made arrangements with Mascom to host the horse race. He also told the court that Gaboekae had later written a letter to Mascom stating that he was not the owner of the farm and that Sakaumba was the actual owner.

Sakaumba said he neither confronted Gaboekae about his arrangement with Mascom without his knowledge nor reported him to the police. He said that he had instead enquired from the Tawana Land Board to find out if they had given his farm to someone else, though he was uncertain whether he reported Gaboekae's developments on his property to the land board.

According to defence evidence, the dairy farm in question was advertised for sale in The Advertiser but Sakaumba claimed no knowledge of the advertisements. He later claimed that he called the number published in another advertisement and confronted one persons named Isaiah, whom he said has been his consultant in previous formalities with Tawana Land Board, and told him that he was not selling his farm.

Bayford told Sakaumba that he was becoming greedy and decided to sell the land for a second time after initially selling it to Batsweledi Ramatlhodi.

Bayford also asked Sakaumba if he was aware that the accused, Charles Tlagae, had subsequent to the advertisement in The Advertiser, written a letter to Stocker Fleetwood-Bird (who were advertising the property) advising them that the farm had already been sold to Ramatlhodi. The question got a negative response from Sakaumba.

Tlagae is facing a count of giving false information to a person employed in the public service and another count of uttering a false document.

Particulars of the first offence state that Tlagae, on or about June 23, 2009 at the Tawana Land Board (TLB), gave false information to a TLB official that Sakaumba John Sakaumba had ceded his dairy farm to Batsweledi Ramatlhodi, which information they knew to be false in all material respects; thereby causing the official to process a change of ownership from Sakaumba to Ramatlhodi. It was an act the official ought not to have done if the true facts were known to him. In the second offence, it is stated that Tlagae uttered a false Memorandum of Agreement of Cession to the TLB official, knowingly and fraudulently on the same day. The State is represented by Priscilla Israel and Keneilwe Kgathi of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, and Tlagae by Dick Bayford and Wanano Lumbile of Charles Tlagae Attorneys.

The trial continues.

Court refuses to let P500 000 accused get passport

Maun principal magistrate Clifford Foroma has dismissed a court order to open up a First National Bank (FNB) account for one of the accused persons in a half-a-million Pula theft case that involves two police constables, Liberty Matikiti and Gammu Masole.

Matikiti also wanted his e-passport returned so that he could renew it.

Foroma said the order of May 3, 2011 which was directed to the investigating officer, Alakanani David, to open up Masole's bank account was an error. Foroma said the order was erroneous as defence as well as the initial State counsel Ali Tjizera never challenged issues of security during the defence's plea.

The two dismissed police constables, Matikiti and Masole are facing a single count of stealing two cash boxes containing P522 948.05 being payments for Ipelegeng Programme employees.

The particulars of the case are that Matikiti and Masole on April 11, 2010 jointly and acting together with common purpose, broke and entered into the North West District Council (NWDC) Revenue Office in Maun and stole two cash boxes.

Foroma said David in his evidence of not proceeding with court's order, indicated that the accused's bank accounts were part of the evidence and the amount of P17 000 which is in the account is for security reasons.

Foroma noted that David was never challenged by the accused's attorney regarding the issue of security, adding that the lawyer, Wanano Lumbile, only explained that the order was made for the accounts to be opened.

Foroma had further cautioned prosecutors to be careful when considering orders and also blamed the prosecutor for not applying his mind in this case. Matikiti's attorney, Elleen Chimombe, of Lecha and Associates, applied for a variation of bail conditions. She asked for his client to be allowed to report to Kutlwano Police Station in Francistown where he resides. He also requested the court to order the police to return his client's passport so that he could apply for the newly-introduced e-passport. Charles Tlagae, of Tlagae Attorneys, also pleaded for his client's bail variation and Masole is to report to the nearest police station, which is Letlhakane, and also asked for his client to be given back his passport for renewal in order to get an E-passport.

Commenting on the appeals of the defence counsels, prosecutor Mompoloki Gaboiphiwe said the circumstances regarding the accused's passports have not changed. She, however, said the State can communicate the reasons behind the late renewal of passports to the Immigration department.

In his view, Foroma said the circumstances as to why the passports cannot be released to the accused for renewal is that they can be used by the accused persons to flee the country. Foroma, however, agreed to let the accused change their venues of reporting.

The trial continues on July 9, 10 and 11.

Councillors' negative energy

We all welcome individuals who carry out their mandate energetically, particularly in the delivery of public service. However, energy has two faces positive and negative.

Clearly the explosive energy that was dispensed this week in the North West District Council (NWDC) chambers in the election of council committees was a negative one.

We have no gripe with the election of council executives, such as the chairman and his/her deputy along partisan lines, but to extend that to council's working committees goes beyond imagination. Our understanding of these committees is that, as working entities, they call for specialised skills, hence the neccessity of getting the right people to run them regardless of party affiliation.

It is regrettable that the ruling party councillors this week chose, through sheer numerical strength, to exclude members of other political parties from all key positions on these committees.

We could not agree more with the Deputy Council Secretary, Motlogelwa Thuso, who emphasised inclusivity in the smooth running of the council, and we hope our elected representative would seriously take note of that.

We implore them to stop putting their personal and partisan interests above that of public service delivery. If only for once, they could expend their energies in pursuit of efficient public service delivery, life could be bearable for the majority of the residents of Maun.

After all, they have more in common than the differences. For one, they face similar challenges in terms of public service delivery while the differences are purely at a personal gain level.

Their self-serving attitude has previously come at a cost to the residents of Maun. Their lack of focus on matters that matter to their electorate has saddled us with the costly yet sub-standard and aesthetically-challenged taxi/bus rank.

Maun is currently experiencing crippling water shortages, and one would have expected our councillors to expend their energies in addressing this long-standing crisis. Due to poor rains this year, the district will obviously be faced with a debilitating drought - which calls for steely preparedness not only from all our councillors but the region's residents in general.

Further, there is the dreaded global recession' which has seen many public projects in the region being shelved.

The many challenges that the region faces call for concerted efforts from all, regardless of their political affiliation. As Thuso advised, it is time to stand together.

Maun motorists received a crash (sic) course on Sunday and Monday when the town's first traffic lights came into operation.

Loudspeaker vans toured the town on Saturday alerting motorists to what was to come and inviting drivers to attend lectures on how to negotiate traffic lights. Remember, the police say more than 80% of motorists here have no idea how to use traffic lights without causing an accident.

Then a road block was set up on Monday so that motorists could be given a pamphlet on the subject.

The traffic lights at the Engen filling station in Boseja were so erratic that first day that a traffic jam stretched from the intersection to the entrance to the Maun Educational Park a fair distance indeed. This has to be the only place on Earth where motorists have to be taught that Red means stop, Amber means caution and Green is for Go!

Despite all this, Shuffle noticed some motorists ignoring the traffic lights and going on their merry way as if the lights weren't there . . . just shows how careless (and blind) our drivers really are.

Gaborone readers were on the receiving end last weekend when an officious Cargo department official at Sir Seretse Khama International airport refused to unlock a store in which copies of The Ngami Times were placed, awaiting collection by our representative.

In the end we got the papers out of the store but not before the whole saga left a sour taste in the mouth. It was so unnecessary of the official, who for years had unlocked the door each Friday or Saturday.

Just goes to show that a little power turns one into a tyrant.

We all know Maun is deep in the desert but that should not mean we are not entitled to the same service provided by cellphone service providers or for that matter Botswana Telecommunications.

A case in point has been the continuous problems experienced by cellphone users over the past few weeks. Although many people have complained, little appears to have been done except for that magic phrase we are upgrading.

Upgrading? If anything it should be down grading, so poor is the service provided by some providers.

All claim to have the country covered for signal purposes but this obviously cannot be that true. Stretching the truth would be a nice phrase.

Letters to the Editor

Water problem simple maintenance failure

Sir, - I applaud your article on the water situation in Maun.

This is a simple maintenance and utility planning matter that has been allowed to degenerate to an unacceptable degree.

I call upon the entire Maun Water Affairs department and the Minister to resign with immediate effect. They have dismally failed to deliver a simple service.

If Gaborone, Johannesburg and London, with much higher populations, manage to deliver an uninterruptable water supply, why should the service provider fail to supply water to small Maun, even with a full Thamalakane River natural resource???

Of late, they have been running around with Jojos and water tankers. We do not want those. We want water in our homes, period.

ELENOSI STABLE MOHUMANEGI

Maun

Discovery Metals donates to residents

TOTENG - Some residents from the villages of Bothatogo, Bodibeng, Sehitwa and Toteng this week received donations from Discovery Metals' BOSETO copper mine project.

The donation comprised 100 mattresses which were distributed to orphans and destitute people from those villages with each village receiving 25 mattresses.

All the beneficiaries are registered with the North West District Council Social Welfare and Community Development Offices at their respective villages and are selected on the basis of their socio-economic and health status. Toteng village headman, Kgosi Kemang Nkakobang, said as small as the donations might seem, they will change the lives of many, some whom might not have owned them before in their life.

He said although there are many destitute and orphaned children in his village, those who did not receive should not feel left out as they will benefit as time goes on.

Nkakobang said also that their relationship with the mine is commendable, taking into consideration that many of their children and other Batswana have secured employment and no longer stay home only to indulge in criminal activities, as has been the case. When handing over the mattresses, Ken Mathews, of Discovery Metals Limited (DML), said they have always wanted to be good neighbours and that good neighbourliness is characterised by good relations, hence the donations which he believes will go an extra mile in uniting them further.

As you all know that we have been moving in our camps. We had quite a number of mattresses which were excess to our requirements, which is why we found it fitting to extend a helping hand to communities within the same locality.

Our plan is to strengthen relations with community leaders through the S&CD for the benefit of all of you here, he said.

During the preparatory phase our project has not been making money but all prospects have been good since the time of exploration to date. We hope that by next week we will start operating our generators to start producing concentrate to have copper. We will also keep you updated of new developments.

Maun Administrative Authority senior assistant Council Secretary Lawrence Mazinyane said DML needs to be given a pat on the back for their generosity and spirit of social responsibility which has been conveyed to vulnerable communities.

He said the mattress donation came at the most appropriate time when they were needed most, adding that since Botswana, like other countries, had been hard hit by the global recession, the North West District Council has struggled in all aspects to make ends meet as well as reaching out to the most vulnerable people, and therefore the donation was a blessing which they received with both hands.

He said what DML exhibited was in line with the national vision pillar of a compassionate and caring nation, and were as a result very humbled. He recalled that when DML set up shop in the areas, the surrounding communities were fearful that the new project will rob them of their land.

Usually when people come with a project of this magnitude, people have mixed reactions, but we need to learn to concentrate and dwell on the positives than the negatives because here we are now benefiting from the same people who many thought were of no good. I must say also that I believe more is going to be generated from where these gifts came from, and to DML please forward to us whatever you might have that you do not use, he said.

Livestock Omang system to end

After its disastrous implementation in the past decade, the government has finally decided to halt the multi-million Pula reticular bolus system by January 1 next year.

Ministry of Agriculture spokesman Geoffrey Pheko this week confirmed that the system will be replaced with electronic ear tags.

With effect from February 1, 2013, we will be using electronic ear-tags, but we will still be inserting the bolus system until January 1, 2013, said.

A feasibility study that preceded the implementation of the livestock identification and trace-back system (LITS) concluded that though the electronic ear-tags are used in Europe they were, however, not suitable for Botswana's conditions due to high field losses.

The study also concluded that the tags are not only of little deterrent to cattle rustlers but are also not easily recyclable. The study further recommended the reticular bolus as suitable for Botswana's conditions. Some of the system's advantages include zero-field losses, easy scanning and crime fool-proof, but it is now apparent that the study could have failed to foresee the problems of the actual implementation of the bolus system.

As a result of poor implementation, the country has lost the lucrative European Union beef market for more than a year, with devastating financial implications to the farming community and the country.

The two private companies that have been engaged to implement the programme have proved to be unsuccessful so far. The first that clinched the initial three-year project at a cost of P160 million had to be disengaged down the line and a new one engaged in August 2010 on a P60 million, three-year contract. Following widespread discontent from the farming community, the Agriculture ministry undertook a benchmarking exercise on the use of microchip ear-tags to Namibia last December.

Tourists told to delete giraffe images

British tourists on a sunset cruise on the Thamalakane River were last week forced to delete images in their cameras of a dead giraffe floating in the water. The giraffe had been shot, probably in the Maun Educational Park.

The Ngami Times was told that the six tourists and a guide who was the pilot of the vessel were stopped by a Wildlife department official who told them they did not have permission to photograph the giraffe. The angry tourists then noticed a white pick-up vehicle on the river bank on Maun Educational Park property. A man in the vehicle was watching them argue with the Wildlife officer, who apparently told the tourists and the guide that they would all be arrested for photographing the giraffe.

There have been numerous reports made to The Ngami Times over events taking place within the park under cover of darkness. Passersby have noticed campfires and numerous people entering the park from an entrance close to the Wildlife Training Institute

This has been taking place since an auction of animals in the park, in which only a small percentage purchased.

It is very strange to find camp fires and the smell of meat wafting in the wind after an auction. It could only mean there is culling going on in that park under cover of darkness and without the knowledge of the community, said a resident.

Officials told to roll up their sleeves

LETLHAKENG - Government officials in Letlhakeng have been given six months to complete 800 poverty eradication projects earmarked for Letlhakeng East and West constituencies. the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mokgweetsi Masisi, told them last Friday that 400 of the projects should be complete by July and the rest in November, reports BOPA. Addressing Kgotla meetings at Letlhakeng and Ditshegwane, Masisi said he will meet accounting officers to ensure that funds were disbursed so that the programme could commence immediately in the areas and was disappointed that the projects were lagging behind although they were launched in the last financial year.

He urged officials to devise ways of speeding up implementation of the projects. Masisi also wondered why only two people were operating vegetable gardens and 47 were trained in Letlhakeng West, which had a high number of deserving individuals. He added that the Poverty Eradication Programme was an initiative of President Ian Khama and was intended to eliminate absolute poverty. He said proper assessment will be made to identify deserving individuals.

He urged communities to work cooperatively with responsible officers to ensure that the programme ran smoothly.

Masisi said the government intended to win the war against poverty. The idea is to have Botswana at par with most developed nations in the next 10 years, he said.

How many houses? That's a State secret!

The Directorate on Intelligence and Security (DIS) says it wants P72-million more to supplement its budget and had already spent all P200-million of its development budget.

In a plea submitted before parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the DIS accounting officer also made a submission that the intelligence unit has accommodation shortages and therefore needs more houses.

The Gaborone newspaper, Sunday Standard, reported that members of the PAC wondered why the head of DIS, Isaac Kgosi, would want more houses when he cannot reveal the number of houses owned by his organisation. All the money allocated to you is expended to the dot? asked a baffled PAC chairperson, Nehemiah Modubule, to which Isaac Kgosi, replied yes.

Members of the PAC asked Kgosi why he would not disclose the number of houses owned by the DIS but were told that it was a matter of national security. Legislator Fidelis Molao wondered how the number of houses owned by the DIS could pose a security threat to the country. You may take it easily, Kgosi replied. To us it is classified information. They [enemies of state security] will know how many personnel you have by disclosing the number of houses.Modubule then asked: You talk about accommodation shortages. How do we help you when we don't know the number of houses you have? Kgosi replied that the DIS can take the PAC in confidence to explain.

Robbers hit woman on head

A woman at home alone on Saturday was hit on the head by robbers who tried to use a fishing rod to hook her handbag through a window. When that failed, they struck her on the heard with the stick, causing a bruise, and then ran around the house to the front door which they forced open and grabbed her handbag and a laptop. In an incident in Tsanakona, an attempted house burglary was thwarted while in another incident, thieves cut the fence of another house but did not enter the property.

Police are investigating.

NWDC revenue officer caught stealing'

By Keagisitswe Dioka

A 40-year-old former North West District Council (NWDC) revenue oficer who was caught stealing P2 842.10 from her colleague's cash box was found guilty after she pleaded guilty to the offence. Okae Molotlhanyi was facing a single count of stealing by person employed in the Public Service. The accused was employed in the NWDC accounts department where part of her duties involved receiving payments from members of the public. It was further stated in court that the accused was allocated a lockable cash box where the money was kept, pending remittal to the treasury office. It was further stated that on different dates, the accused stole P2 842.10 from the money she had collected.

On March 31, 2008, a board set up to audit the various units of the council conducted a surprise audit. When the accused realised that she would be caught, she took some money from her colleague's cash box to cover her shortage. Her plan failed as her colleague discovered that she stole the money from her cash box.

The matter was reported to the police and accused was arrested.

Mhapha bounces back while Kwerepe loses out

By Basadi Morokotso

Councillor for Kgosing Ward Galaletsang Mhapha, of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), has retained his chairmanship of the Maun Administrative Authority (MAA) Sub Council by beating his opponent Allen Sokwe by 15 votes to 10.

Sokwe is Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) councillor for Tsau Ward.

In a twist of events, the former vice chairman, Thato Kwerepe, was not nominated for his position, but instead the BDP fielded Kgotlagano Motsamai, of Toteng, who beat Botswana National Front (BNF)'s Tapoloso Mosika of Matlapaneng by 16 votes to 10.

The Monday session was characterised by heated political exchanges between the members of the ruling and opposition parties.

Apparently based on prior knowledge that the ruling party councillors had hatched plans to deny them the leading positions of committee chairperson and deputy, the opposition councillors beat a tactical retreat. They watched from the sidelines as the BDP councillors allocated themselves plum committee positions.

The Ngami Times, however, has learnt that at previous all-party caucuses the two groups had pledged to work together. Until the recent build up to this week's showdown, the opposition had expected a compromise through which they were to be granted the committees' vice-chairmanship.

A similar arrangement pertains in the Okavango sub-district where a BDP chairperson is deputised by a BCP councillor.

The opposition had also expected an all-party caucus to decide and agree on the nominations to the committees, but this was not to be as the BDP using numerical strength unilaterally took the decisions.

In trying to defuse the highly charged situation, the deputy Council Secretary (Technical) Motlogelwa Thuso expressed regret that at committee level, councillors had to find themselves in such uneviable situation. He said all councils are made of and operate through committees which therefore can never be avoided. He emphasised the importance of councillors staying focused on their work which entails strengthening their operations and decision-making in the interest of public service delivery, the trait which is healthy for a true democracy.

Thuso advised that for the smooth running of council, members from both the ruling and the opposition parties should stand together and learn to accept when they win or lose because after all that is what always happens whenever there is competition.

I know that outside here, there is a political divide, but we need to soldier on and keep away from that in all aspects because otherwise we may possibly find ourselves in situations from which we might be unable to get out of, he added.

Meanwhile, Mhapa thanked councillors for having voted him back. He said this is testimony that they still have faith in his administration. He promised to continue the good work that he has carried out during his first term as well as to strengthen harmonious relations with all of them. I am also more than happy that after all our differences, we managed to finally appoint committees, which I believe will enable us to go on with council business, he said.

India's Supreme Court halts plans to import African Cheetahs

India's Supreme Court has suspended an ambitious project to import cheetahs from Africa to an Indian wildlife sanctuary and revive a species which became extinct in the South Asian country nearly a quarter of a century ago.

A popular target with hunters, the Asiatic cheetah disappeared from the forests of India in the 1950s. The last of the three cheetahs in the country are said to have been hunted down by a former king in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

The government drew up a plan to revive the species by shipping African cheetahs from Namibia and introducing them to a wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Fifteen cheetahs were to be brought in during the first phase of the project, but the Supreme Court put the US$56 (aboutP40-million) plan on hold, after wildlife experts called it totally misconceived.

Court-appointed adviser P.S. Narasimha said the African cheetah is not native to India and completely different from its Asian counterpart. He said introducing the African cheetah here goes against guidelines set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Conservationists also pointed out that the cost of the plan exceeded that of India's most high-profile wildlife conservation project - saving the tiger. Belinda Wright, of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, is among those who raised concerns with the government.

Since we have so many problems protecting and securing a future for our other big cats and endangered species, we don't need another very expensive headache, said Wright. It is not worth going through this whole thing when we can't even look after what we have in the wild.

The African cheetahs were to be introduced to a sanctuary also earmarked as a new home for the Asiatic Lion. These lions were to be brought from another sanctuary in the western Indian state of Gujarat, where the last remaining population of this species lives. But state authorities have apparently been reluctant to send the animals. Wright said that should be the priority for India - It is much more important to secure a second stronghold for our lions, which already exist in the wild in India, and to sacrifice that for another species is very questionable, she said.

Until the 20th century, the Asiatic cheetah was quite common and roamed from Iran to Afghanistan and India. There are believed to be fewer than 100 left in Iran.

Fuel price goes up

The government has increased retail pump prices for fuel by 50 thebe per litre. A media statement from the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources (MMEWR) said the increase for leaded and unleaded petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin followed November's hike. According to the ministry, the hike was due to accumulated price under-recoveries experienced by the oil industry where the price under- recoveries for petrol, diesel and paraffin rose to 94. 41 thebe, 91.72 thebe and P2.33 per litre respectively. Fuel prices have not been adjusted over the last four months in spite of the continued increase in the international prices for crude oil and associated petroleum product, said the statement. During those four months, crude oil prices had been rising, something which put the National Petroleum Fund (NPF) under pressure as government had to compensate the oil industry for some of the losses made during the period.

Diverse tourism will bring more visitors'

KASANE  The diversification of tourism products can help attract more visitors to the Chobe area.

This would also move the industry away from game drives and boat cruises which, for a long time, have been the principal economic activities in Kasane and surrounding areas.

President Ian Khama said here last week after touring areas which would be converted into tourism zones as part of the Kasane upliftment project.

He said the concept was part of the Botswana Economic Advisory Council's (BEAC) recommendation to bolster Kasane as a prime tourism destination attraction in the country.

Most of our tourism is wildlife based but the BEAC has advised that the country needs to diversify its tourism products and also concentrate on offering cultural activities as an option to tourists, he said.

Khama said the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation (KAZA TFC) concept would blend in easily with the upliftment of Kasane.

This, he said, was because there were many elephants which roamed Chobe since the civil war in Angola because of the presence of landmines in that country.

The re-zoning and upliftment project would go a long way in allowing free movement of wild animals between the different countries.

Areas targeted for upliftment included the old government enclave which occupies the banks of the Chobe River and the graveyard, both of which give an opportunity to appreciate the river and Sedudu Island from a vantage point. The landfill location and around the ferry area form part of the project. The ferry area was identified because the area zoned for agricultural use was next to the animal corridor, hence the need to zone it for commercial tourism.

One of the most important aspects of this concept is a cultural village to be completed by the end of the year.

According to the Botswana Tourism Organisation's chief executive, Myra Sekgororoane, the project had the potential to uplift the Kasane community. She said Seboba Nature and Recreation Park had the potential to add another dimension to products already offered in the Chobe area.

This is going to be an educational area for both children and tourists, while the cultural village will depict cultural huts from different people found in the Chobe area, she said.

In addition, the park would have a 160-seater arena and dining area for 60 people.

As part of the park, there would be an arts and craft centre which would house a workshop where artists can produce their wares. (BOPA)

Determined Maun Terrors fail the promotional test

After putting up a brave fight on the weekend of May 5 and 6 by winning two and losing only one game, Maun Terrors - representatives of the Nhabe Region football - could not stand the challenge of Chobe's Kazungula Young Fighters, hosts of the promotional games play-offs even though putting up a splendid performance.

They conceded a goal in the early minutes of the game and the goal was everything the Chobe side needed to collect all three points to leave Terrors with a daunting task of winning their last game at all costs the following day to pass the test in order to gain promotion to the National First division next season.

But it was not to be - it all started in the morning of May 12 when they conceded yet another early goal through a defensive mix-up in the game against Stone Breakers of the Boteti region but Terrors managed to put their house in order and push forward in numbers. As a result the hard running Chakala Shorty was fouled in the 18 area box to get a penalty which was converted from the spot by the industrious midfield maestro Tendai Nyandoro Katiyo to level the score to 1-1.

The versatile former Makgabisanaga player Dunga, usually used as a top man but this time playing in front of the back four, packed a beautiful header to the far post beating the impressive Boteti goalkeeper hands down to take the teams to the break with Terrors leading by 2 goals to 1.

The second half started at a more improved pace in chilly weather with Terrors detecting everything and were unlucky not to add another goal when Costa, Chakala and Mudongo - who had come in for the ineffective The B - tormented the opposition time and again but were constantly denied any scoring opportunity by the goalkeeper until the referee blew his whistle for full time to leave Maun Terrors with nine points from four matches.

On the next door pitch, Francistown Amakhosi were busy hammering Phikwe Pirates who struggled throughout the games and the final score stood at 4-0 and left the Francistown side still holding the log lead with a 100% record in four games and 12 points.

In the afternoon, Amakhosi were held to a draw by Stone Breakers which opened up the games for the following day to decide the teams to gain promotion after Serowe side Green Lovers who beat their neighbours Morupule Wanderers from Palapye 3-1 stood at 10 points together with Kazungula Young Fighters, 3 points behind Amakhosi.

Maun Terrors, standing at 9 points, needed to beat Green Lovers to finish with 12 points and hope that the game between Amakhosi and Kazungula Young Fighters ended in a draw so as to make sure that Kazungula Young Fighters end up with 11 points or alternatively, Amakhosi beat Fighters outright. People from Kasane and Kazungula were seen trickling in from all directions as early as 6.30am to witness the crowning of champions with one hope in every household that the home team was going to beat Amakhosi and make it through to the National first division. The blaring of car horns and vuvuzelas filled the atmosphere as early as 5am as the match was to kick-off at 7:30am. They watched their team make history.

Both matches kicked of simultaneously with Terrors and Green Lovers fighting it out in ground A, and Amakhosi against Kazungula Young Fighters occupying ground B. Terrors, having no suspension through yellow or red cards, had a fair chance of selecting a full strength squad from all the available players with the exception of inspirational club captain Ronnie who got a knock in the first week of the play-offs. Kazungula Young Fighters boasted the availability of their young deadly play maker Roo Tiky and the hard running striker Morebodi KGKagiso, with Amakhosi having a pool of seasoned players who had been together for almost three seasons.

Terrors were first to concede in the first 10 minutes of the game when goalkeeper Taboka was getting used to letting the ball past his goal in the early minutes. Green Lovers congested play in the middle and had their defenders ballooning the balls up front to a lone striker who did well in holding the ball to get support from his team mates and kept on bombarding the Terrors goals but Taboka stood his ground in keeping them at bay in their quest to increase the lead until the half time whistle.

Terrors came out fighting from the break, spreading the balls wide with Costa, Nyandoro and Dunga dictating the pace but were unfortunate not to find the back of the net with Fax Modongo and Shorty Chakala either misfiring or seeing their attempts saved by the goalkeeper.

Green Lovers added a second in the first quarter of second half as assurance of a win but this did not dampen Terrors' spirit but good defending and goalkeeping denied them a scoring opportunity until at the stroke of full time Green Lovers added a third and final goal that knocked out the Mighty Terrors. On the other pitch, Amakhosi defended hard to stop the tormenting Kazungula team who kept knocking at the Amakhosi door to try and get a win and book themselves a place in National first division, but all their attempts were futile as the game ended in a 1-1draw and pushed Amakhosi to 14 points and leave Kazungula at 11. Amakhosi together with Green Lovers are the promotional games play-off champions and will join the National First Division North teams for the coming season.

No Mathata crash against BMC

Lobatse meat packers BMC took leave from the packing trays on Saturday to visit Botshabelo ward in Selebi Phikwe where they slaughtered the giant killers in the Coke cup, No Mathata. It was indeed a problem for the Phikwe side who could not defend themselves on the massacre which saw BMC's Kgetheletsile stab them for times in the 45, 57, 82 and 87 minutes after Pilato had started the whole massacre in the 23 rd minute.

Lubinda had his own fair share in the 48 th minute before No Mathata's Mosheleketi could not stand the whole fracas and put the butchers knife on his own teams throat scoring an own goal to give BMC goal number 6, and making sure of the death of the Botshabelo side.

The doctor who called upon to check the pulse was Kago Segokgo who cut off the last vein from No Mathata's throat in the 83 rd minute to hand his team an 8-0 win and a last 8 berth in the Coca-Cola Cup. At SSKB, former Coca-Cola winners Uniao Flamingoe Santos also booked a place in the last 8 through a solitary goal scored in the 13 th minute by National team under 20 player, Mathews Moruti to send Serowe outfit Miscellaneous packing. Miscellaneous, who had a fair chance of equalising were let down by their strike force who could not combine well with their usually reliable striker, Emmanuel Thakadu.

The only best scoring opportunity for the visitors came in the 72 nd minute when Moyenga Chakova failed to beat Chenjerai Dube in a one-on-one situation and Dube parried his effort for a corner.

Molapo Green Birds of Mmopane flew high despite being from a lower division to send troubled Notwane crushing out of the Cup after Notwane had to come back twice from behind to force a draw that took the two sides to the penalty shoot-out, which Green Birds won by 4-3. Notwane is the second Be Mobile team to be sent packing by the Birds after Nico United was beaten 3-2 in the last 32.

A visit to the North by Mochudi Centre Chiefs for a date with Tasc was a morale booster to clinch the double for Magosi who showed no mercy in walloping the army side 5-0 with goals coming from Joel Mogorosi, who scored a brace, and Moloi, Moyana and Mara Moloi. Ecco City Greens also travelled to Otse Police College were they were handed a pass to the quarter finals by the Gaborone Police whom they outclassed in 3-0 victory.

Gaborone United edged past last years' finalists, Motlakase Power Dynamos, beating them by 1-0 and Township Rollers showed no mercy when they hosted Mogoditshane Fighters on Friday night and rolled them over scoring a 4-2 success while on Sunday afternoon, the Coke cup holders from last year, Extension Gunners made an early exit at the hands of BDF X1 who narrowly beat them by 2 goals to 1.

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14 May ' 13:58

Edition 602. 11 - 18 May 2012

A super moon lit up Sunday night's sky over Maun and Ngamiland. It was a once-a-year cosmic show, overshadowing a meteor shower from remnants of Halley's Comet, the United States space agency (NASA) said. The moon seemed especially big and bright as it reached its closest spot to Earth at the same time it is in its full phase. The moon was the closest it got to the Earth this year - and appeared 14% larger because of it. At its peak it was about 356 954.8km from Earth. That's about 24 622.9km closer than average. Many people took advantage of the perfect conditions to picnic on the riverside or sail quietly on the river to watch the dramatic moon rise over the Botswana bush. (Picture: Associated Press).

MAJOR FARM PROJECT ON BOTETI

Preparations are at an advanced stage for a horticultural project to run along the Boteti River from Dikgatlhong to Makalamabedi II village.

The project is earmarked to run a kilometre on each side from the river.

According to the District Agricultural Coordinator for North West, Obert Mabutha, the consultative process was concluded on Wednesday. As part of the preparations, the Tawana Land Board (TLB) had had a land allocation moratorium in the area since the last quarter of 2011.

Mabutha disclosed that during earlier mapping of the area it was discovered that the targeted area has existing privately-owned fields. A technical team from the TLB has been enlisted to identify empty spaces within that area.

Mabutha explained that the project does not intend to take over people's fields as that would involve compensation. Compensations are out as we are not going to move field owners out, he said.

The identified blocks will be provided with infrastructure that include electricity and water reticulation but beneficiaries are expected to fund their environmental impact assessment studies that includes soil testing.

Mabutha says the blocks will be advertised and will be open to competition to all citizens interested in horticulture, including the youth. He, however, did not rule out the accommodation of those who already have ploughing fields in the area and would like to go into horticultural farming.

We are open to other ideas as long as they are in line with the horticultural project. For instance, I think we should be able to consider such people (those with ploughing fields in the area) who come up with syndicates to partake in the project, he added.

In the past, government has identified horticulture development not only as an important vehicle for economic diversification from mining and agricultural production base of arable farming and livestock but also for employment creation.

Additionally, it is expected to play a critical role in the country's food security as Botswana's annual horticultural requirement stand at 75 000 metric tonnes as opposed to the annual output of only 37 000 metric tonnes. The success of the sector will also impact positively on the country's huge food import bill.

The Dikgatlhong-Makalamabedi horticultural project will be run along the lines of ones at Glen Valley outside Gaborone, Dikabeya in the Palapye area or Ditladi in Tonota.

One such project in the north east, the Tshukudu Horticultural Growers Association, has 93 farmers occupying 111 hectares and who are able to produce 1 158 metric tonnes.

Excuses, excuses but Maun still without water

Maun goes into a fourth week with a serious shortage of water.

It has resulted in some residents resorting to drawing water from the Thamalakane River. At the advent of the crisis, the Department of Water Affairs attributed it to the cleaning of the reservoirs, but it now appears the department's assurances that the situation would restored when the cleaning has been done, were just a smokescreen as the crisis is increasingly becoming acute.

This week, the department has a different story to tell. The cause of the current water shortage, they now say, is due to breakdowns of water pipes in Boseja and Riverside wards and also by the malfunctioning of a booster pump motor at the Shashe wellfield whose main tank supplies other water tanks in Maun.

This was said by Water Affairs acting station manager, Dr Naidu Kurugundla, in an interview with The Ngami Times this week.

He said the breakdowns in Boseja were dealt with on Tuesday and said they are still waiting for a pump motor from Francistown to replace the current one which is running at a slow speed.

He promised that without any further breakdowns, the situation would have normalised by the end of the week.

Kurugundla revealed that the problems of pipeline network work breakdowns, particularly in the Boseja and Boyei wards, are caused by old pipes that keep on bursting, adding that the situation would be addressed during the current financial year.

When asked about the possibility of boreholes being flooded as it occurs every year when the river floods, he said they are using sand and gravel to block water from reaching the boreholes. Kurugundla said their boreholes will not be affected by the flood water. Regarding allegations that some Water Affairs employees used the department's water bowsers to fill their personal water containers at their homes in Maun, he dismissed those allegations as baseless. He said water bowsers are always monitored and there is no way the vehicles could be used for such purposes.

He said there are some Jojo tanks placed around Maun, some of which are in Water Affairs employee's yards to assist all the residents with water when there is shortage of water.

NWDC storekeeper admits evidence, says not guilty

The former North West District Council (NWDC) storekeeper, Loungo Dikgole (37), who is facing seven counts of stealing by servants and forgery, have after admitting to 20 statements and affidavits which were before court, this week told Chief Magistrate Mompati Taolo that she is not guilty.

Her admission to the prosecution's evidence in the statements was also an admission of guilt but the accused later claimed that even though she had admitted to all witnesses' statements, she was not guilty and added that she does not understand what that means or entails.

This prompted Taolo to call on Dikgole to put up a defence as she pleaded not guilty. She repeatedly said that she needs a postponement in order to secure a legal representation.

Dikgole, according to Taolo, was given the opportunity of a postponement of the case in the hope that she would find out the seriousness of the matter she is facing. She was also advised to bring own attorney during the trial, which has since been postponed to July 6.

Dikgole is charged with seven counts of stealing by person employed in the public service. The particulars of the offence are that the accused whilst employed by NWDC, on May 9, 2009, stole 400 bags of cement from Archein Hardware, 250 bags on the 11 th , 350 on the 14 th , 300 on the 16 th , 34 bags on the 19 th . It has been further said she proceeded to Archein Hardware again on June 14, and on a private truck loaded 2 025 stock bricks valued at P5 973.75.

She is alleged to have gone to Seftim (Pty) Ltd and falsely loaded 800 bags of cement, claiming the NWDC had placed an order for the cement when in fact the NWDC had not placed any such order. The accused person knew that the representation was false. All bags of cement stolen are valued at P179 834. The case was registered last year and it is prosecuted by Pascal Mhandu of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

President gives figures for Ipelegeng project

KANYE President Ian Khama says the Ipelegeng programme has employed 55 000 across the country. Addressing a kgotla meeting at Kgwakgwe in the Kanye South constituency, he said 657 people employed in the scheme are in the constituency. In a wide ranging address he told residents of the government's intention for clinics to operate 24 hours. However, he said such efforts are hampered by shortage of nurses. He has also tasked the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Kenneth Matambo to assess the drought situation with a view to see how best the situation can be tackled. Responding to comments, Local Government minister Peter Siele said the government is aware of homes that are flooded by ground water, adding that a committee has been appointed to work on the problem while the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Shaw Kgathi, said the government is introducing a Youth Empowerment Scheme to coordinate youth empowerment activities in ministries. Mr Kgathi said the programme is geared towards moulding the youth into responsible future leaders. ( BOPA)

Stop relying on government'

People living near Ntimbale Dam in the north-east have been urged to utilise the dam to undertake income generating projects. The Minister of Transport and Communications, Nonofo Molefhi, told Masingwaneng residents at a kgotla meeting that they could venture into fishery and vegetable gardening. Fishing is not just a hobby but can also be used to earn a living he stated, and it was time for Batswana to stop their dependency on government. They should find other means of diversifying the economy. Molefhi pointed out that they could make Ntimbale Dam a tourist attraction for their own benefit. He also urged residents to use government programmes such as CEDA and LEA to improve their living standards. He was responding to the Village Development Committee (VDC) complaint that too few people from the village are enrolled under the Ipelegeng Programme.

Well-loved resident remembered

Emerita Gros-Coray, who settled in Maun in 1982, has died at the age of 61.

Well-known as bursar at the Matshwane Primary School since 1993, she passed away at the Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital, in Maun, on Saturday following liver complications.

Known to a generation of children for mothering them as the school became larger and larger, she was, despite her small stature, a tower of help to all.

Emerita, born in the Ilanz area of Switzerland, came to Maun at the request of the famous Bernadette Ma Duck Lindstrom who owned a restaurant called the Duck Inn.

She had struck up a friendship with Ma Duck while travelling in North Africa - the friendship was everlasting - and other countries in Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.

Her talents in cooking and speaking different languages during a transport job taking heavy vehicles through North Africa to Kenya was noted by Bernadette. In Kenya, Emerita broke several ribs and was hospitalised in Nairobi with Bernadette taking care of her.

Returning to Switzerland, she worked as a tourist guide on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, dealing with German and Swiss tourists for five years, before being telephoned to come to Maun. Emerita fitted in well with the lifestyle of Maun as well as the people.

After a year at the Duck Inn, she worked at Xugana Camp catering for a BBC television crew filming The Jewel of the Kalahari and enjoyed it so much that she made it a permanent career by travelling to different camps or on mobile safaris training cooks and waiters. In her spare time she continued to help in the restaurant.

The Okavango River Lodge had a special place in her heart for it was there that she met one of the then-owners, Mike Gros, in 1987. It was love at first sight and she married him on September 5, 1992, in the garden of the well-known Ann Sandenbergh. Oldtimers recall it as the event of the decade for Maun as everybody was there.

In March 1993 she had a baby daughter, Michelle (known as Michi).

Emerita Gros-Coray's death took place shortly after visiting friends in South Africa. She took ill on her return and was hospitalised for two days before her passing away last Saturday.

A memorial service for her will take place at Matshwane Primary School from 4pm next Tuesday (May 15).

The family has requested that in lieu of flower tributes, donations be given to the school's bursary fund.

Northern Trade Fair on track

FRANCISTOWN - The Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) will host its 18th annual Northern Trade Fair from May 24 to 27. The fair will be held under the theme: Seizing opportunities of economic diversification amidst a recession. The trade fair is aimed at creating a platform for businesses to interact, network and create awareness about their products and services. It will be officially opened by Anthony Masunga, Group General Manager for Commercial Affairs at the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC). The Director of Business Development Services at BOCCIM, Zoe Isaacs, says preparations for the trade fair is at an advanced stage as bookings for stalls have exceeded 110, with more requests still coming. We currently have 74 exhibitors registered, but we continue to receive enquiries, said Isaacs. (BOPA)

The water fiasco carries on

Just when we were beginning to direct our attention to other pressing matters, the perennial water crisis has reared its ugly head.

In all honesty, there has been a false sense of water security for the residents of Maun as the Department of Water Affairs has over the years religiously ensured that we never get that security, particularly when the Okavango and Thamalakane rivers are in flood.

They have always vacillitated between the execuses of submerged water pumps due to flooding and old broken pipes. In the past few years, with unprecendented flooding from the delta, they have been feeding us the staple diet of submerged water pumps.

Now it would appear with the forecast of low levels of flooding this year, the department has returned to hiding behind old and rusty water pipes and equipment - their mantra during the pre-flooding years. The excuses tend to insult the intelligence of consumers.

At the beginning of the recent crisis, we were told the water shortage was due to the cleaning of the reservoirs and we were assured the situation would normalise once that exercise has been completed. But, alas, this week in the face of continuing shortages, they have changed tack to invoke their now worn-out bursting old pipes excuse.

Such shenanigans fuels concerns on whether the Department of Water Affairs really understands and appreciates the central role water plays in the sustanance of individual life, and indeed the town's economic life.

There is a frightening suspicion that the department does not regard water as an essential commodity. Otherwise, how does one start to explain their conduct when they have the timerity to embark on a reservoir cleaning exercise without even alerting the community of impending water shortages?

The department has never treated non-availability of water as an emergency situation, hence their lacklustre response in addressing water-related situations such as taking their time in procuring a replacement pump motor from Francistown, which is a mere five-hour drive from Maun.

At the height of the water crisis last year, assurances were made that portable water treatment plants will be urgently constructed at the old Maun General Hospital but as far as we can tell, the department has not been showing any urgency in achieving that task.

Cumulatively therefore, we should have little faith that even the much-touted Maun master water plan will be executed in time, and without the now-legendary structural defects.

The department's notorious indifference to Maun residents' plight last year led to a historic protest, and we had thought the department would now have wised-up to avoid the recurrence of such demonstrations.

It was a red letter day for Maun aviation when a Boeing 737-200 of new airline Blue Sky Aviation landed here on a proving flight on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB).

Then there were red faces as well . . . because the plane reportedly did not have airstairs to allow disembarkation, so the crew had no choice but to return to Gaborone without stepping on to the hallowed soil of Maun.

Talk about oops! if this is all true.

The Boeing 737 that we have seen landing here in recent days is on a three-month contract for Air Botswana from South African charter airline Starair and it does have airstairs.

Starair also operates on behalf of Air Malawi between Johannesburg and Lilongwe as well as undertaking flights for the Mozambique national carrier, LAM.

Blue Sky is awaiting the go-ahead to operate scheduled services within Botswana and possibly to other southern African destinations. Incidentally, Shuffle hears that the arrival of the Starair Boeing is like a homecoming for the company's Peter Annear who in his younger days used to fly Cessna 210s out of Maun.

If you're a Greek or a French person and your government is spooked by the huge amount of debt your country has to repay, and has imposed austerity measures on you and your compatriots to enable the country to remain solvent, and you don't like them, what do you do?

Silly question!  Simple answer! You get together with all the other millions of don't-give-a-stuff-about-debt feckless, handout-dependent entitlement-minded compatriots and you vote the government out of office.   You replace the disciplined reducers of debt with your own big spending borrowers.   Who needs hardship, belt tightening and never enough money to buy a bottle of ouzo or vin ordinaire? Right!   This week the prudent governments were booted out.   The spenders are back in town!   Sure, we're in a deep hole of debt, but any fool knows that when you owe more money than you can repay, the way to go is to borrow more!

Dig yourself into a deeper hole, set a new date to repay your old debts, as well as your new debts. Just an arbitrary future date.   Doesn't matter when, because you can always negotiate a new date.    The indus trious nations like Germany and Britain will bail you out, and the indus trial ones like China and South Korea will want to keep you as consumers of their products.

So you see, it's a good life!

Our taxi drivers still haven't learnt the art of motoring.

This week Shuffle was behind a scooter driver who had to take fast evasive action to avoid being knocked to the tar as taxi number B158ACP literally skidded passed him after entering traffic without a thought for man or beast.

The taxi driver is one of many who obviously do not heed any rules of the road only their rules!

It is going to be fun (?) to see these fools of the road negotiate the new traffic lights.

While on the subject of motorists, it is a sobering thought that the Booze Bus is on the prowl during the day and night.

This past weekend must have been a wonderful one for the fuzz as parked outside the police station were up to 16 cars in a neat row, and the obvious answer is that all 16 were temporarily impounded when the owners left nightclubs and bars.

Pilots have taken umbrage at a Shuffle insert recently about a fight among them and locals at a particular pub in Maun.

We want to make it clear that the pub in question was not one which is frequently visited by numerous pilots.

Shuffle apologises if the wrong impression may have been given.

Ivory disappears from government warehouse

KASANE - Thieves have broken into a high-security government warehouse here of the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism and stolen 26 elephant tusks being kept there under lock and key.

The stolen ivory is suspected to be heading to Asian countries where the market is lucrative.

According to Kasane-based District CID officer, Suprintendant Letsweletse Baiile, more than 20 Wildlife officers were questioned and released while a security guard at the warehouse remains in custody for further investigation. Baile further disclosed that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) has dispatched its audit unit from Gaborone, to ascertain the exact figures of tusks that could be missing.

A Zambian has been arrested by authorities in Zambia after he was found in possession of ivory believed to be from Botswana. The coordinator for Communications Research and Development in the ministry, Mable Bolele, confirmed the probe - some of our officers are under police investigations following the disappearance of the ivory, she said. They were alerted by the Zambian authorities after a suspect was arrested and found in possession of ivory that was marked BWK (Botswana Wildlife Kasane.) Bolele said some of the stolen ivory was scheduled to be transported from Kasane to Gaborone on April 4 to be stored in the capital but because of a lack of transport, the transfer was postponed. On April 23 it was discovered that some of the ivory had been stolen. There was no sign of a break in. The security where the ivory was kept is very tight therefore we do not know how the tusks were eventually stolen but the police will probe the matter, she said. It is very unfortunate that such an incident has occurred and the ministry will do its best to ensure that the ivory is kept safely, which has been a priority.

Reasonably positive' local economy

The first quarter of 2012 has been reasonably positive for the Botswana economy, says Dr. Keith Jefferis, Chairman of the Bifm Investment Committee.

The international diamond market has shown some recovery from the dismal performance experienced towards the end of 2011, while the 2012 Budget reported a much more favourable, albeit still challenging, fiscal position than was anticipated a year ago, he said. Inflation has continued to decline, in line with expectations, and although the mining sector underperformed in 2011, GDP growth figures show that the non-mining private sector has continued to perform ahead of expectations.

Figures released by Statistics Botswana indicate that the economy grew by 5.1% in 2011, a reduction from the 7% growth experienced in 2010. The slowdown was driven largely by a small reduction in mining output, which did not continue the strong growth experienced in the previous year. The global economic picture during the first quarter of 2012 remains characterised by uncertainty, although the overall picture is somewhat more positive than it was in the last quarter of 2011.

On the positive side, the immediate crisis in the Euro zone emanating from the Greek debt situation has been resolved, at least temporarily, and growth performance in some major economies, notably the USA and Japan, has come in ahead of expectations, Jefferis said.

Nevertheless, some concerns remain. Many commentators view the Euro zone crisis as having been merely postponed, with the focus moving to Spain and Italy, where the problems will be much more difficult to resolve. Growth in the emerging market powerhouse, China, is slowing, although in the Chinese context a slowdown' means growth of merely' 7%.

Rising oil prices are being driven largely by geopolitical concerns emanating from tensions in the Middle East, notably those between Iran and Israel, as prices are much higher than would normally be expected in a weak global economic environment.

Overall global growth, while showing signs of recovery, is likely to remain below trend, between 2.5% and 3%, for much of the next 12 months.

New railway to follow highway's route

Botswana's Transport Hub coordinator, Thapelo Leareng, says the proposed P70-billion Trans-Kalahari railway line will follow the Trans-Kalahari (Kgalagadi) highway route. He was briefing Kgalagadi councillors about the national integrated transport policy recently. Leareng said the project will provide a new trade route to the Atlantic Ocean through Namibia, adding that it will open up development opportunities in the 1 500km corridor. He said the project will provide a radical change in the railway business, and that it will provide a competitive alternative to South Africa's Transnet. Leareng also said rail transport has the potential to create employment. The government will engage private companies in the construction of the railway line. He urged local authorities to come up with plans so that they could make money through the project. Leareng said another envisaged railway line will connect Botswana and Mozambique. Boshoek councillor Bakaseno Motsamai said planners for the original Cape-to-Cairo railway line failed to make provisions that would connect villages it passed through and . added that Botswana is the only country in southern Africa with no passenger train service.

New Boteti mine launches production

Lucara Diamond Corp. has officially launched production at its Karowe mine in the Boteti and expects up to 40 000 carats to be available at its first sale in June.

Viewing for the first sale of Karowe diamonds will be held in Gaborone during the first week of June, with an online auction scheduled to take place on June 11.

Excellent progress continues to be made at Karowe. The attendance at the diamond launch in Gaborone was evidence of a strong diamond market and a keen interest in the quality goods which Karowe will be producing, said Lucara president and CEO, William Lamb. Our focus wills remain on the ramp-up activities which will culminate in sustainable operations at design capacity by the end of the quarter and the first cash flow from Karowe. During April, Lucara completed commissioning activities at the mine and recovered 10 000 carats from 28 000 tonnes of ore. Ramp-up to full production is in progress and the company expects to achieve 50% of the design throughput during May and 75% in June. The company expects operations to be running at a full design capacity of 350 tonnes per hour by the end of the second quarter.

Lucara is developing the AK6 diamond mine near the Orapa and Letlhakane mines in the Boteti area. It is 100% owned by Lucara, a Canadian company.

Construction of the mine infrastructure such as the access road, power supply, process plant and waste stripping were completed in advance of with production operations.

Bus overturns in Francistown

FRANCISTOWN - A woman has been admitted To Nyangabgwe hospital while five people were treated for shock after a Zimbabwe-bound Leighwoods passenger bus overturned along Guy Street in Francistown last Thursday. The bus was carrying 58 passengers was heading towards the Ramokgwebana border.According to the bus driver, Ortwell Dube, he had just started off to the border when he heard a tyre burst, whereupon he lost control, which resulted in the bus overturning.I don't know what happened because I was driving slowly and then I heard the sound of a tyre burst. The worst thing is that we had just bought the tyre about thirty minutes back, he said.

Get rid of red tape' - Khama

President Ian Khama has called for the elimination of unnecessary government bureaucracy.

Addressing the High Level Consultative Council (HLCC) meeting in Gaborone last Friday, he said unwarranted red tape only served to detract and inconvenience people.

The President said government had the responsibility to ensure there was quality national business environment and the private sector had to focus on improving its operations and strategies to make Botswana more competitive in the global economy.

He called on BOCCIM, the private sector and civil society to identify unwarranted bureaucracy as well as inconsistent application of regulations, which only served to increase the cost of doing business and frustrate people without any meaningful value added to the process.

President Khama assured the gathering of government commitment to the ideals of Botswana Excellence Strategy for Economic Diversification. The strategy required government, private sector and development partners to be focused.

He asked BOCCIM to engage ministries and identify hurdles for appropriate action.

This, he said, should be extended to the Doing Business ranking of ministries regarding efficient service delivery at one end of the scale and unwarranted bureaucracy at the other.

He told each ministry to submit Doing Business ranking before the end of September.

The strategies for eliminating the budget deficit, he said have been successful. However, there is need to exercise restraint in demands because the global economic environment remains uncertain and unpredictable.

Khama said it was pleasing that the non-mining sector continued to grow over the past few years at a fair rate, with construction and manufacturing in the lead. This, he said, was evident that efforts towards diversifying the economy were less dependent on the mining sector.

BOCCIM president Alex Monchusi said the government had to improve on rationalisation of policy formulation activities.

Monchusi called on government to have all ministries, departments and other state funded organisations to publish their annual procurement plans with timelines to be adhered to. (BOPA)

Insight into the life and times of Fred Bartlett

The death in Kasane recently of Frederick George Bartlett, one of Africa's legendary big hunters, has attracted much attention.

Last week, we published an abbreviated account of his life, and his widow, Elizabeth (better known as Jock), has now provided more details. He was born on March 5, 1923, in Nairobi and did his primary schooling in Kenya before completing his education at the Christian Brothers College in Boksburg (South Africa). He served with the South African 6 th Division in North Africa and Italy during World War II and after the war returned to the family farm Viewpoint' at Timan in Kenya with me, newly-married, she recalled. Bartlett joined the Kenya Game Department and was game warden in the Mount Kenya and Aberdares region.

With the outbreak of the Mau Mau emergency in Kenya, Bartlett, along with his brother-in-law Don Bousefield, was seconded to the police force to run a tracker team. The team was successful on a number of missions in the forest around Mount Kenya.

Once the emergency had come to an end, Bartlett continued with problem animal control until 1957 when he left the Game department to start a career as a Professional Hunter with Ker and Downey Safaris.

After seven years with the company, he left and joined White Hunters Ltd and hunted with them until 1969 before, in February 1969, permanently moving to Botswana. Together with John Lawrence they carried on operating as Hunters Africa Ltd, she said.

Bartlett and his son-in-law, Peter Kibble, built the original famous Old House in Kasane.

He continued to hunt in southern Africa until 1997, operating in South Africa, Namibia and southern Angola.

During his retirement, Bartlett wrote a book entitled Shoot Straight Stay Alive.

He led an extraordinary life that most of us could only wish for, his wife said.

He became ill a few weeks ago and passed away on April 27 at the age of 89.Fred Bartlett leaves his wife and children, Cecil, Elizabeth and Brian, son-in-law Peter, nine grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces.

Bon Arrivee hosts Eritrean artist

An Eritrean visual artist, Mulugeta Beraki will be holding a 30-day exhibition hosted by the Bon Arrivée restaurant in Maun from May 24.

Beraki was born in 1977 and hails from Asmara, Eritrea, where he grew up and was educated.

He says his love for the visual arts started when he was a child.

Having obtained a diploma in Visual Arts from the Asmara College of Art in 2000, Beraki has taken part in a number of exhibitions in different countries. He took part in a group exhibition at the French Cultural Centre, the African Art exhibition at Casa Della Italiani, and Realistic Art Exhibition in Asmara between 1999 and 2004. He also exhibited at the German Cultural Centre in Khartoum, Sudan, in 2007 and more recently in the group exhibition at Maun's Nhabe Museum. Beraki specialises in modern art and says his paintings are inspired by nature.

Africa a risky but worthwhile place for business

By Denise Mhlanga, News24.com

Africa's collective GDP in 2020 is expected to reach US$2.6 trillion (about P15-trillion), with US$1.4 trillion (about P9-trillion) in consumer spending and 128 million African households that have discretionary income.

This is according to a report entitled: Lions on the Move The progress and potential of African economies by McKinsey Global Institute.

The report reveals that Africa's future growth will be supported by external trends such as the global race for commodities, Africa's increased access to international capital and its ability to forge new types of economic partnerships with foreign investors.

Furthermore, the long-term growth of Africa's economy will be lifted by internal social and demographic trends, particularly Africa's growing labour force and the related rise of the middle class consumers.

McKinsey notes that for companies, the report analysis suggests that four groups of industries together will be worth US$2.6 trillion (about P15-trillion) in annual revenue by 2020. These are consumer-facing industries (such as retail, telecommunications and banking), infrastructure related industries, agriculture and resources.

Meanwhile, the Annual Broll Property Report notes that Sub-Saharan Africa continues to experience an increase in demand for real estate solutions in a very complex structure of emerging markets. Construction in these locations is booming.

In Nigeria, thanks to rapid urbanisation, consumerism and a growing middle-class, demand for retail space has increased during the past 12 months. The backlog of formal upmarket retail developments has brought new proposals and it is estimated that 250 000 square metres of gross lettable area of retail space will come on stream during the next 24 months.

There is demand for office space with new developments.

South African and international retailers are reportedly continuing to enter the retail market in Ghana. The Accra Mall, measuring 20 000 square metres, is the only premier shopping centre in Ghana attracting 7 million shoppers a year.

New office developments are leaning towards A Grade type prime locations and these are expected to have basic rentals of between US$35 (about P215) and US$40 (about P280) per square on completion.

In Namibia, the supply of retail space has declined while demand sales have remained stable.

Dave Bennie, of Africa Retail Leasing and Consulting, says it is much easier to do business in Africa where you do not need a visa and there is ease of travelling to that particular country. Namibia and Zambia were cited as relatively easy to operate in while Mauritius was said to be overtraded.

Construction in Sub-Saharan Africa is booming and Nairobi in Kenya has good infrastructure, lots of new modern residential apartments and the area is poised for growth.

Bennie says Lagos is a tough place to do business in as property and land generally cost more than they would in New York City in the United States. Property rentals are high and landlords require rentals to be paid for a year in advance.

This expensive location will become a mega-city in Africa, Bennie predicts.

He urged businesses wanting to trade outside borders to ensure that they check their health, things such as getting a yellow fever vaccine are very important - More importantly, doing business in Africa should be seen as an adventure, one needs a strong heart and will and lots of patience.

Retailer Woolworths aims to open 16 stores in African countries this year taking the total number of stores to 60 in the current financial year. The new stores will be larger than current ones and the retailer expects to be trading in 104 stores on the African continent outside South Africa by June 2014.

Woolworths is currently trading in 12 countries.

Glenn Gilzean, Woolworths Group director for retail operations, says Woolworths have the advantage of having traded on the continent for many years and is well placed to expand its footprint, adding we are very mindful of the competition for limited retail space and the need to deliver a compelling shopping experience to different customers in a range of territories.

Gilzean says finding the ideal entrepreneurs to set up shop with (as they enter into joint ventures with partners in African countries) remains a challenge to doing business in other African countries.

A number of factors have spurred the interest in African countries including the growth of consumer spending, which now accounts for more than 60% of the African GDP and is expected to increase with the growth of the upper and middle income groups.

The appetite for formal retail is another factor and we are well resourced to meet the needs of the aspirant African consumer, says Gilzean.

Jason Krause, managing director of International SOS South Africa, says there is no one size fits all approach to minimising risk in African economies, and notes that lack of awareness and preparedness of what happens in other African economic markets remains a risk factor for many businesses wanting to trade outside their own countries.

While opportunities are seemingly endless in Africa, the continent is also the most risky location to do business in. These include infectious diseases, opportunistic crimes and other health issues.

Krause says malaria is seen as a huge threat followed by road accidents . . . for those wishing to jump on the Africa economic opportunities bandwagon, it is important to increase awareness among shareholders regarding the chosen country to do business in Africa and protecting employees heading these businesses is necessary to taking advantages in Africa.

It's all about knowing the risk, preparation and managing the risk posed by doing business in that country, he said

Dave Butler, managing director, Southern and East Africa Control Risks, says Africa has become an investment destination of choice and with its young working population, the continent is poised for further growth. Business opportunities exist in sectors including infrastructure, consumerism and telecommunications.

Businesses face risks including government change, which signals risks to long-term investors, contract negotiations, red tape and corruption.

Butler says if one is thinking of expanding into Africa, they should know exactly where they are going understand the country and its politics; know your partner, ask questions such as who is behind the company and what companies' or partners' original source of wealth is. Do a thorough due diligence; and, protect reputations against allegations of corruption and bribery by remaining ethical in all business dealings.

Africa will soon be courted by global corporates from more mature developed markets as the scramble for opportunities in Africa continues and 900 million consumers on the continent, the problems and pitfalls of doing business in Africa are quickly being outweighed by the promise of a market clamouring for goods and services.

Safety and Health at work places vital

By Basadi Morokotso

Various stakeholders. among them the Botswana Police Service, Botswana Power Corporation, Debswana and the North West District Council. formed part of the many that recently showcased their exhibits on safety at the workplace in commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health.

Guest speaker and Maun East MP Frank Ramsden said it is paramount that employers put in place safety measures at all places of work so as to safeguard the health and safety of their employees. He said this was in line with this year's theme of Green jobs - promoting safer and heatlh in a green economy.

He said staff at most institutions countrywide are motivated by safe and conducive work environments and are therefore always productive and able to deliver as per the expectations of their employers.

The MP said also that like other developing countries, Botswana has long recognised the importance of safety and health in the workplace, which is evidenced by the many statutes that have been enacted over the years, such as the Factories Act, the Mines, Quarries, Works and Machinery Act, the Agrochemicals Act, and the Radiation Protection Act.

In order to lessen the negative impact of unfriendly economic activities, he said, countries are now beginning to turn to ways that are more environmentally friendly in growing their gross domestic products, and are as a result trying to look out for more sustainable sources of energy such as solar and wind.

You need to note that they are also doing more and more recycling of waste in order to reduce environmentally destructive consumption and depletion of non-renewable resources. Countries are also reclaiming polluted land in order to increase productive land, and all these new ways of sustainable economic development result in what is referred to as green jobs.

The government, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and employers and workers organisations last year signed a commitment called the Botswana Decent Work Country Programmes, all of which are mandated with promoting decent and safe work. Local businessman John Wellio said they have joined hands as BOCCIM and have set up a unit which is in charge for human resources and industrial relations for its members and non-members. It is tasked with assisting employers in setting up workplace policies to ensure the application of occupational safety and health.

He said all can be achieved if there is full participation and collaboration of all in health and safety programmes.

High potential for iron ore at Xaudum

Tsodilo Resources on Wednesday announced that the assay results of initial holes on the Xaudum Magnetite Project have confirmed the potential for iron ore. The Project targets a 35-40 kilometres long magnetic anomaly.

According to a statement from the company, to date over 20 boreholes have been drilled into the northern part of the Xaudum Ironstones.

Assay results, using ME-ICP61 and ME-OG62 methods of core samples from the first three holes on the BIF Magnetite deposit, are very encouraging over large intersections.

Maximum values for iron as high as 59.5% have been achieved in hole L9600/12 with an average iron value of 57% over intersection 334-338m (5 metres) in the same hole, added the statement, noting that the true thickness of the magnetite intercept is not the same as the down-hole thickness and this has not yet been accurately determined.

The company has vowed to continue drilling the Xaudum Ironstones to outline the extent of the deposit with its two wholly owned rigs over the next four months. Core samples are being assayed at ALS Chemex laboratory in Johannesburg, South Africa. Additional samples are being submitted for Davis Tube Recovery tests to determine the magnetic content of the rock which will define the rock's recoverable grade.

Tsodilo Resources is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic kimberlites and metal deposits at its Newdico and Gcwihaba Resources projects in Ngamiland. The company has a 97% stake in Newdico (3,949 km² under Precious Stone - diamond licenses). The Gcwihaba project area: 3,728 km² under Precious Stone - diamond licenses; 14,914 km² metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) licenses; and, 6,925 km² under radioactive minerals licenses is 100% held by the company.

Tsodilo manages the exploration of both the Newdico and Gcwihaba licence areas. Overall supervision of the company's exploration programme is the responsibility of Mike de Wit, president and chief operations officer of the company.

Many drivers nabbed for drunken driving

The Maun police say they recorded 18 cases of drunken driving over the weekend during a booze bus operation.

District traffic officer, Superintendent Alfred Magudu has expressed concern at escalating cases of drunken driving, saying the Friday to Sunday operation netted 18 offenders.

Magudu said this week that the development could be related to improved injection of cash into the local economy by the increasing numbers of entertainment festivals, workshops, and seminars. He noted that though this is good for the local economy it also has the unintended effect of increasing the risks of road traffic accidents.

The penalty for drunken driving is a fine ranging between P3 000 and P5 000 and cancellation of driver's licence or disqualification from obtaining a driver's licence for 12 months.

Communities adapting to climate change can learn from conservation method

A revolutionary approach to conservation and development pioneered in southern Africa provides vital lessons that can help communities worldwide adapt to climate change, according to a new report published by International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) this week.

Muyeye Chambwera and colleagues studied examples of Community-Based Natural Resource Management, a name for systems developed over the past three decades to enable communities to control and benefit from local wildlife, forests, water and other resources.

They found that CBNRM methods could form strategies for communities to become more resilient to challenges such as droughts, floods, extreme temperatures and changes to rainfall patterns.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed at a conference in Gaborone by the Acting Director of the Department of Environmental Affairs, in the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Portia Segomelo, that Botswana does not have a policy on climate change but is currently developing one to protect, preserve and promote its indigenous knowledge and mainstream it into the country's macro-economic framework.

We don't have a policy on climate change yet and we are waiting for the United Nations Development Programme to finance us to develop it, said Segomelo. Right now, we are going around the country on a mission to consult with traditional leaders on how we can go about it because climate change affects their daily life.''

Segomelo said development of the policy will involve identifying, documenting and gathering local traditional knowledge practices from areas, including agriculture, health, and culture and then feeding them into a legislative framework.

The international report says CBNRM has been a success when it has created processes and institutions that devolve power from central government, create tangible benefits for communities and allow the people themselves to take charge of their own development, says Chambwera. These factors will all be critical to the success of communities as they strive to adapt to climate change. CBNRM is based on an incentive-driven notion that assumes that communities will manage their natural resources better, and in ways that also result in poverty reduction, if they are in control of those resources and derive direct economic benefits from them. This approach to conservation and development has enabled communities to cope with a range of stresses.

Four key elements form the foundations of CBNRM - sustainable use, devolution of management decisions from government to local institutions, collective control and legal rights over resources, and economic incentives that enhance the value of resources to communities that conserve them. The researchers identified eight key lessons that CBNRM has for community based adaptation. These are blending strategies for sustainable livelihoods and resource management can make communities more resilient and able to adapt to climate shocks, local capacity can decide whether communities can overcome climate threat, incentives must be direct and visible household cash incomes will enhance a community's capacity to adapt and community adaptation projects should build on traditional institutions.

The other key lessons are that institutions for community based adaptation should include all relevant stakeholders and that traditional leadership can be an important symbol for community ownership and Trust matters between communities and their leaders, and between leaders and project teams.

CBNRM is now operating at local, national and regional levels. The report says that for community based adaptation to climate change to become as well-established at such scales, it will need financial incentives, enabling policies, research, communication and people who will champion the approach.

To succeed, long-term adaptation to climate change will depend on locally-based and proven approaches rather than top-down interventions that are driven by central governments or outside aid agencies, and which depend on external resources, says Chambwera. That's where CBNRM can provide useful models for community-based adaptation. In fact both systems can work hand-in-hand and strengthen each other.

Airline claims fares competitive'

Air Botswana fares are competitive and are based on operational expenses in relation to the airline fleet and it is also not frightened of competition on its routes. Air Botswana assistant manager - communications, Thabiso Leshoai, told BOPA in Gaborone last week that in addition to the air fares there are navigation charges and airport tax, which is payable to the government. He said they do not feel threatened by competitors whose prices are lower because the Air Botswana market share in sectors that have competition is highly competitive. Leshoai said all fares were recently revised upwards by a minimum margin to align them with the continuing increase in fuel prices and other expenses. This increment, he said, was the first in over a five-year period, where the airline retained its fares at the same level without any adjustments. Leshoai said the application for fare increases were prompted by increasing operational costs and inflation, which include government and regulatory taxes that are passed on to the passenger. He said prices are guided by the mileage, cost of operation between points and other resources necessary to conduct business. Leshoai said their pricing does not disadvantage them in anyway as they are affordable prices for their customers.

FMD vaccine for Egypt

GABORONE - The Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), in collaboration with its technical partner, MERIAL, has started sending the first supply of two million doses of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines to control the disease that hit Egypt at the beginning of this year.

According to information from BVI, the first batch of 1.1 million doses has been blended, out of which 420 000 was dispatched to Egypt. BVI was also to dispatch 300 000 doses to Libya with the remaining balance of 350 000 waiting to be sent to the Gaza Strip next month. In an interview, BVI general manager Onkabetse Matlho said all the consignments, worth over P5 million, was made possible by over 30 years of collaboration with MERIAL.

Security firm to close down

Security company Shield Security is to close down at the end of the month. This has been confirmed by the Facilities Management Group and will lead to about 800 security guards losing their jobs. It follows a decision by the Competition Authority to reject the acquisition of Shield Security by the G4S company. FMG human resources manager, Domi Sanki said employees have already been served with letters terminating their employment. He said Shield Security could not operate beyond May as its licence is under FMG Management, an entity whose sale to G4S the Competition Authority approved. He said initially the group wanted to sell the company with its subsidiaries of Shield Security, PS Cleaning and FMG Management. He said the group wanted to sell all of its Shield Security shares while remaining with some of the shares of the other entities. However, the Competition Authority approved the acquisition of PS Cleaning and FMG Management saying the transaction of Shield Security to G4S would result in the latter having unfair market dominance. Shield Security has offices in Maun. He added that G4S United Kingdom, which is the group mother body, has already accepted the approved transaction of PS Cleaning and FMG Management. Shield Security has been operating for over 19 years providing security services throughout Botswana to government, parastatal and private companies.The company operations include supply, installation and monitoring of alarms as well as supply of CCTV cameras, DVD recorders for monitoring sites, and physical guards. (BOPA).

Cape Town route is now official

Air Botswana has officially confirmed that from June 1 it will launch a new daily service route between Maun and Cape Town.

According to a press release from Air Botswana, Maun serves as the gateway to the world famous Okavango Delta, which offers an opportunity for the holiday of a lifetime.

The release states that demands for the route has grown over the years and will provide the tourist market with an opportunity to combine the sea and delta holiday experience. It is also perfectly timed to coincide with the peak tourism season, which will see increased levels of travel to most African holiday destinations.

The release adds that the route comes at a time when Air Botswana is looking to expand its route network into other Southern African destinations. Currently, the airline flies to South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe and also flies daily from Gaborone to Maun.

The route will be serviced by the BAE 146 jet.

Maun Terrors goes half way in promotional games play-offs

Maun Terrors, the representatives of the Nhabe Region in the on-going play-offs for a place in the 1 ST Division North league taking place in Kasane, have so far done very well winning two and losing one of the six matches each team has to play. They have put themselves comfortably in 4 th place in a seven team league with six points, 3 behind current leaders Francistown-based Amakhosi who won all three of their games to collect all nine points, and are trailing Kazungula Fighters and Green Lovers by a single point but the two have played a game extra.

Maun Terrors started the campaign with an emphatic 3-1 win over Morupule Wanderers on Saturday morning with goals coming from Fax Modongo, Chakala Shorty and a well- taken free kick by Zimbabwean international Tendai Nyandoro Katiyo before edging past Green Lovers by a single goal later in the day. That goal that came from the boot of free scoring Modongo.

The following day saw current log leaders Amakhosi brush aside Maun Terrors' challenge for top spot.

Terrors lost two players to red cards and the toll of a very long league season beginning to show as the guys carrying injuries and some showing signs of fatigue could not find the back of the net but fought gallantly and were unfortunate to concede a single goal that gave Amakhosi a valuable three points to top the log.

It will be a long journey once again this weekend for the Nhabe champions as they need to at least win 2 of the remaining games and maybe scratch for a draw to secure a place in the national league.

Amakhosi, on the other hand, need at least one win and a draw for security, as historically, teams have always won the promotional games play-offs with 13 points. For second and third placed Kazungula Fighters and Green Lovers, both need to win all their remaining games to be sure of qualification.

As for Stone Breakers of Boteti and Phikwe Pirates, the two are currently rooted at the bottom of the log having managed one draw each and it will be a difficult task for the two sides to try and make any impact this weekend. Maun Terrors and Stone Breakers are the only teams to have won qualification to the national league in recent years with Phikwe Pirates having played in this second highest league in 2005 when they were a household name in Selebi Phikwe and boasted star players like former Satmos coach Stanford Ntini.

The last time Maun Terrors were in the National 1st Division was two seasons ago and they were relegated to the lower division but have tried hard to beef up the playing squad and bring back the tried and tested players who saw them dominate the second round of the Nhabe league.

Zebras start long journey to World Cup

Botswana's Zebras start their long journey to the finals of the 3014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil with a game against the Central African Republic in Bangui in June 2.

They will be playing the first leg match in the preliminary competition of the African Zone.

On their return they will take on South Africa's Bafana Bafana in a first leg home game, to be played at the UB Stadium in Gaborone, on June 9.

Meanwhile, the venues for the 2013 AFCON tournament and 2014 African Nations championships in South Africa have been finalised.

The cities chosen for AFCON matches are Durban, Nelspruit, Rustenburg and Port Elizabeth. Johannesburg will host both the opening and closing games and ceremonies at the FNB stadium (Soccer City).

The cities that will host the 2014 African Nations championships are Polokwane, Cape Town, Kimberly and Bloemfontein.

Maun Tigers hold visiting No Mathatha

Maun Tigers (aka Ngambera) played hard to hold no mercy No Mathatha at Maun Sports Complex in a rare happening for the football fraternity on Sunday morning - as the game which was supposed to be played on Saturday afternoon could not take place at the venue but had to make way for a cricket match as it was said that the football game had not been booked on the stadium's calendar of events.

It is not the first time that games have been postponed there to make way for other events. One person, who spoke anonymously, said that even the morning game was not supposed to take place as some people had booked the stadium for the morning and as a result Tigers negotiated with No Mathata to play the game at 7:30 am as to allow the Phikwe side to be able to make their journey home well in time.

Stadium workers do not refute the fact that they have fixtures for the games but say dropping fixtures at their office was not a way to book the ground.

In past years all events for the year were written down, but now the notice board hardly has anything written on it except for one or two outlined events.

Sankoyo did not play their home game as well. It was to have been played at 6pm but it is understood the game was cancelled beforehand and Hotspurs did not even make the trip to Maun. Last year a league fixture between Sankoyo and Sua Flamingoes had to be cancelled at the last minute when stadium authorities said it was not scheduled on their calendar and a social football game was all the spectators were treated to. When attempting to push the game to about 6 pm, there was no-one to switch the lights on and Sua Flamingoes had to make the journey back home with costs and without kicking a ball.

Some local league games recently could not take place as other events were seen taking on to the field before the games and even, at times, in-between the games as it was claimed they had booked the stadium.

Satmos in double win

Selebi Phikwe side Satmos registered emphatic wins over Great North Tigers in a be Mobile league Labour Day match, edging the other relegation candidates by 2 goals to 1 before shocking Uniao Flamingoe Santos by 3 goals to 1 over last weekend.

The loss by Notwane, who succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of BMC made the relegation battle at the bottom intensify as Satmos have a slight chance to survive the chop with Notwane, GNT, and Miscellaneous all falling into the relegation zone. Two teams will relegate automatically at the end of the season, but the question that lingers is who will face the axe as all four teams occupy the danger zone - and the one that wins most of the remaining games has a chance of surviving.

BMC shot back to the second spot on the log after their win over Notwane to displace Township Rollers who were inactive over the weekend. Mochudi Centre Chiefs' 2-0 win over BMC in mid-week pushed them closer to claiming the league championship. For Police X1, David Makakaba scored twice to surprise BDF X1 over the weekend when they won 2-1.

Be Mobile Premier League games cancelled

The Be Mobile football league games were on Saturday cancelled at the last minute following confusion at the University of Botswana stadium in Gaborone after four teams were scheduled to play at the same ground and same time.

The teams involved were current Be Mobile log leaders Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Township Rollers, Tafic and Nico United.

According to close sources, fixtures had it on paper that the clash between Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Nico United, who were meeting again after the Mascom Top 8 game, were to play each other in a league fixture while Township Rollers were to lock horns with Tafic at SSKB grounds, but during the course of the week the venues were switched for the two games with the UB fixture taken to SSKB and the SSKB clash set for UB stadium.

Khumoyame Masonya, the public relations officer at Township Rollers, confirmed that on May 2 they received correspondence from the Premier league informing them of the change of venue for their game venue from SSKB to UB and Rollers made a follow up on Friday telephonically but could not reach anyone at the league to confirm the change. The chairman of Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Ernest Molome, also confirmed rumours that there was a change of their game but no formal correspondence was communicated to them until Thursday when it was confirmed.

The reason was that Centre Chiefs had played a mid-week game at UB and therefore that was reason enough to change the weekend game to SSKB, which they did not agree to as in a league Board of Governor's meeting that was held the previous Tuesday, an agreement was reached that fixtures and venues were not to be changed until the final games of the league as this was a crucial time for teams in contention of winning the league or those fighting off relegation.

On Saturday morning, centre Chiefs went to Lekidi, the Botswana Football Association administration centre, where it was confirmed that their fixture was still scheduled for the UB grounds. Three teams converged on the UB stadium - Centre Chiefs, Tafic and Rollers while Nico United went to the SSKB grounds.

Tafic also confirmed receiving a letter switching their game to UB stadium but no reasons were given.

When contacted for comment, BFA chief executive officer Bennet Mamelodi he only answered by saying an interim investigation committee had been appointed to try and find out on what transpired and was to give back a report to his office by May 18. He also publicly apologised to sponsors and supporters.

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A traditional dance group entertaining guests at the World Day for Safety and Health at Work commemorations held at Maun Sport Complex over the weekend.

TAPS RUN DRY ONCE AGAIN

Maun's taps dried up over the weekend, resulting in panic as residents remembered that last year they went for many months with acute water shortages.

Townspeople were not advised then or now that their water supplies would be cut.

Last year it was a race against time as residents went from standpipe to standpipe in the hope of getting water, and this involved waking up in the middle of the night to check whether there was any drop of the liquid. People queued for hours to fill any container available during the limited times when water became available.

The irony of it all was that this latest shortage, which lasted for about five days, came at a time when the river is receiving the annual floodwaters from the panhandle.

The shortage according to officials was a result of the cleaning of water reservoirs in Maun.

Maun Water Affairs acting station manager, Olebeng Balapi, said the water shortage occurred last week when they started cleaning the tanks. He said all the tanks were cleaned and finished on time except the main tank, which is situated at Shashe ward and which he said took a longer time to be cleaned as it was very dirty.

He has assured residents that the water supply would be normalised during this week. By Wednesday it appeared that normal supply had been restored.

When asked whether is it not important for the department to buy another main tank rather than to let the town go without water, Balapi said it is important and added they are constrained by lack of funds to secure another big tank.

He also said the department is in the process of procuring water treatment plants which will be used to treat water from the river to supplement water for consumption.

Former council storekeeper in court for theft

A former North West District Council storekeeper, Loungo Dikgole (37), of Thitoyamokole, has appeared before Maun principal magistrate Mompati Taolo to answer for seven counts of stealing by servants and forgery.

The accused, in her case proceedings, admitted to the 20 statements and the affidavits which were before court. She has however asked for a postponement of the matter to July to seek legal representation.

Her request was denied by Taolo who said that the accused had had time to engage a lawyer but had failed. The accused admitted that while employed by the NWDC, there was a procedure in which the council would purchase goods from a supplier and that she or other authorised persons will come and collect the goods later. She has also admitted that she hired a private truck on different dates to collect bags of cement and stock bricks, the goods which she also admitted to having sold to private buyers.

Dikgole also admitted that in all these she used a council purchase order to collect the goods.

She is facing seven counts of stealing by person employed in the public service, and the particulars of the offence are that she on May 9, 2009, stole 400 bags of cement from Archein Hardware, 250 bags on May 11, 350 on May 14, 300 on May16, and 34 bags on May 19.

The court heard Dikgole went to Archein Hardware again on June 14, and used a private truck to load 2 025 stock bricks valued at P5 973.75 and then went to Seftim (Pty) Ltd and falsely loaded 800 bags of cement claiming that the NWDC had placed an order for the cement when in fact this was not so.

All the bags of cement were valued at P179 834.

The State is represented by Pascal Mhandu, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, who closed the State's case as all evidence was admitted.

However, Dikgole said will give own evidence and not call any witness.

(The hearing continues).

Promote domestic tourism, minister tells tour operators

Staff Reporter

The tourism industry has once again been urged to promote local tourism as there are many locals who want to travel but are deterred by the pricing of tour packages that the industry has set catering for offshore clientele.

The Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry, Vincent Seretse, told the annual Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) conference in Kasane over the weekend that there are many Batswana, especially the youth who would like to enjoy leisure time, but do not appear to have been catered for, simply because prices are set for international tourists. Seretse also raised concern that while the government promotes the local handicraft sector, it has been observed that few hotels and lodges buy and sell locally produced handicrafts.

He said the handicraft sector supplies the market with products that tourists who visit Botswana can buy to take home as souvenirs.

I therefore appeal to you to support this sector so that local communities in which you operate can derive direct benefits from tourism. This will also directly contribute to self- employment and poverty reduction in rural areas where it is extremely difficult to create employment, Seretse pleaded.

Seretse also noted that the government continues to review work process and procedures with a view to improving service delivery, especially in areas of business licences, company incorporation and registration of business names, issuance of work and residence permits and land allocation. These are being some of the main areas of concern for the tourism industry.

Seretse further said tourism, as a globally high growth industry, poses challenges and opportunities for operators and the government.

In order to respond more competitively to the market challenges and opportunities in this industry, it is imperative that we, as tour operators, government, local authorities, labour and local communities build and strengthen our collaboration, he said.

The chairman of HATAB, Boitumelo Sekwababe, noted that the event's theme, Unleashing economic potential through tourism allows them an extra mile in ensuring that the tourism industry moves towards sustainability.

We need government officials, officers, security personnel, all relevant stakeholders to guard our interests, he said.

Unwell Nicky stalls false pretences' case

A trial of a case in which Maun lawyer Charles Tlagae, of Charles Tlagae Attorneys, and businessman Nicky Masheko are charged with two counts of obtaining by false pretences a total of P600 000 has been postponed once again.

The reason is that Masheko is not fit to appear. Another date, June 26, has been set as mention date to get a status report on Masheko's health. Masheko has apparently been transferred from Francistown where he was in custody to Gaborone for medical attention by South African specialists.

The trial might continue without Masheko if he is still not fit to appear by June. It is stated that the two accused persons on November 8, 2007, acting together with common purpose, obtained the sum of P580 000 from Casparus Jacobus Standler by falsely representing to Standler that title over Ranch Lot -24 situated in Batawana Tribal territory was registered in the names of Wetu Tshenyo and that Tshenyo was entitled to cede his rights over the ranch to Standler, whereas this was false.

Merapelo Mokgosi and Keneilwe Kgathi are representing the State while Tlagae is represented by Dick Bayford and Wanano Lumbile, of Charles Tlagae Attorneys, and Masheko is represented by Tshedukani Elijah, of Elijah Attorneys.

Rural investment a big difficulty

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dorcas Makgato-Malesu, has told Parliament that it is not easy to attract investments to rural areas due to numerous factors.

These include lack of fully serviced land with adequate telephone lines and a road network, insufficient industrial power, water supplies and sewerage system, unavailability of factory premises and a lack of international standard hospitals, schools and recreational facilities in rural areas.

In an effort to mitigate the challenges, the ministry has developed 47 000 square meters of factory shells in Gaborone and Mogoditshane to accommodate inventors as well as acquiring land from various land authorities such as Tlokweng, Francistown, Selebi Phikwe and Lobatse.

We have also facilitated land applications of investors through different land boards, such as Palapye, Serowe, Maun, Kweneng, Kgatleng, Francistown, Lobatse and Gaborone. The problem is that most of this land is not serviced, she added.

She told MPs the ministry undertook a regional opportunities mapping study in towns and district councils in 2011 to map business opportunities in all districts and town councils and profile projects to be promoted and marketed to both domestic and international investors.

The ministry has also taken a lead in coordinating and monitoring efforts to improve the ease of doing business in Botswana.

This initiative involves continuous identification of challenges and engaging respective stakeholders to mitigate them, adding that over the past two years the ministry has assisted companies to set up their operations in rural areas.

Three accidents in one day

By Lesley Van Neel

Maun police are investigating the causes of three accidents that occurred separately at the weekend.

According to District Traffic Officer, Superintendent Alfred Magudu in one accident, a Suzuki car rolled on its way from Maun to Mowana at around five o'clock on Saturday morning.

He said the driver was alone and that he lost control of the vehicle which then rolled. He was not hurt. Later that afternoon the police received a report that a Toyota Landcruiser carrying 10 people on its way to Kgantshang had also rolled.

Five of the passengers including the driver were not injured while four were admitted to Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital for observation and one had suffered an arm fracture. The accident is happened in Shashe ward when the driver lost control of the vehicle. An accident which left one passenger dead happened at the Sekgoma Road and Mathiba Road junction (Ngami Toyota four way stop) on Saturday night when a Nissan Navara from the town centre and a Toyota Corolla from Thitoyamokodi collided.

The deceased was one of seven in the Corolla. Five of the survivors were admitted to Letsholathebe hospital for observation.

The Navara had only its driver who apparently ran away from the scene and reported to police the following morning. According to Magudu, he had wanted to report the accident to the owner of the vehicle first as it was not his.

Magudu said they are investigating to determine the cause of the collision.

Man shot by mistake' on farm

By Lets Open

MAKALAMABEDI - Police are investigating an alleged accidental shooting of a man here.

A 47 year old man of Thitoyamokodi ward, Maun, is alleged to have shot a farm hand by mistake.

He is said to have shot the deceased by mistake, said Maun police, while he was shooting guinea fowl in the Hainaveld.

Police said the man shot a few guinea fowl, and was not aware that a man had run to nearby bushes to collect the dead birds.

Assistant detective superintendent for Maun CID, Maropamabe Motlapele , confirmed the incident but his office was unable to release the name of the deceased as investigations are still continuing.

Motlapele said the man was detained for a few days in the Maun police cell and released this week. He had not been charged pending investigations.

CBNRM challenges should not obscure its vision'

By Lesley Van Neel

The vision of Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) should not be obscured by the challenges and successes it has had to date, but rather reflect on why CBNRM was conceptualised.

This said by the Botswana Wildlife Training Institute, Rex Mokandla when he officiated at the Ngamiland CBNRM forum in Maun yesterday.

Mokandla said reports have shown that a large percentage of the funds accrued from CBNRM activities nationwide are from Ngamiland CBNRM Community Based Organisations (CBO).

However, measures should be put in place to expand district forums to other districts to enable stakeholders to dialogue together and avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts, he added.

The Ngamiland CBNRM Forum is the only functional district forum in the country so far, and it is not surprising as the district hosts numerous CBNRM Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and has an abundance of wildlife and other natural resources, said Mokandla.

Though the district boasts of housing many CBRM CBOs, Mokandla said that there are also challenges faced.

These he said include mismanagement of Trust funds and assets, lack of effective governance structures and transparency, inadequate supportive legal instruments to facilitate and guide the CBNRM, inadequate distribution of CBNRM benefits, inadequate reinvestments of CBNRM funds in conservation and inadequate capacity of CBOs to run tourism enterprises.

Mokandla said he trusted that the Forum meeting will deliberate on the challenges in order to finding resolution for the betterment of CBNRM. He said government continues to recognise the fundamental importance of tourism in the country as it has potential to stimulate business activities in other sectors of the economy and thus contributing to sustainable economic development and diversification and create jobs, economic empowerment of marginalised members of the society and alleviate poverty among host communities.

The importance attached to the sector by the government and the benefits could accrue to the communities was recognised.

Mokandla said the Wildlife Conservation Policy of 1986 and the Tourism Policy of 1990 created an enabling environment for implementation of the CBNRM programme.

He added that the two policies accepted the need for the involvement and participation of citizens in tourism and wildlife related industries; adding that the CBNRM was a tool for implementing these policies.

He noted that the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act of 1992 facilitated community-based wildlife utilisation and management programmes within Wildlife Management Areas. Touching on the background, Mokandla said that the forum was established in 1999 to bring together the growing number of CBNRM stakeholders in the district. The forum serves as a platform for stakeholders to enter into dialogue and cooperate on matters at district level.

The National CBNRM Forum also presented a proposed New Vehicle for CBNRM in Botswana, which is a product of dialogue between and among stakeholders on strategies to improve programming, practice and policy.

This was unveiled during a forum in March.

It is meant to bring along capacity and governance, policy and legislation, an institutional framework, and a generation of funds and management of benefits. The Ngamiland Forum had the opportunity to input and refine the discussion document on the new proposed vehicle.

The forum workshop was financially supported by USAID-funded Southern African Regional Environmental Programme (SAREP).

Omang for Livestock

What was initially expected to address all problems associated with livestock traceability and criminality in the livestock sector has inadvertently become an economic disaster for the country, and specifically its farming community.

The introduction of the reticular bolus was hailed as a panacea for all the problems besetting the local livestock industry. And we still believe that with proper implementation it can turn out to be so.

So far, the Livestock Identification and Trace-back System (LITS) that was introduced in Botswana in 2000 has turned out to be a financial burden for the sector. The initial three-year project came at a staggering cost of P160-million in the 2003/4 financial year and no less than P20-million has been spent annually.

Further, the country lost beef export earnings of P400-million annually from the lucrative European Union market which accounts for 75% of our beef exports, with South Africa and Norway accounting for 15% and 10% respectively.

We understand the company that bungled the programme had to be disengaged, and in August 2010 the Ministry of Agriculture signed a P60-million three-year contract with another company.

The new company seems to be taking their time to remedy the mess they found. For instance, two weeks ago, a group of irate farmers from the Ghanzi District vented their frustration to this newspaper over the bolus exercise. Similarly, farmers at last

weekend's Sandveld farmers' field day in the Central District expressed such frustration with the programme.

This general desperation regarding bolus has even of recent led the authorities to reconsider other options of livestock traceability and identification.

It was in this climate that the Ministry of Agriculture undertook a benchmarking exercise to Namibia last December on the use of microchip ear-tags. However, in the initial

feasibility study the ear-tags were found to be unsuitable for Botswana's conditions as they not only have high field losses but are also of little deterrent to thieves. They are also not easily recyclable.

The other option is that of injected microchip, though cheap it is difficult to read as it can move around the animal's body. The reticular bolus therefore remains Botswana's best option, that is if it is properly implemented.

The bolus has zero-field losses and it is easy to read as it is always in the same place where it was inserted. It also makes criminal tempering impossible; though they have been unproven reports that brazen criminals feed a concoction of washing detergents and cooking oil to an animal to flush out the bolus.

The other advantage of the bolus is that it is re-cycleable thus making it a cost-saving device. For instance, more than 600 000 boluses were recycled in the last two years.

It is for this reason that we implore the agriculture ministry and the engaged company to implement this all-important exercise to move urgently and diligently to avoid further losses to government and the farming community in particular.

The Maun community, and businesses in particular, need to look with concern at what is happening in the price-structure of the tourism industry.

Government has privatised many camps in national parks, increased park fees, increased camping feeds (some in areas where there are no, or poor, toilet facilities, and the like- and then at the weekend the Department of Tourism dropped a bombshell at the HATAB meeting in Kasane by announcing it had pushed up bed night levies by 500%, from P2 to P10 per person per night applicable to all tourism enterprises.

This is tantamount to chasing away many tourists, particularly those who cannot afford the massive prices they have to pay to live in a tent in a luxury camp environment. Worst hit are the mobile sector and self-drive tourists.

It has become apparent over the past month that the number of self-drive tourists has dropped off. One would have thought that the South African clientele, taking advantage as they have done for years of extra long weekends in their country, would use the opportunity to visit Botswana but unhappily for Maun this has not been the case this tourist season.

Certainly there have a number coming but business is suffering as a result of punitive fees being charged.

Perhaps there has to be a think tank on this situation as stifling tourism and trade in Maun at the same time is a death wish for our town.

Our bush pilots are at it again! For some years there has been relative peace on the horizon when Friday nights come round, a time when it seems every pilot not flying makes a beeline for a popular bar.

This past week they dutifully turned up at their favourite bar and bedlam followed . . . It took a stern talking to from a very, very large Motswana to bring them to their senses after a fight had broken out inside and outside the bar.

This chap, whose commanding figure is well known around Maun, told them to behave properly or leave, and then added for good measure: Do you see those old (sic) people eating in the restaurant. They own the companies you work for . . .

It had the desired effect!

These middle of the week public holidays cause chaos with business. This week was no exception as Tuesday was Labour Day and most people were not at work. This meant that Monday was the busiest day of the week for banks, supermarkets and the rest.

Bank queues were incredible, bringing with it a lot of shuffling as people moved slowly forward to the tellers.

Virgin Galactic (yes, part of the Virgin Atlantic group) is soon to launch sales in South Africa, offering commercial space travel.

Virgin Galactic aims to make space travel more attainable for the general public. This once-in-a-lifetime experience will cost a mere P1.4-million, give or take a few thebe, per ticket and will include astronaut training, G-force acclimatisation and a sensational sub-orbital spaceflight.

Training will not be given in Zambia where some years ago budding astronauts from that country embarked on sliding down hills on cardboard as a means of testing G-forces (true story by the way!).

Ticket sales to open soon in South Africa but Shuffle will be trying for a freebie!

Time for laughter

* A man in a hotel: Waiter, there is a dead fly in my bean soup.

Waiter: Oh, the hot soup must have killed it sir.

* Customer in a hotel: Waiter, this soup tastes funny!

Waiter: Oh! the chef must have been laughing when he prepared it, sir.

* Teacher: Tell me a way to prevent a disease which is caused by biting insects.

Student: Don't get bitten by them.

Khama gets high marks in Gallup Poll

A poll by the world famous Gallup organisation shows that 81% of Batswana approve of president Ian Khama's governance.

This result is one of the results from a Gallup poll in 34 sub-Saharan African countries surveyed in 2011 and gave high marks to their chief political executives including Botswana, where 81% of respondents said they approved of Khama's political leadership.

Leaders in Burundi, Benin, and Mali received the highest ratings from their constituents, earning approval from nearly nine in 10 residents. Angola's president received the lowest rating, garnering approval from one in six residents.

The data make clear that leadership approval and tenure in the region are unrelated

As points of comparison, most African leaders earned higher approval from their public in 2011 than US President Barack Obama and British prime minister David Cameron did from theirs.

The state of the local economy does have an influence on Africans' assessments of their country's leader, at least to some extent, the poll found.

Many countries in the region including those that are not resource rich experienced relatively strong economic growth from 2010 to 2011.

Confidence in institutions is strongly associated with approval of the chief executive's performance. Those who are confident in the honesty of elections are far more likely than those who are not to say they approve of their leader's performance.

Confidence in the judicial system elicits similar levels of approval ratings. Further, even after taking gender, education, country, and household income into account, these results hold true.

Although today more African leaders come to office via the ballot box, many remain in power for decades or their son becomes the top executive at his father's death. Still, the Gallup results show that job performance approval can be relatively high - or low - regardless of the leader's time in office.

The findings suggest that while local economic conditions do matter, other factors may be more significant drivers of leaders' ratings, although a deteriorating economic environment can worsen residents' assessments of their political leader's performance. Governance issues, such as the honesty of elections and the judicial system, seem to matter much more in the eyes of most Africans.

Other factors, such as political apathy, may play a role as many may not be interested in political affairs and tacitly approve of their leader's performance.

The recent change of the guard in Senegal where the former president's approval stood at 30% and the deposition of Mali's president a few weeks before the end of his second term sent a mixed message about political alternation in the region.

Results are based on face-to-face interviews with 1000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2011 in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error ranged from ±3.3 percentage points to ±4.3 percentage points. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

The Gallup Poll is the division of Gallup that regularly conducts public opinion polls in more than 140 countries around the world.

Historically, the Gallup Poll has measured and tracked the public's attitudes concerning virtually every political, social, and economic issue of the day, including highly sensitive or controversial subjects.

Debswana rescues Kuru dance festival

Debswana Jwaneng Mine has forged a partnership with the Ghanzi-based Letloa Trust to sponsor the renowned Kuru dance festival with P284 500.

The festival, which seeks to promote the San culture through art and music, is an international event but due to financial constraints, the festival could not take place last year.

Speaking at the launch of the sponsorship, the general manager of Jwaneng Mine, Balisi Bonyongo, said the partnership comes at a time when the mine is celebrating 30 years of existence, adding that the company strives to develop communities from which it operates.

We have always prided ourselves as a company that turns dreams into reality, and in our 30 years of existence, we have helped turn a lot of dreams into reality, he said.

He noted that his company was proud to support a cause that will help promote morality in society through culture, adding that they want the good name of Botswana diamonds to be upheld, hence sponsoring organisations that are based far away from the mining town.

Bonyongo challenged the media and other stakeholders to advocate for the good work that diamonds have done for the country and its people. Unlike in other countries where diamonds have caused wars, ours are diamonds for development, he said. The executive director of Letloa Trust, Kaelo Mokomo, commended Jwaneng Mine for partnering with them at a time when support for non-governmental organisations was dwindling. Mokomo said allegations of funds mismanagement will not find a way into their robust financial system. He noted that their records are audited annually and that the trust had responsible leadership. Allegations of misuse of funds are common in non-governmental organisations, but the type of leadership we have and the financial system in place puts us above the rest, he said. Mokomo added that alcoholic beverages were not allowed at the event as it was meant to mould the youth to be responsible leaders of tomorrow. The public and corporate affairs manager for the mine, Naledi Dikgomo-Goulden revealed that the partnership did not only entail donating money, but also that the mine will assist in publicising the festival.

More and more water into the Thamalakane

As more and more water flows into the Thamalakane River and the Boteti River, the Department of Water Affairs is calling for people to be vigilant when using the river as the water level has increased dramatically over the past week.

The amount of water coming in at Mohembo is now decreasing while the amount flowing to the Thamalakane increases by day. However, the danger of the Thamalakane is that although more water is flowing in, it is not easily visible to the naked eye because there river had water from the previous floods. This year's flood waters are said to be lower than last year's, which left a trail of damage to property in the Okavango Panhandle and downstream Maun, Boteti and Toteng. The floods left some road infrastructure unusable.

The current situation is also said to be very dangerous to river users, especially fishermen who might underestimate the water in the river and drown in the process.

Olopeng Balapi, of the department, released figures showing a significant rise of the water level and water discharge in the Thamalakane River. According to Balapi, on April 5 at Maun Bridge the water level was 1.78 metres and discharge was 7.302 cubic metres per second (cusecs). On April 17 at the same place, the water level had risen to 1.881 metres and the discharge was 8.074 cusec while on April 20 the level had further gone up to 1.905 metres and discharge to 8.177cusecs.

Readings taken at Boro showed that on March 29, the level was 1.815 metres while the discharge stood at 4.886cusecs. On April 11, water levels were was up at 1.965 and discharge at 6.542cusecs while on April 18, the level was 2.01metres while the discharge was up at 6.542 metres.

Balapi also indicated that water was also about to reach the Shashe Bridge.

Maun Terrors represent Nhabe in promotional games

Maun Terrors have been confirmed as the Nhabe Region's football champions after deliberations of the final log standings. Terrors who had not played two of their games against CTO and Fuji Rollers were likely to be given soft points which cannot make one a champion, but Terrors still amassed 62 points the same number as Gunners of Khwai, but had a superior goal difference. The regional committee resolved that Terrors had to face Gunners of Khwai in a deciding game if the goal difference was not to be taken into account. With the goal difference rule applying, many football pundits were left wondering how Terrors had managed to score the goals reflected on the semi-final log standings at the top as Khwai had played all their games. Initially, in a hearing that took place on last morning the committee ruled that Terrors was to clash with Khwai on May 1 to decide the winners but this changed within 48 hours after consultation with football leaders in Gaborone and the result favoured Terrors who are said to have scored more goals than Khwai giving them the right to represent the region. This did not go down well with Khwai who wanted all the match sheets put on the table to confirm the goals scored by Terrors.

The story changed later on as Khwai gave in to give way to Terrors to be crowned champions.

Terrors will this weekend battle it out with teams from the entire northern region for a place in the National First Division in the coming season.

Improving Gaborone United hold tight in Mascom

An improving Gaborone United held tight to their slender 1-0 lead over Uniao Flamingo Santos in the return leg of the prestigious Mascom Top 8 to book themselves a berth in the semi-finals after playing to a 2-all draw at Molepolole on Sunday.

The Gabane-based side has been on and off form this season, struggling to cement a top spot in the Be Mobile log standing so far and are currently placed 11 th with 26 points, while Moyagolele occupy position 5.

GU has been gaining confidence since the appointment of BFA consultant Philimon Makhwengwe together with stand-in coach Rapelang Raizor Tsatsilebe.

The duo's first game in charge after the sacking of Elvis Chiweshe saw them getting back to their winning ways against Santos in the Mascom Top 8 first round encounter before they hammered Extension Gunners 3-0.

Moyagolele then played another game in which they walloped relegation candidates Satmos 4-1. GU scored the first goal to cushion the seat to the semis before adding another which brought jubilation to their supporters.

In Lobatse, it was the clash of the beef boys in a return leg and Ecco City Greens, who have been on a winning streak of late as they won 3 of their previous games, continued where they left off in the first leg with a superb display away from home edging their brothers by 2 goals to 1 to boot them out of the tournament and book a place in the semi-finals. Goals came from Lovemore Murirwa and Tendai Nyamusi to sum up victory for the Ghetto boys with a 5-2 aggregate after their 3-1 win in the first leg.

Ecco seem to be favourites to clinch the Mascom Top 8 trophy looking at their recent performance compared to the other teams who have made it to the semi-finals.

In the other quarter final match, Nico United made sure that Mochudi Centre Chiefs left the Selebi Phikwe Stadium with their tails between their legs after suffering a 2-0 defeat on Saturday night. However, the win was not enough to take Nico to the semi-finals as they lost on aggregate by 5 goals to 4 as Chiefs beat them by 5-2 in the first round.

This lost was the second for Chiefs in as many weeks after losing to Mogoditshane Fighters a week earlier in a Be Mobile clash.

It was a do or die affair for Nico with Master Masitara and Bernard Simakwenzi leading Majombolos' attack. Chiefs trio of Joel Mogorosi, Mara Moloi and Pontsho Moloi left the coach spoiled for choice in midfield by the return of Dirang Moloi, the younger brother of Pontsho who had been out of the game for sometime.

The addition of Lesego Galenamothlale, Elvis Meleka, Kenamile Mani and Galabgwe Moyana who all had been doing well so far for the Kgatleng boys raised hopes of Chiefs bouncing back after the league loss but it was in vain after the end of 90 minutes.

Township Rollers joined the trio of Ecco City Greens, Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Gaborone United for the semi-final draw.

A busy week for the Business league

This past week saw the business league start their games on Wednesday with matches played at Maun Sports Complex.

First up was the league organisers Aquarite who had a clash with neighbours Lepopo and the result after 90 minutes saw supremacy of Aquarite over Lepopo whom they walloped 6-2 and on Thursday, Choppies were yet again humiliated by the fast improving Yamaha who managed to beat them 5-4.

On Friday, Aquarite returned to Maun Complex to collect yet another 3 points at the expense of Builders World when Aquarite edged in 2-1.

The game between Canvas Zone and Choppies Old Mall on Saturday ended in a stalemate after the two teams settled for a 3-all draw after Choppies Old Mall was leading by 2 goals to 1. The final game played on Sunday was between Spar and Caltex Marcus which Spar won after getting the better of their opponents in a five goal thriller in which Spar scored 3 and Marcus scoring 2.

Builders World waited in vain for Mulbridge who did not turn up for their crucial clash.

Great performances by Maun swimmers

Maun-based swimmers excelled themselves at the CANA international swimming meet in Maputo, Mozambique, last weekend.

They helped Botswana into 3 rd position out of 14 countries. South Africa and Mozambique swimmers came 1st and 2 nd . Juan Milne and Larissa Pretorius both won gold medals by coming in 1st in the 50m backstroke events. There were two Victor Ludorums won for Botswana - Olympic hopeful David van der Colf and Juan Milne. Larissa Pretorius won two gold medals, and Milne took a gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

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29 Apr ' 16:39

Archives 2012

Edition 600. 27 April - 4 May 2012

The hyena pups photo by Ryan Green which won him the Botswana Wildlife Photographer of the year 2012 award last Friday. See story on page 10

NEW SHAKAWE SCHOOL UNUSABLE'

700 students moved to Maun Secondary

By Keto Segwai and Basadi Morokotso

The brand-new Chinese-built Shakawe Senior Secondary School has been declared unusable and all 700 students are now in Maun and starting classes on Tuesday at the Maun Senior Secondalry School (MSSS).

The relocation comes in the wake of the discovery of dangerous structural defects detected in the new buildings.

This has brought about a huge logistics and financial headache for the Ministry of Education.

According to the public relations officer in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Oarabile Phefo, Maun SSS is ready to accommodate the 700 students in its dormitories and classes, which have been idle since the discontinuation of the double shifts at the school two years ago.

Phefo said also that although they had a challenge of housing 60 teachers from Shakawe, they have managed to secure accommodation for all the teachers from the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) and the government pool houses.

It is understood a P1.3 million budgetary provision has been made to feed the students. However, there has been concern that the MSSS kitchen could be inadequate to cater for increased numbers of students

This week, the authorities were also looking at other options that include the kitchen facilities at former Maun Brigades and old Maun General Hospital.

They will be catered for in the same manner which was used during the double shift system and will make use of the same refectory in shifts. I must admit, however, that we are so overwhelmed because of the whole arrangement as we had hoped we were done with double shifts, now it seems like a long way to go.

It is worth noting also that the move is so unfortunate and was least expected, but it is again not a bad idea because really we had to decide on other alternatives as well in favour of the innocent children who have for a long time now been confined at home with nothing to do, Phefo said.

He could not be drawn into saying how the double shift model is to function and whether the new development is going to affect Maun SSS, save to say they will only be certain after they have worked on and finalised logistics.

Amid the deepening crisis surrounding the Shakawe school, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Science and Technology was this week still unable to give a specific date on when the construction of the more than P600-million project will be completed.

Cconstruction started in March 2009 should have been completed by September 2011.

The ministry's principal public relations officer, Christopher Nyanga said they were unable to give a specific completion date because we are currently conducting some tests to see if all the structures met the construction specifications before we can accept to take over the school and hand it over the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, but the project is currently over 97% complete.

Nyanga acknowledged that the delay was caused by multiple factors that include delayed acquisition of a mining licence for aggregate, and the correction of design plans.

The other problem we had was the omission of some brickforce by the contractor in some buildings which we noticed during the course of the project, he added.

The state of affairs has raised questions as to whether the project was competently inspected during the various construction phases - Indeed there were some inspections done as we had consultants to supervise the project on our behalf. However, it is possible that some mistakes ought to have been noticed and attended to earlier, said Nyanga. Three months before the project's scheduled completion last year, two executives of the main contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), were nabbed by anti-corruption officers while allegedly in the process of bribing the then-Permanent Secretary in the Infrastructure ministry, Carter Morupisi.

CCECC is in joint venture with another Chinese company, Tuwana, and Whitacon, while the lead consultants are Tiki Architects. The June 29, 2011 sting operation busted CCECC executives Xiaming Wang and Xiaoxiang Qui, with a would-be bribery bounty of P250 000 in cash. The two Chinese are facing a single count of corrupting a public officer and their case is currently before the courts.

The charges against them is that they had tried to bribe Morupisi so that he could assist them to complete a government construction project of Shakawe Senior Secondary School in the North West district, which project has defects and therefore does not meet required construction standards.

Nyanga was reluctant to apportion blame for the delay of the project, save for noting that we are not happy with the various players during the construction of the project and would not want to point fingers at this stage. He however disclosed that the contractor is being charged for completing the project beyond the initial completion date.

The Infrastructure, Science and Technology ministry has since paid out P600-million to the contractors, and there is still P51.3-million outstanding. Whether this balance and additional funds will ultimately be gobbled up the cost overruns is another matter though Nyanga maintained this week that no cost overruns have yet been experienced.

Protest march against Tawana Land Board

A Maun businessman is to hold a peaceful march in protest of poor service delivery by the Tawana Land Board (TLB) which he accuses of having taken 19 years to allocate him land.

Bernard Wellio plans to march from Gumare to Maun, a distance of 250km to sensitise the general public and government on the poor service that the TLB offers the people of Ngamiland.

In an interview with The Ngami Times, Wellio - holding copies of correspondences between him and the board says that for the past 19 years, the TLB had failed to allocate him commercial plots out of the five plots that he had applied for at different times.

As a businessman, 19 years of waiting for land means I have been impoverished, looking at how much I could have made had I been allocated the land, Wellio said.

Wellio says the march is for anyone who has and continues to receive a raw deal from the land board, some who cannot speak for themselves, adding that those who are willing to join him on the march are free to do so.

Somebody had to do something. I hope this initiative will help put a stop to disservice by Tawana Land Board. It's a sacrifice that I hope will help all those deprived of their rights like I have been, he said.

The march, which will start towards the end of May, is expected to last for almost a week, with addresses made in major villages along the way and at the end at the Shashe Bridge in Maun. Wellio's woes started in 1993 when he applied for land for a night club and restaurant, which was only allocated in 1997. He took 7 years to get a lease.

After obtaining a title deed, the land board stopped me from developing on the grounds that area had been zoned for residential not commercial purposes, he said.

He said he was advised to get land far from the village so that he can make noise there and was not given an alternative plot.

In 2001, Wellio applied for a plot for a beer garden but this was rejected on the grounds that it was on a flood plain and that he had not developed the first plot for which he was awaiting the title deed.

Wellio also says he had bought a plot in Mabudutsa in 2000 and applied to change it to a commercial one but never succeeded He said he was never compensated with land, even though he was promised a plot in Boseja Industrial.

Other plots he applied for a were for a lodge and campsite in Gumare in 2004 and a mass production brickyard and cement factory in Maun in 2010, both of which have not been allocated. He said TLB keeps sending him from pillar to post and in some instances claims to have lost files relating to the applications.

When contacted for comment, the Tawana Land Board public relations officer, Nelly Kelerile-Kgopolo, said she did not know about the Wellio land issues but promised to come back to this reporter with more information.

Communication could have avoided drama

The Botswana Football Association (BFA) recently released a statement in which they thanked the corporates, civil societies and individuals who made financial contributions and donations towards the participation of the senior national team, the Zebras, to the African Cup of Nations Gabon-Equatorial Guinea 2012.

BFA must be commended for its expression of gratitude to what are basically its partners in the development of sport, especially football in the country. BFA rightly notes that even after the team's inability to proceed beyond group stages, pledges continued to be made ... there was unwavering and overwhelming support from the nation at large as evidenced by the reception given to the team when it returned from Gabon.

Equally important in the BFA statement is the detailed report on their fundraising drive for the AFCON games, highlighting the source of contributions and how the money was spent. Further, the BFA comes clean in confessing that at the time of the senior national team's departure for AFCON 2012 finals, the Association's bank account for the senior national team was P500 000 in deficit created by funding of the needs of the team, including the welfare of players. Consequently, when the proceeds of the pledges that have been made good were received, the amount received was applied towards reduction of the deficit, reducing it to P118 371.55.

However, we strongly feel this information should have been clearly communicated to the nation and the team before the departure for AFCON.

The nasty scenario that nearly developed into a crisis before the games could have been avoided. The team had threatened to boycott the games due to non-payment of money they were promised.

The tussle over payments to players has been a recurring source of misunderstanding between the football administrators and players. The Rabat (Morocco) debacle some years ago was perhaps the hightlight of this problem.

By now, one would have expected the BFA to have developed better strategies in handling such matters. One of the less expensive strategies is to effectively communicate the problems to the players and the public.

Admittedly, funding for sport in general is attrocious in this country but that should not be used as an excuse by sport administrators for their failure to come up with innovative ways to raise funds for their various sporting codes.

Further, the administrators can lobby government and impress upon it the importance of increasing funding to national sporting codes as opposed to pumping money into unquantified initiatives such as the constituency league. Again this is a question of effective communication.

It seems that local burglars are spending their daylight hours spying on houses and then robbing them particularly those where women are living.

There is a clear pattern developing in Disaneng and Tsanakona in which women are being targeted. The point here is that with the menfolk in the bush looking after tourists, their women stay at home looking after the children, so become easy targets.

The tragedy is that our 911 Neighbourhood Watch project is not helping in rescue or assistance efforts as no one is responding to calls for help.

Most 911 radios in Maun are in the Disaneng area so it goes without saying that if there is no response to help calls, thieves will quickly cotton on to this and become more brazen in their activities these nights usually between 9pm and midnight.

On Saturday night a call for help brought only three people to the scene of the crime whereas previously 6 or 7 would have responded very quickly, making life exceedingly difficult for the thieves.

A Maun organisation is fed up with the amount of litter in our town, and more particularly outside a prominent nightclub.

Whatever patrons do inside the club is there business but outside on the street it's a free for all as car boots, packed with liquor, are opened and openly sold to revelers, who drink the contents on the street in clear defiance of the law.

Now the Maun Wellness group is taking up the matter with the District Commissioner, the North West District council and the police. It is about time, say business owners along that road which is most mornings strewn with broken bottles and other litter. If other places of entertainment can clear up the mess outside their premises (as is required by law) then why not the nightclub?

And where is a police presence to prevent this happening? The so-called booze bus is nowhere to be seen in that vicinity, rather being parked outside restaurants and sports clubs.

You can view our pictures of the situation on our Weekender page in this edition.

Big Brother is really with us now! It looks like Superman's X-Ray vision might not just be for Superman anymore.

Thanks to new research coming out of the University of Texas in the United States, we may be able to use one of Clark Kent's famed superpowers by using our cellphones to see through walls!

A team led by Professor of Electrical Engineering Dr. Kenneth O (yes, that's his surname!) have tapped into two significant scientific advances that could open up this new technology. The first is an unused range in the electromagnetic spectrum, and the second is a new kind of consumer-grade microchip.

The electromagnetic spectrum characterizes wavelengths of energy and measures all ranges of light. Dr. O's research is using the terahertz band, which has previously been inaccessible for most consumer devices. The band lies between microwave and infrared rays and can allow devices to penetrate through objects in a way similar to X-rays.

The technology goes beyond seeing through walls or other kinds of objects. In medicine, for example, there's potential for it to be used in place of X-Rays. Businesses could also use it to detect counterfeit money.

And just in case you're worried about spies using their phones to see what you're up to far away, don't fret the researchers are fully aware of privacy concerns. That's why Dr. O and his team are only focused on using their technology within a distance range of 10cm.

**

Puns galore

*I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop any time.

* I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.

* I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can't put it down.

* I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.

**

Observation - To add to our It can only happen in Maun folder, here's a new one: The new Terminal Lodge facing the airport is just around the corner from a funeral parlour!

Test flight lands in Maun

The first test flight from Gaborone to Maun and return by a Boeing 737 of the new Blue Sky Aviation airline landed in Maun at the weekend. The plane did not spend much time here as it was deemed to be a proving flight. The Boeing 737 is believed to have been the second to have landed in Maun and the first since the construction of the new 3.9km runway. It is not known as yet when a scheduled service will come into effect.

Air Botswana's monopoly in local skies and routes will soon be a thing of the past as Blue Sky Airways, a local company, is expected to start soon and SA Airlink will begin services between Maun and Johannesburg from June as well. Blue Sky is the first company in Botswana to register a Boeing. The plane that landed in Maun is one of four purchased or leased by the airline. A second Boeing is undergoing maintenance checks and should be available soon. The other two planes are being leased. The airline intends operating scheduled services to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and other parts of Southern Africa. Blue Sky will also have local routes to Maun, Kasane and Francistown as well as to smaller destinations not served by Air Botswana.

The Boeing 737 is a midsize, short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally derived from Boeing's 707 and 727 models, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers.

The Boeing is popular for both luxury and speed and can carry over 100 passengers.

Blue Sky is operated by the Flying Mission Services, a company that has been in the business of chartering aircraft as well as operating air medical evacuation services for the Ministry of Health for many years in Botswana.

Moratorium on tourism licences lifted

On the eve of the general meeting of the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) in Kasane this weekend, the Tourism Industry Licensing Committee has lifted a moratorium on various categories pertaining to the industry.

The moratoriums were in place for Category C (mobile safaris), category E (transfers), Category F (motor boats) and Category J (house boat) licences.

The lifting allows for off-site facilities such as mobile safaris, transporting guests including road transfers other than within a protected area, motor boating other than within land in protected areas, private reserves and wildlife management areas, and houseboat operations.

In another development, guidelines for the licensing of motor boats and house boats have also been published.

In future, the maximum number of motor boats per operator will now be 5 instead of the current 3, and the maximum, number of tender boats available per house boats has been increased to 5 from 3.

Other aspects covered by the guidelines are that all boats on water in Botswana must have 4-stroke engines, the use of 2-stroke EFI engines is permitted, there has to be a certified copy of registration from the Department of Water Affairs, and all licensed motor boat and houseboat enterprisers must operate from a designated and approved jetty, boat station and mooring site.

A new guideline is that all houseboats and motor boats must have a certified copy of certificates of fitness and water worthiness.

Also new is that all boat drivers must submit a certified copy of a boat driving permit.

Points system to assess residence and work permits

The government has introduced a points-based system to assess residence and work permit applications.

The Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs says the system was developed in collaboration with the private sector. The objective is to assist the ministry and regional immigrant selection boards to facilitate the inflow of foreign investment into the country as well as the importation of skills, a statement said. This is essential for the promotion and attainment of objectives of economic growth, economic diversification, export growth and employment creation. It will be used to assess the suitability of immigrants to be employed or to invest in a country. It works by awarding points for the attributes that a country considers to be desirable for immigrants.

In terms of the points system, two types of immigrants will be recognised employees and investors. With regards to employees, categories include the age of a person, the ability to speak English, scares skills, academic qualifications, professional and technical qualifications, affiliation to professional bodies, job offer, residence in Botswana, partner skills, and spouse of a citizen. In relation to investors, points will be awarded for business activity, export focus, use of local raw material, financial investment, total investment (including loans), proportion of Botswana employees and partners, the age of an investor, English language ability, education and professional qualifications, specific work experience, the locality of a business and residence in Botswana.

The ministry says the system has a number of advantages, such as transparency, objectivity, efficiency, comprehensive and flexibility.

Traffic lights to switch on next month

By Lesley Van Neel

The first traffic lights in Maun are expected to be switched on at the beginning of May. This has been revealed by the Station Traffic Officer at Maun Police, Assistant Superintendent Samuel Kgomo.

According to Kgomo, this has prompted his department to create public awareness on the safe use of traffic lights. They are planning a one day mini campaign on the first day that the lights become operational.

On this day, Kgomo said, the traffic division will be visible at the traffic lights where they will be handing out pamphlets and giving talks on safe traffic light usage and to see that drivers comply with the correct utilisation of traffic lights.

These are the first traffic lights in Maun and not a lot of people are familiar with them, that is why we want to educate them, he said.

He cautioned drivers to drive carefully and to treat the junctions as four-way stops in case of the lights not working.

He warned that traffic lights are not to reduce accidents but to ease traffic therefore drivers should be vigilant and should observe the rule of right of way and not try to drive through the red light, even if there are no cars; something which he said can cause fatal accidents.

DWNP auctions 27 problem' elephants

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks on April 3 auctioned 27 elephants from controlled hunting areas CT 7, NG 8, NG 9 and NG 35 for P5.52 million.

The sale was held in Gaborone.

According to a statement from the department, the auctioned elephants were regarded as problem animals from hotspots in controlled hunting areas within the Central and Ngamiland districts.

The auction, which was solely for Botswana registered companies, saw five out of nine companies registered to bid turning up for the sale.

The department says the auction was meant to accord Botswana registered companies an opportunity to meaningfully participate in the tourism industry and the protection and management of wildlife especially elephants.

The highest bidder was Rann Hunting Safaris at P230 000 per elephant while the lowest bidder was Johan Calitz Hunting Safaris at P180 000 per elephant. The reserve price was pegged at P150 000 and funds accrued will be deposited into the Conservation Trust Fund to be used by both the government and communities living within the elephant range to manage and conserve natural resources and also improving their rural livelihood, the statement reads.

The department further states that the conditions of the auction were that all bidders should immediately sign the sale agreement with the government after the successful completion of the sale. It further states the elephant prices did not include hunting licence fees, export permit fees, ivory certificate fees, and controlled hunting areas permit fees.

During the hunting expedition, the elephant hunter should be accompanied by a qualified licensed professional hunter and an escort officer from the department. The hunting of the sold elephants commenced immediately after the sale and ends on November 30.

King wins huge praise for his public apology

A frenzied Spanish press changed its tune last week when King Juan Carlos 1 apologised unreservedly for elephant hunting in the Okavango delta when his country was in a recession.

He had broken a hip in three places when he tripped in his luxury tent at the Qorokwe hunting camp in the NG32 concession area adjourning the Moremi Game Reserve and run by the Johan Calitz Safaris company.

Spain was incensed that the king had gone to Botswana on a luxury, paid trip with a business friend. He flew to Maun in a private jet.

The 74-year-old king hobbled out of a Madrid hospital last Sunday after surgeons replaced the hip - and won over the media with an unprecedented mea culpa. I am sorry. I made a mistake and it won't happen again, he said. It marked the first time in the history of the Spanish monarchy that a royal had apologised to the nation. The humility of a king, declared the front page of the daily newspaper, ABC, a traditional supporter of the monarchy. His Majesty the King showed that he was aware of the polemic provoked by his trip to Botswana to take part in a hunt at a time of economic difficulty in Spain, the paper said in an editorial.

His public apology honours His Majesty before the Spanish people, who have new reason to maintain their affection for the monarch and the institution he represents, it said. The centre-left El Pais, Spain's leading newspaper, declared: The king made a gesture that honours him. No authority has does anything like it in Spain, not even Juan Carlos had publically admitted a mistake, The front page of El Mundo, the main conservative daily, said: When to reign means knowing how to say: I am sorry'. The royal sorry focussed attention on an historic day for the Spanish monarchy.

Orange donates to three projects

The Orange Botswana cellphone company says it is committed to the social development of Botswana.

The company's head of legal and corporate affairs, Lepata Mafa, said at the handing over ceremony of funding to three selected projects in Gaborone that the company's commitment is shown through the Orange Foundation, which coordinates its philanthropy projects.

The foundation donated a total of P787 000 to the Central Association of the Blind and Disabled, Botswana Workcamps Association and the Botswana Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted. The associations were selected from 80 submissions. Rachel Segaetsho, of the Central Association of the Blind and Disabled, said the funding will make a big difference to her association, which plans to build a pre-school for the disabled. The association, which operates from Mahalapye, was given P400 000 for the construction of a nursery school.

Omphemetse Ramabokwa, from the Botswana Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted, said the funding will benefit all Batswana since they represent the rights of the partially sighted. The association received P300 000 for the purchase of a Braille Embousser and a portacabin for a braille resource centre. The centre will be used to access information by people with sight impairment by converting ordinarily literature into Braille. A total of P86 335 was donated to the Botswana Workcamps Association for a greenhouse project in Mochudi. The association is involved in many projects in Mochudi, including building houses for the poor. The donations are not the first of their kind from the Orange Foundation as it donated P185 000 worth of software to the visually impaired last year.

State to help with water connection costs

The government will continue to assist Batswana who cannot afford the new and standardised water connection fees.

The Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, said at a media briefing no one would be denied water because they could not afford the connection fee.

He said government provisions for the destitute would continue to be observed, and that this included assisting the destitute, through the Ministry of Local Government, with water connections, and also bought communal standpipe water coupons for them. Mr Kedikilwe said a P5 000 standard electricity connection fee was imposed on customers with a view to raising money to ensure the objective of electricity for all was met.

The idea was working and had already paid dividends as many people were now connected.

The Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) is in the process of rolling out pre-paid electricity to towns and cities in response to public demand.

Kedikilwe said the BPC was addressing the customer billings system that had resulted in a public outcry.

The corporation's chief executive office, Jacob Raleru, said since the implementation of the new billing system and the smart meter project, the BPC was faced with electricity billing challenges which led to significant dissatisfaction from clients.

Previously the corporation used three different and non-integrated systems to manage consumption and connection accounts.

This could not to be sustained and there was therefore a need to integrate the various systems in order to eliminate duplication of efforts in capturing and maintaining business data, Raleru said.

The Water Utilities Corporation chief executive, Godfrey Mudunga, said charges that the corporation inherited from local authorities were too low, and government had to save the corporation from making losses.

The standardised water connection fee in rural and urban areas to P1 500.

(BOPA)

Wildlife photographer Ryan Green wins

The Mombo-based Ryan Green was on Friday night crowned the overall winner of the Botswana Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2012 at a well-attended ceremony at the Motsana Centre in Maun. Green's winning photograph of hyena pups was also the category winner under Black and White/Monochrome.

The Cameras for Conservation organisation, which was started in November last year by Steven Stockhall and Guy Symons, aims to motivate people to look after their environment and to encourage people to use cameras as a tool to increasing awareness. According to one of the founders, Stockhall the organisation aims to use the imagery to conduct talks in schools and to take students into the country's national parks and game reserves and to teach people the value of bio-diversity. After its revival last year, the 2012 competition had a new category of instects and reptiles added. The organisers plan to add new categories over and above the ones offered in the 2012 competition. That will include aerial photography and man-and-environment.The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Botswana (WPYB) competitions are open to citizens and residents of Botswana and all photographs must have been taken in the last three years in Botswana. Further, each individual is only allowed to submit three photographs per category. The full list (with names of photographers and titles of their winning entries) is: Ryan Green - Overall winner and title holder of Botswana's Wildlife Photographer of The Year 2012 Bird Behaviour : Category winner - Donovan Drotsky - Bee-eater and Dragonfly; 2 nd - Donovan Drotsky - African Fish Eagles; 3 rd - Pete Hancock - Under my wing. Highly commended - Des Pretorius Hamerkop; Highly commended - Donovan Drotsky - Skimmer skimming Bird Portrait : Category winner - Sarah Kerr - Kalahari Ostriches; 2nd - Linda Smith - Looking at me looking at you; 3 rd - Cornelia Rautenbach - Shadow dancer. Highly commended - Jason Loughran Reflection; Highly commended - Cornelia Rautenbach - Soaring the skies

Black & White / monochrome : Category winner - Ryan Green - Hyena pups; 2nd - Dave Luck - Crocodile portrait; 3rd - Stuart Arnold - Elephant trunk; Highly commended - Charl Badenhorst - Giraffe trio; Highly commended - Donovan Drotsky - Dragonfly

Landscape: Category winner - Stuart Arnold - Kalahari Storm; 2nd Vincent Grafhorst - Proud African; 3rd - Michelle Gros Dusk. Highly commended - Ame Pretorius - Exotic Sunrise; Highly commended - Vincent Grafhorst - Ancient Baobab

Macro photography: Category winner - Jason Loughran Spiderlings; 2nd - Ame Pretorius Harmony; 3rd - Dave Luck - Dragon head. Highly commended - Ame Pretorius Perfection; Highly commended - Mark Nordin - Locust

Mammal behaviour. Category winner - Vincent Grafhorst Fresh; 2nd - Des Pretorius - Vulture Dispute; 3rd place - Letsogile Kamogelo Motivation. Highly commended - Des Pretorius - Preparing for the hunt; Highly commended - Sarah Kerr - Kalahari lion

Mammal portrait: Category winner - Vincent Grafhorst - The beast of beasts; 2nd - Karien Joubert - Cheetah eyes; Third place - Jason Loughran - Self portrait. Highly commended - Charl Badenhorst Lioness; Highly commended - Thuto Moutloatse - Leopard

Reptiles and insects: Category winner - Richard Uren - Golden Orb; 2nd place - Mark Nordin Chameleon; 3rd - Jane Bettaney - Leopard Tortoise. Highly commended - Donovan Drotsky - Eastern banded Tiger snake with chick; Highly commended - Stuart Arnold - Nile crocodile

Diamonds move is big news for country

Botswana will gain more than US$5bn (about P40-billion) of diamond trading business by the end of next year when the De Beers Company completes the transfer of its Diamond Trading Company (DTC) to Gaborone, a move that has already delivered benefits.

Johannesburg media reports this week said two Indian banks involved in financing the diamond business have been granted licences to set up offices in Botswana and two of De Beers' customers, or sightholders as they are known, have set up small jewellery manufacturing businesses in the country, Varda Shine, chief executive officer of the DTC, said.

De Beers sells about $US6.5bn (about P44-billion) worth of rough diamonds a year and about US$5bn of that is generated by the DTC office, currently in London.

De Beers was granted an unprecedented 10-year contract for the sorting, valuing and sales of the diamonds produced by Debswana, the equally held joint venture between De Beers and the Botswana government, said the reports. Up to 15 big banks are involved in financing the diamond business.

Two already have licences. I believe that once things are settled other banks will follow, Shine said.

Including the diamonds sold for beneficiation in Botswana, reported to be worth about US$5million, Botswana will become the world's leading rough diamond sales hub, selling not only diamonds mined in Botswana but those from De Beers mines in Canada.

De Beers sells about US$600m (about P420-million) and $300m (about P220-million) in South Africa and Namibia respectively each year. The balance will be sold in Gaborone.

We don't expect to see jewellery manufacturing disappear from India and come here, but we see certain things, like assembly of jewellery, gold work that we believe will be very successful here, she said.

One of the biggest advantages is when you export from India to the United States, there is a 6% tax but when you export from Southern Africa, there is no tax, which by itself is an incentive to bring more jewellery manufacturing to the region, she said.

The move is, said the reports, one of the largest transfers of a major business to Africa, s Shine said and raised the prospect of South Africa, Namibia and Angola - three major diamond producing countries - benefiting from the influx of 75 sightholders 10 times a year to Gaborone to buy diamonds.

The current DTC operation employs 250 people. The new Gaborone office will employ 170 people, a third of whom will be Botswana citizens and the intention is Batswana will be a majority over five years.

About 50 people are employed in research and development in the UK and will remain there. Twenty people will be made redundant in the move while the DTC has commitments from 85 DTC employees to move to Gaborone over the next 18 months. Most will only stay in the country for between three and five years.

A number of senior DTC people have opted to leave rather than move to Botswana.

Air Bots still making a loss

Air Botswana has recorded a loss of P54.20 million in the financial year 2010/11, according to a report from the attorney-general.

The loss follows another of P45.07 million reported in the previous year and the increase is attributed to increase in expenditure from P264.76 million to P301.43 million.

The report stated that the expenditure figure for the year included variable costs amounting to P143.69million, representing 26% of all costs and the revenue for the year was P246.24 million compared to P219.68 million in the previous year.

* Businesses in Maun were this week informed that Air Botswana would no longer accept cheques in payment for fares and that only cash or credit cards would be acceptable.

Angolan refugees in Botswana to lose status

The Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security, after consultation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has announced that Angolan refugees who fled the civil war in that country will no longer enjoy refugee status in Botswana.

Since the end of the civil war in April 2002, over 470 000 Angolans have voluntarily and safely returned to and reintegrated in their country of origin.

Today, only 130 000 Angolan refugees remain in exile, mainly in Southern Africa. In light of the fundamental changes that have taken place in Angola since the end of the civil war, it is considered that those Angolan refugees remaining in exile who were granted refugee status on account of the civil war in Angola and the war of independence that preceded it should now be able to reclaim the national protection of their country of origin, a ministry statement said.

The government is to work closely with UNHCR to give effect to the cessation of refugee status in keeping with the relevant principles and procedures of international and national refugee law and in accordance with the terms of the Comprehensive Durable Solutions Strategy for the Angolan Refugee Situation.

In particular, the government will collaborate closely with Angola, the UNHCR and other relevant partners to proactively pursue all feasible measures to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of affected Angolan refugees to their home country in safety and dignity prior to the effective date of cessation of refugee status, on June 30. Those individuals whose refugee status will have ceased, but for whom an alternative legal status or solution has not been secured in accordance with the terms of the Comprehensive Strategy, will be addressed in accordance with national immigration and other applicable laws. Any Angolan asylum applications submitted and still pending will be adjudicated in keeping with applicable international and national refugee law principles law governing the determination of refugee status.

President and others to get salary increases

President Ian Khama, Vice President Mompati Merafhe and Members of Parliament are to receive 3% salary increases at the end of this month following an agreement reached to end last year's crippling public service strike.

The adjustment will increase the president's salary to P484 296 per annum while Merafhe will get an annual salary of P372 552.

Cabinet ministers and the Speaker of the National Assembly will all receive P298 056 per annum with salary adjustments also for Assistant Ministers, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, the Leader of the Opposition, and chief whips. The adjustment, says the Gaborone newspaper Monitor, is a result of the public sector strike when public servants demanded a 16% adjustment but the government maintained that there was no money.

Letters to the Editor

Helpful staff in Ghanzi

Dear Mr and Mrs Shuffle Your pleasant experience in Ghanzi recently reminds me of a similar one I had with the Immigration department in Ghanzi.

During the dark ages when we had to renew our passports in Ghanzi, I came across the most helpful and efficient immigration staff in the whole of Botswana. Best of all, a lady phoned me to collect my passport after only three days. Another Botswana record. Ghanzi should be made the training headquarters for all government staff.

B TRUTHE

Maun

Granny told to run away from dagga'

A 67-year-old Tsanakona woman, Gaselemogwe Zenda, was told to ran away from dagga whenever she comes across it.

Maun principal magistrate Clifford Foroma was sentencing her for an offence of unlawful possession of dagga. Foroma sentenced her to a month's imprisonment which was wholly suspended for three years without her committing a similar offence, which she pleaded guilty to.

According to the facts, the dagga - weighing 116.8 grams - was found in a bag by the police who searched her house on July 5, 2011.

When asked whether she knew that the substance which was found in her possession was dagga, and whether she had a licence to possess such a substance, she told the court that she was aware of the dagga and did not have a licence of possession.

The prosecutor was Carlos Diundu of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions who said the accused was a first offender. In her plea of mitigation, the accused begged for a lenient sentence saying she is a single mother of three children and seven grandchildren.

She also said the court should consider that she is a destitute who cannot even plough for herself because of ill-health.

When passing sentence, Foroma told the accused person that the offence of dagga was very serious and prevalent. He also said he had considered that the accused person had pleaded guilty which shows remorse and the fact that she is a first offender. What was also considered was the accused's age which Foroma said is the exceptional circumstances of a jail term which was faced by the accused.

New minimum wage levels

The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Edwin Batshu, has amended the minimum wage to P4.20 per hour for building, construction industry, wholesale distribution, hotel, catering and entertainment trades, garage, motor trade and road transport, and security guards employed in the security companies. The retail distributive trade will get P3.70 per hour, while watchmen employed in the industries will get P3.50 per hour. Herdboys will get P445.00 per month. The minimum wage was last revised in 2008.

More help needed in taking care of orphans

Stakeholders have been urged to address the challenges of high numbers of orphans and vulnerable children around the country by assisting in taking care of them.

This was said by Kgosi Kealetile Moremi and other speakers at the official opening of the Lorato House Rescue Centre at Love Botswana Outreach Mission last week.

Moremi said Love Botswana has accomplished one of the pillars of Vision 2016 by providing a house and social services to the vulnerable and needy children who need care and support. She further said needy children also need love and also thanked Love Botswana for the much-needed house.

The Minister of Local Government, Peter Siele, also commended Love Botswana for showing their support to vulnerable children, adding his ministry is mandated to oversee the welfare and protection of all children in Botswana. He added that they have a responsibility to ensure that all children are cared for, enjoy their rights and grow up in an environment that enables them to develop into productive and competitive members of the society. Siele said there is an increase in numbers of children who need care and protection, adding that like other countries Botswana is undergoing rapid social, economic and cultural changes which have weakened the extended family support structure.

He said out of 79 064 children who are supported by the government, 41 324 are orphans. Siele also expressed concern that in a situation whereby family care setting is either absent or has been unsuccessful in situations comprising incest, defilement, rape, neglect and abandonment, the government sometimes does encounter situations to put vulnerable children under institutional care. He however said children's assistance should not come at a cost to their safety and dignity and urged all stakeholders to utilise the Lorato House Rescue Centre in order to achieve its goal.

Gary Pelotshweu, of Love Botswana Outreach Mission, noted that even though there are some challenges, the centre is operating on a 24-hour care. He said the centre was to accommodate children aged up to 3 years but due to circumstances they encountered children can stay for up to five years. He has however asked for the Adoption Act to be amended to suit the current situation. Pelotshweu also said they are not only taking care of children but also assisting needy people with food and shelter every Friday.

He said there are some projects such as the goat project, weaving and tuckshop which are carried out by needy people and appealed to mothers who cannot afford to take care of their children to take them to the Lorato Rescue Centre.

Like other speakers, Pelotshweu thanked different stakeholders for the support they gave in building and attending the official opening of the centre.

Crime is one of the world's 20 largest economies'

Crime generates an estimated US$2.1-trillion (about P9-trillion) in global annual proceeds or 3.6% of the world's gross domestic product and the problem may be growing, a senior United Nations (UN) official said on Monday.

It makes the criminal business one of the largest economies in the world, one of the top 20 economies, said Yury Fedotov, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), describing it as a threat to security and economic development. The figure was calculated recently for the first time by the UNODC and World Bank, based on data for 2009, and no comparisons are yet available, Fedotov told a news conference.

Speaking on the opening day of a week-long meeting of the international Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), he suggested the situation may be worsening but to corroborate this feeling I need more data. He said up to $40-billion is lost through corruption in developing countries annually and illicit income from human trafficking amounts to $32-billion every year. According to some estimates, at any one time, 2.4-million people suffer the misery of human trafficking, a shameful crime of modern day slavery, Fedotov said.

He also cited a range of other crimes yielding big money.

Organised crime, illicit trafficking, violence and corruption are major impediments to the Millennium Development Goals, a group of targets set by the international community in 2000 to seek to improve health and reduce poverty among the world's poorest people by 2015.

Criminal groups have shown impressive adaptability to law enforcement actions and to new profit opportunities, a senior US official told the meeting in Vienna.

Today, most criminal organisations bear no resemblance to the hierarchical organised crime family groups of the past, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Brian Nichols, of the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, said. Instead, they consist of loose and informal networks that often converge when it is convenient and engage in a diverse array of criminal activities.

Terrorist groups in some cases were turning to crime to help fund their operations: There are even instances where terrorists are evolving into criminal entrepreneurs in their own right, Nichols added.

Tigers and Sankoyo share the spoils

Maun Tigers and Sankoyo Bush Bucks' game scheduled for Saturday afternoon had to be postponed to 6pm Monday through a request from Bush Bucks who were said to have sustained injuries in their Coca Cola Cup match against BDF X1.,

The match almost failed to take place at Maun Sports Complex since it was claimed that Tigers, who were hosts, did not book the stadium for the Monday evening game and therefore no stadium authorities was on hand to facilitate the floodlighting but after consultation the game kicked off at 7pm. It was a tense affair with both teams looking to dominate and be judged as football kings of the region since Sankoyo took over the reigns held by Maun Terrors against Tigers after Terrors were relegated to regional football to make way for Bush Bucks in the second biggest league in the country.

More yellow cards were flashed against Tigers who seemed to take no nonsense from the young Bucks players, and Tigers were always talking to the referee to try and explain their physical strength against the young Bucks, which took them off the game a little bit as the referee did not hesitate to flash yellow cards to try and bring back the game to normality.

Only one send-off was done when Mike Sporo, a Tigers official, was asked to leave the technical area for voicing his concern after Carlos was badly tackled in front of the Tigers bench, and he felt that a red card could have been given to Sankoyo's defender Collen.

The game started at a high tempo with Sankoyo dominating play and saw Tigers goalkeeper Onalethata produce brilliant breath taking saves as Sankoyo knocked on the Tigers goal time and time again. Sankoyo applied a 4-3-3 formation against the same that seemed to be applied by Tigers, but Sankoyo seemed to have the upper hand because of the pace that they combined with their play and as a result scored the opener through a header by former Tigers player Skebo.

Second half saw a cool, calm and composed Ngambera team that played as if there had been told to let the referee do his job and concentrate on the playing part of the game, and changed the pattern to more of a 3-5-2 formation which allowed Sputla to push a little forward and revive the rivalry of the middle of the park with long- time friend and former teammate at Terrors, Fredrick Mutukwa, thereby giving Wellcome Patrick Mazibuko the free role behind the strikers.

Velem was left to be more of an attacking midfielder and Mutukwa playing more defensively.

This move paid dividends as after an exchange of good passes between Mazibuko, the overlapping Moditswe on the right and Chuku on the left, with Giggs and Sputla stabilising the central park, Tigers dominated the game and were rewarded with a goal scored by the free role player and midfield cum striker Mazibuko when he scored a curler from about 30 metres.

The goal gave Tigers the morale to go forward and things turned around when Sankoyo players showed frustration and started shouting at each other. Just like in the first leg game, Tigers were too wasteful in front of goals as the Sankoyo reserve keeper in poles for the injured Cotty failed to deal with shots taken towards his goal.

Sankoyo introduced the versatile Oris who managed to cool things down and as a result pushed more forward and forced Tigers to go back to defending tactics thereby killing the venom of attacking for the Ngambera side.

The game became evenly balanced as minutes ticked by, but one interesting part was the match ball used which belonged to Tigers and was white in colour seemed to be uncomfortable for the Bucks players who wanted it changed for their grey one, which Tigers could not agree to.

Top three teams finish off weekend in style

Nhabe Regional's top three teams - Maun Terrors, Gunners of Khwai and Delta Winds - finished their league season over the weekend in style recording convincing victories over their opponents.

Delta Winds recorded a 2-0 victory against Horizon Stars on Saturday and on Sunday at the WAP, Terrors continued their unbeaten run when they trounced Maun Heroes by 3=1.

Gunners of Khwai came from a goal down to beat Cubs 5-1.

Delta Winds, who seemed to have lost it all through draws and last minute conceding of goals, displayed determined team spirit in scoring a goal in each half to emerge victors through goals scored by hard running striker Stagga Seolo and Aone Matupa.

Maun Terrors had a torrid task but stood tall to brush aside Heroes with goals coming from Fax Modongo, and a penalty converted by midfielder Tendayi Katiyo before the boy returning from suspension Chakala Shorty put the final nail into the Heroes coffin. As usual Terrors have always conceded goals from the mistakes or lack of concentration from their veteran goalkeeper Taboka Maloba who was beaten with a header to give Heroes their face saver. Gunners of Khwai ran riot in a fast-paced encounter in a game played at night after it was rescheduled from 4pm to make way to a cricket match that was booked for the stadium from the afternoon till 6pm - to quash the surprise package of the youthful Cubs who were first to score from a free kick taken by Oabile Shumba in the early minutes of the game and was too hot for the goalkeeper to handle and Fish had the easiest of chances slotting it home. Gunners came back after the goal and pressed the defence that looked a bit panicky each time Gunners countered an attack into their box and as a result pulled one back through Gaoje, before making a meal of Cubs, which resorted to rough tackles showing signs of frustration and started free scoring to bring the result to 5-1 at the end of 90 minutes.

Great North Tigers claw while Chiefs slumber

Francistown-based Be Mobile club, Great North Tigers (GNT) came from a 2-0 deficit to claim a valuable three points from Extension Gunners, beating them by 3 goals to 2, at the weekend.

The team showed character and determination to steer away from the relegation waters after putting up a splendid performance midweek on Wednesday when they played Ecco City Greens who are optimistic of a top 5 finish, and they managed to salvage a point from via a penalty in the referee's optional time. The penalty was converted by Perseverance Sibanda.

They then went into the weekend game with one thing in mind - to steer away from relegation.

Extension Gunners scored two quick goals in the first quarter of the game but GNT soldiered on and striker Tamocha Bedi pulled one back to equalise before half-time.

The second half started with GNT throwing everything in attack, and were rewarded with an equaliser 15 minutes later when Waja Seleka scored a beauty that brought back hope to the side.

Gunners seemed determined to salvage a point away from home but it was not to be as Edward Leposo's boys pressed forward and again their effort paid off as Teko Molapisi scored the important goal in the referee's optional time to give GNT all three points that saw them pip another struggling North zone team, Miscellaneous, who lost to Ecco City Greens in Orapa by 3-1 the same day.

On Sunday, log leaders Mochudi Centre Chiefs could not repeat the avalanche of goals they scored in the first round against a spirited Mogoditshane Fighters team who found Chiefs taking a nap and beat them 3-2.

Chiefs came to this game with one thing in mind - to open further their log leadership at the top of the table after BMC were held to a 0-0l draw by Selebi Phikwe's Nico United and had had the pressure of Rollers breathing on them relieved as the later played to a 1-1 draw with Police X1, but all was not to be as Mogoditshane Fighters had planned against an 8 -1 drubbing their suffered in the first round.

Fighters were the first to concede, which is a usual thing when you play Chiefs, who held on tightly to their slender lead and only cracked when Fighters capitalised on a defensive mix up to equalise.

Within a few minutes Fighters took the lead and were as stubborn as a mule, cutting out every move by Chiefs towards their goal until the last 10 minutes when Joel Mogorosi increased his top goal scorer tally with a beauty of a cross into the far corner'

However, the joy of equalising was short-lived as Fighters kept shape in defence when Chiefs pushed every one into attack to try and get the winner.

Fighters scored the third goal to claim victory and collect maximum points.

Notwane plunged into relegation zone when their performance was again checked and ended on the losing side after BDF came from behind to wrap up the game 2-1 after Notwane had taken a 1-0l lead.

Gaborone United sent Satmos deeper into relegation when they had a field day scoring a 4-1 victory in a one-sided show.

Business derby goes to the elders

The most interesting of the derbies in the business league at Maun Stadium on Friday evening between Choppies Old Mall and Choppies New Mall eventually went to the seniors at the Old Mall who caned New Mall 5-1.

The goals came from man of the match, Seleka Waja who netted a brace and with Captain Persly, Kebonye Seleka, Bathobakae Reiketseng scoring a goal each.

The New Mall face-saver came through the boot of Molebeledi Phadimepe.

In other matches, Aquarite was held to a 2-all draw by Yamaha when they knew the previous days' score and had a chance to set the pace for the league. Aquarite goals came from Paul Mothlasedi and captain Ofentse Fax Dikole, while Moyende Kazombungo and Mokondo Mongondu scored Yamaha.

Lepopo were humbled 3-1 by Builders World, Canvas Zone registered their first win of the league when they put their house in order and beat Spar who had fired their coach Givens, for bad results by 3-2.

Spar's goals came from Pontsho and Edward, while Canvas scored through Gofaone who netted a brace and Kelekile.

The highest score recorded was in a nine goal thriller where Caltex Marcos scored 6 goals through Gobonwamang and Jackson, Moyevu, Mogomotsi and Samson scoring one each to beat Mulbridge who only managed 3 goals from Othusitse, Lulani and Kebatlogetse.

This week will see Lepopo take on Aquarite, on Saturday play Choppies New Mall at Boseja grounds and Canvas Zone will try to collect another three points when they clash with Choppies Old Mall at Cubs.

Sunday will pit Caltex Marcos against Spar at Cubs while Mulbridge will have a date with Builders World at Boseja Primary School.

All games kick-off at 4 pm.

Mascom Top 8 Second leg continues this week

The take all challenge cup for the Top 8 will come back to the stadiums this weekend with Ecco City making a trip to Lobatse for a date with BMC, whom they beat two weeks ago by 3 goals to 1 and over the weekend shrugged off a challenge by Miscellaneous in a league game, beating them by the same number of goals. BMC were held to a draw by Nico.

Gaborone United, who have a narrow lead on Santos, will face an uphill battle but if anything goes according to their performance over the weekend were they ran riot and scored 4 goals against Satmos then they are likely to proceed to the semis as Santos did not play any league game because they had some of their players in the u/20 team that was playing in Bulawayo.

Centre Chiefs go into this game with bruises after losing to Mogoditshane Fighters, but will bank on the 3-goal cushion they have.

Rollers seem to be blowing hot and cold and judging their performance over the weekend with Police X1 where they were held to a 1 all draw, one wonders if they will stand the test of going through when they meet cup specialists BDF X1 who came from behind to claim all the three points in a 2-1 win against Notwane.

Artwork & Design © by Gail Selby Wentink

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This picture of King Juan Carlos and a hunter posing with a dead elephant appeared on the pages of Spanish and British newspapers on Sunday. The picture appeared on the Rann Safaris website which was disabled the same day. (Picture: Rann Safaris/Sunday Telegraph/Africa Hunting.com)

Spanish King injured on delta hunting trip

Spain's King Juan Carlos has successfully undergone hip replacement surgery after tripping and fracturing bones around the joint while on an elephant hunting trip in the Okavango delta. Botswana government spokesman Jeff Ramsay said that the 74-year-old monarch was on a private visit to the delta when he had the accident. Ramsay said the king was hunting for elephant and had a permit, the spokesman said. It is understood that he was the guest of a wealthy Saudi Arabian businessman who lives in Spain and was hunting with a local hunting company, Johan Calitz Safaris. The website Africa Hunting.com, says all expenses for the trip and the hunt were borne by the long-time friend who had flown the king to Botswana in a private jet registered in Austria. The king had been based at the remote Qorokwe Camp, in the NG32 concession area administered by Johan Calitz Safaris. The camp has four luxury tents with ensuite facilities. The Associated Press reports that in an unprecedented act of royal contrition, Spain's king apologised on Wednesday for having gone elephant-hunting in Africa while everyday people endure a severe economic crisis. I am very sorry. I made a mistake. It won't happen again, King Juan Carlos said, trying to placate a rare wave of outrage against him. Looking sheepish and using crutches to walk, he spoke as he left the San Jose hospital in Madrid hospital where he had undergone surgery. A royal palace official denied news accounts that the monarch left the country without telling the government. The official said no taxpayer money was spent. News of the safari caused an uproar so loud it eclipsed Spain's economic crisis for a few days. The palace official confirmed the apology was unprecedented in the history of Spain's monarchy. .The Royal Palace said the accident took place at 5am on (last) Friday . . the Royal Household has been informed that King Juan Carlos woke up in the middle of the night in the cam p where he was staying and fell on a step on his way to the bathroom. He fractured his hip, which was already affected by osteoarthritis. Juan Carlos flew back to Madrid via Maun and was driven straight to hospital after landing, a palace statement said. Juan Carlos had suffered a fracture of his right hip in three places, linked to arthritis, it added. A reconstruction of the parts of the fracture was carried out and a hip implant was installed. Doctors said he is likely to be out of action for 45 days. Spanish left wing leaders have now called for greater transparency of Royal accounts and one even suggested it may be time for the once-popular monarch to give up his throne - the head of state must choose between his obligations and the duty of service of his public responsibilities, or an abdication that would allow him to enjoy a different kind of life, Tomas Gomez, the leader of the Madrid branch of the opposition Socialist party, said last Sunday. The incident drew criticism at a time when Spain is on the verge of recession with close to 23% unemployment. The king also faced calls to resign his position as patron of the Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) over his hunting of elephants. A petition on the online forum Actuable had attracted 40 000 signatures by Monday lunchtime calling for the King to renounce his presidency of the WWF in light of the recent hunting trip. The 74-year-old monarch has delegated his duties as head of state to his son, Prince Felipe, while he recuperates. Spanish newspapers said Juan Carlos is a keen huntsman and frequently visited Botswana. The private trip was not listed on his agenda of official engagements and the palace declined to say what he was doing when he fell. The Spanish royal family has enjoyed hunting with firearms for decades, but has also experienced its share of gun-related tragedies. The king's 13-year-old grandson, Felipe Juan Froilan, is currently recovering in a hospital after shooting himself in the foot accidentally with a shotgun.The most serious shooting incident occurred in 1956 when Juan Carlos accidentally shot and killed his 14-year-old brother while handling a gun during a vacation visit to Estoril, Portugal.

MINISTER SABOTAGING' TOURISM

By Basadi Morokotso

The Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Kitso Mokaila, came under heavy criticism this week in an unprecedented attack from tour operators who blamed him for deliberately making it impossible for their businesses, especially the mobile safari sector, to operate efficiently.

The criticism was presented to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change in Maun. The committee comprised MPs Mmoloki Raletobana, Wynter Mmolotsi, Slumber Tsogwane, Taolo Habano and John Toto.

The chairman is frank Ramsden, MP for Maun East.

They were told of souring relationships between tour operators and Mokaila whose many directives, they allege, continuously impact on the day-to-day running of their various establishments. This was described as sabotage of the industry.

The Botswana Guides Association (BOGA) chairman Kenson Kgaga said the running of the entire tourism establishments is deliberately being made intricate by Mokaila who has at some instances also told them point blank that as long as he still heads the ministry, all concerned will dance to his tune and abide by his every word.

He said they have complained on numerous occasions about their dissatisfaction with the way some issues of concern are being handled, adding that reluctance on the part of the minister always leaves them with more than enough food for thought as they never ever get convincing feedback, save for instructions every now and then from one individual whom they cannot even question.

Some complaints included the increased park fees which operators feel are way too high because now they might have to retrench most of their staffs, and that over the years, employers were only expected to obtain bona fide work permits for their staff with no extra charges, but now they have to pay P500 per employee annually, which they say is unaffordable.

Kgaga went on to say game viewing time has also been limited to a mere five minutes, which he said will affect their clients who pay huge amounts of money to view wild animals.

We just do not know how we are going to handle this because our clients are the ones who choose what to see as well as the length of time as they would have paid for such services. This is sabotage and we are going to fight tooth and nail to make sure that all falls back in place.

We cannot afford to loose our clients just because of some ignorant people who do not care about the welfare of others, he said amid loud approval from fellow tour operators and stakeholders.

Johnson Ramsden, of Planet Wilderness Safaris, said Mokaila and his various departments do not in anyway consider the mobile sector that important in the Botswana tourism picture.

He said the ministry does not understand the importance of the many sites, resulting in operators finding it very difficult to acquire new sites. Because the client carrying capacity has been set to only 20 people per site, including support staff, and only three vehicles, Ramsden said they have lost so much business as they depend on higher sales for higher revenues.

He added that they once had a verbal agreement with the then director of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks that they could book an extra carrying capacity site just to get around the excess problem and still use one site anyway, but that has since been discontinued.

He suggested the carrying capacity be increased to 20 guests, and not including any number of support staff, and that support infrastructure in the form of access roads and water be provided around sites.

We would like for minister and his ministry to treat us with more seriousness than they have done in the past. We can only find solutions if we work together . . in the end we all want what is best for our country, he said.

Man in court for threatening to kill his father

By Keagisitswe Dioka

A 25-year-old Disaneng man has appeared before Maun magistrate Phandiwe Taka for threatening to kill his biological father.

According to the charge sheet, the accused, Tshepiso Koyao, on October 26, 2011 at Shashe Primary School's teachers quarters, uttered threatening words to Phenyo Koyao saying, 'Wena ntate o sekgoreletsi mo botshelong jwa me. Ke tla go bolaya ke bo ke ipolaya.' ' The English translation is You are an obstacle in my life, I will kill you and then kill myself. The prosecutor, Neo Serumola, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, told the court that the matter was registered last year and the accused was granted bail. He also said the accused absconded until the matter was withdrawn without prejudice on December 2011 and added that Tshepiso Koyao was only arrested recently and there is likelihood that he will not attend trial.

He asked for the accused to be remanded in custody. Serumola has also revealed that the state is to call three witnesses. Koyao told the court that he missed the dates on which he was supposed to appear for mention adding that he was also not aware of court procedures when he missed mention dates.

The accused who had pleaded not guilty to the offence said he was all along at his place of residence, where he was arrested.

Taka said the accused will be remanded in custody pending his file to be reviewed to find out whether he is a good candidate for bail.

Tourism industry worst in southern Africa '

Botswana's tourism industry has been ranked the worst in Southern Africa in terms of receiving tourists.

According to a study by the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (Retosa), the people of Botswana are considered hostile towards visitors. The study centred on those who meet tourists when they arrive in the country, such as taxi drivers, cleaners and other tourism service providers like hotel employees. Environment, Wildlife and Tourism minister Kitso Mokaila, who attended the recent Retosa convention in Mauritius, is reported as saying the finding may adversely impact its tourism industry, which is a major contributor to GDP. Botswana was considered the worst when it comes to accepting or welcoming tourists in the country though we are probably the best when it comes to policies, he said. He said the issue stemmed from a lack of understanding about the importance of tourism among citizens and reinforced the importance of educating Batswana citizens on the industry's significance.

New Tonota road tender soon

The Tonota-Francistown road is due to be rebuilt this financial year and a tender notice has already been advertised.

The Department of Roads in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Communications is to again embark on a number of public consultations for the re-construction.

These include Kgotla meetings, full council meetings, addressing district development committees and also sectors of the economy that are likely to be affected by the construction work.

This will be done to minimise any public complaints and to solicit public advice, a statement said. A tender has already been floated for this road project and is expected to be awarded in a few months time.

Swedes hear of challenges at Bana ba Letsatsi

By Basadi Morokotso

The head of youth and counsellor at Bana ba Letsatsi Centre, Trace Buzwani, has told a visiting Swedish delegation from Hultsfred municipality of a number of setbacks which hinder the day-to-day running of the centre. She explained to the visitors at the centre this week that their main setback is insufficient funding which has led to some projects being put on hold even though they had trained youth on various aspects to run them.

After completing school, she said some youths end up back in the streets instead of taking advantage of the skills they would have acquired just because they do not have equipment and other resources to carry them through. When the centre started operating, Buzwani said they used to tour Maun streets collecting street children kids and other vulnerable children in order to give them another chance in life by rehabilitating them and offering counseling services. This has since changed because now they do not make any follow ups but have instead joined hands with social workers through the Social and Community Development in the North West District Council (NWDC) who refer such children, thus making their already complex job a little easier. She said their main focus is to turn the children into responsible young people, adding that at the moment they still have a problem of housing and therefore cannot accommodate the children, most of who currently stay with their less privileged parents or guardians.

The visit by the delegation was in honour of an agreement for a twinning programme between the NWDC and the Hultsfred which emphasises local economic development and poverty alleviation through capacity building in the informal sector of the district.

The delegation also held meetings with other NGOs, among them Love Botswana, Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), and Women Against Rape (WAR), to strategise on how best the two councils can work together to address poverty in the district. They also visited council poverty alleviation projects, whose funding has since been approved by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and will be directed towards capacity building activities.

Tough times for shebeen operators

By Lets Open

Operators of shebeens or dispoto are expected to come under regulation in early June.

This was disclosed by Assistant Superintendent Oarabile Zhabi at a public meeting attended by liquor outlet operators, council bye-law officials, police, top government officials, members of the village development committees (VDCs) and other stakeholders in Maun this week. Zhabi told liquor outlet operators that the new regulations are aimed at reducing both crime and risk, and all such operations are to be run under depot licences obtained from commercial affairs offices in the district council.

All businesses which fall under this category are expected to follow a specified schedule, which only allows them to open from 2pm to 10 pm from Mondays to Fridays and from 12pm to 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays and public holidays they can open from 3pm to 10 pm.

Zhabi said assault, unlawful wounding and murder mostly occur at shebeens/disepoto as compared to liquor restaurants, bars, hotels and guest houses/lodges - we always receive assault cases from shebeens in large numbers and appealed to liquor outlet operators to comply with the law and avoid their places being used as havens for criminals.

A liquor operator, Kenalemang Kenalemang, at the meeting proposed to my fellow colleagues to form associations so that we can have a single voice before the law.''

Kgosi Prince Shashe of Shashe ward also appealed to the participants to stop their clients from polluting the environment by urinating on adjacent properties during drinking sessions, particularly at night.

Onkutule Gaolathe, another operator, also appealed to her fellow operators to stop fueling crime by buying stolen cellphones, cameras and other gadgets from petty thieves ( magotswana) as most of such items are often retrieved from their places of business. Thieves are thought to sell prized items for nothing more than a box of Chibuku (Shake Shake).

The secretary of the Boseja cluster of community policing, Atarelang Mogopodi, urged bommasepoto to register for licences and sell local brew like khadi, mokokoto wa tshipi, chibuku and not clear beer as required by law. He also requested them to obey the law at all times as failure to do so may result in immediate closure of their businesses.

Editorial

Welcome development in our schools

The latest initiative of availing basic amenities to primary schools throughout the country is a welcome development. The government has undertaken to furnish primary school staff rooms with refridgirators, microwaves, computers, digital cameras, multi-media projectors and other times.

In what appears to be a rare record time from conceptualisation to implementation, that is between the 2011 and 2012 financial years, tenders for the supply of these goods are reportedly already being processed by the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB).

We sincerely believe if properly used, the equipment will go a long way in enabling a conducive teaching and learning environment for teachers and students, and our district's long-neglected 64 primary schools will improve on their output.

We are also appreciative of another equally important initiative that involves the supply of television sets and DVD players to schools for easy of access to the newly-introduced schools television programmes.

These are commendable efforts. We hope these are informed by the identified need on the part of government and will not be derailed by the feeding frenzy of the politically-connected tenderpreneurs.

We implore the relevant local authorities to put in place appropriate security measures to guard these valuable assets. We recall that when such equipment was introduced in secondary schools some years ago, their premises instantly became a hunting ground for the criminal elements of our society.

For long, the primary education system has suffered intolerable disregard from the authorities, yet it plays a critical role is setting the foundation for our entire education system. Surely, a system built on a shaky foundation is not sustainable.

Cognizant of this fact, it is our hope that government has finally resolved to urgently address the plethora of challenges that face our education system, particularly the primary education sector. We would suggest that the next move would be to ensure that the notorious tenderpreneurs deliver the books for the tenders they had won. Painfully, there had been instances where classes have run for more than a year without the necessary setbooks and equipment that includes desks and chairs.

We also expect government to ensure that more classrooms are built, particularly in rural areas such as ours where some schools still conduct classes under the trees. Similarly we expect attention to be paid to the maintanance of school buildings and equipment.

Spaniards are hopping mad that their king, Juan Carlos 1, not only went on a private elephant hunting trip to the Okavango delta at the height of a serious downturn in his country's economy but also that he broke his right hip here in three places.

The 74-year-old patron of the Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is out of action for 45 days, say Madrid doctors who have implanted an artificial hip.

Shuffle can reveal that the king was brought into Maun early on Saturday after falling at 5am in camp, received treatment here and then flew direct to Madrid that afternoon. In-flight catering was done by a Maun restaurant.

Juan Carlos has often been to Maun and the Okavango to hunt elephant. He has on occasion dined at the Bon Arrivee restaurant, usually unnoticed by tourists and others, and enjoyed his incognito visits to our town and country.

The talk in hunting circles is that he accidentally fell in his chalet (more than likely a tent) but Spaniards, eager for any titbit of information or scandal about their Royal family (like his 13-year-old grandson accidentally shooting himself in the foot in the same week as the hip breaking king was injured) are calling him an idiot for going on a hunt as well as castigating him further for even hunting.

Of course, the social media such as Facebook and Twitter - is agog with the story, with one saying there is great controversy in the Spanish media and social networks, not only because the economic situation is so difficult that is hard to believe the king spends US$30 000 hunting in Africa (30% of his assigned budget), but because some pictures from previous hunts shows the king with a dead elephant and this is making many people angry.

We wish him well in his recovery and look forward to see him again next season (he will still be able then to hunt elephant as the animals are not on the ban hunting list).

**

Two tourists from Canada have produced on the internet the following hilarious look at what's what in Maun!

They have opened each comment using this newspaper's popular It can only happen in Maun logo!

* Only in Maun do pickup trucks pack in so many people that the back end is nearly dragging on the road.

* Only in Maun can you be driving along the highway and witness a goat giving birth on the edge of the highway (luckily the grass is much longer now, so we can't see many goats at all!!)

* Only in Maun does a vehicle accident attract crowds of 100 people in a circle around the vehicle to get a very close look at what has happened. (that means lifting tarps to view the carnage that has been covered up by the authorities!)

* Only in Maun will you get an evil glare from an immigration officer or store assistant when looking for assistance during working hours!

* Only in Maun can you order a meal from a restaurant and wait for over an hour to then be told that what you ordered is not available!

* Only in Maun can you live on the edge of town and get full cellphone reception (which is an occasion in itself) and then go into the middle of town and get NO cell reception.

* Only in Maun are there donkeys ALL OVER the road! If we were to count the number of donkeys that we see in one day, it would most definitely be over 50!

* Only in Maun is the school bus for the secondary school a nice big shiny flatbed truck!

* Only in Maun do headlines read: Donkey's have last laugh on our streets or Donkey rapist strikes again (notice how they are all in regards to the donkey population...I'm not joking when I say there are A LOT of donkeys!)

*Only in Maun do horses walk through the bank parking lot, and then into the middle of the busiest street in town, and nobody but us thinks that they are slightly out of place.

**

IDIOT SIGHTING:

I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked: Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge? To which I replied: If it was without my knowledge, how would I know? He smiled knowingly and nodded: That's why we ask.

BDF denies Khama brothers involved in arms deal

The Botswana Defence Force (BDF) says that at no time did it ever purchase Pandur Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) from the Steyr Austria company whose local representative was the Seleka Springs Company with which Anthony and Tshekedi Khama are known to be shareholders. Media reports that the BDF purchased the Pandur in preference to the Piranha APC or any other preferred alternative are therefore totally incorrect.

To put the record straight, the BDF has at no time purchased the Pandur and thus we do not have the said vehicle in our inventory. What is in fact true is that the BDF procured the Piranha APC from MOWAG Switzerland in 2003, following a procurement process that started at the beginning of 2001, a statement said.

During the procurement process in 2001, a number of alternative APCs were assessed by the BDF equipment evaluation committee and an assessment of five APCs was carried out.

This was after the BDF had approached those companies that were registered and security cleared by the BDF to bid on tenders.

In this respect, the procurement procedures of the BDF are consistent with the international best practice standards of militaries around the world.

Out of the five, only three companies - Cadillac Cage, Mowag and Steyr Austria - were found to have vehicles that met the Terms of Reference of a modern infantry combat vehicle. The three companies were then asked to bring their vehicles to Botswana for trials. As a result of the evaluation process the BDF opted for the Piranha due to both its superior performance and lower price.

The procurement process and supply of the Piranha was not done during President Ian Khama's time as the Commander of the BDF. At the time of this procurement the Commander was Lieutenant-General Louis Fisher, the statement added.

Khama retired from the BDF in March 1998, while the procurement process started in 2001 - three years after his departure.

It is, therefore, unfair to implicate him as having swayed the procurement in favour of his brothers when they did not even win the tender, the BDF added.

It's OK to give tips for good service

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dorcus Makgato-Malesu, says tipping for service in restaurants and other businesses is perfectly legal.

She is aware that payments of tips mainly in the service industry are used positively by customers to demonstrate appreciation of good service rendered.

Answering a question in parliament, she said since payment of tips is a voluntary practice, her view is that the status quo should prevail, especially that the service level is still very low. She said industry continues to train, with a view to changing the mindset of workers.

Makgato-Malesu also said she is aware that certain businesses do not allow their employees to be paid tips - as I have already indicated, tipping is a voluntary undertaking and therefore, should not be legalised, she said.

the MP for Shoshong, Dikgang Makgalemele, had asked the minister whether she is aware that payment of tips mainly in the service industry are used positively by customers to demonstrate appreciation of service rendered and to augment low salaries of employees.

He also wanted to know how it can be improved to enhance equity, given that in most cases it is employees on the front-desk who benefit whilst others such as chefs do not have an opportunity to benefit given their location in most businesses. (BOPA)

Views of the new roads constructed at Charleshill over the past three years.

Sleepy village is new growth area

The sleepy village of Charleshill is on the brink of becoming a key growth area.

Close to the border with Namibia, the village has in the past three years undergone a radical change.

It is now assuming the proportions of a well laid out town and now measures 5km by 4km as against a single road that led into the place three years ago. Then the only reason for motorists to stop, if at all, was for fuel at a filling station on the side of the main road to Windhoek.

Now there's tarred roads in every direction, a new police station, a new bus terminus, a Post Office, an internet café, a new school and a new filling station on the other side of the village. Road construction is likely to end in mid-year.

Commercial buildings housing a variety of businesses have also sprung up.

There are rumours that the developments are to make the village the Botswana terminus for the proposed multi-billion Pula Trans-Kalahari Railway linking the country with the Namibian port of Walvis Bay. It is believed by residents that a new railway line will be laid between Charleshill and Gobabis (Namibia), from where there is already a little used rail line to Windhoek. Rehabilitation work will however have to be carried out on the line.

The Ghanzi District Council - under which Charleshill falls - said this week that the construction of roads and storm water drainage started on May 1, 2009 and the work was handed over on February 28 at 98.5% completed.

The contractor is Tau Grading and Building Construction and the engineers are Group Consult Global (Pty) Ltd. The contract value of the project is P165 526 734.31. The previous designed road network was approximately 42.4 km long but with new roads constructed, the network is now 44.410 km.

This includes secondary, residential, industrial and access roads .

The original plans included the construction of roads, concrete lined drains and storm water retention ponds. The storm water retention ponds and concrete lined drains were later omitted but where necessary, concrete lined roadside drains will be constructed.

It's a cold wind blowing in the Arctic

To the world's military leaders, the debate over climate change is long over. They are preparing for a new kind of Cold War in the Arctic, anticipating that rising temperatures there will open up a treasure trove of resources, long-dreamed-of sea lanes and a slew of potential conflicts. By Arctic standards, the region is already buzzing with military activity, and experts believe that will increase significantly in the years ahead. Last month, Norway wrapped up one of the largest Arctic maneuvers ever - Exercise Cold Response - with 16 300 troops from 14 countries training on the ice for everything from high intensity warfare to terror threats. Attesting to the harsh conditions, five Norwegian troops were killed when their C-130 Hercules aircraft crashed near the summit of Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest mountain. The United States, Canada and Denmark held major exercises two months ago, and in an unprecedented move, the military chiefs of the eight main Arctic powers - Canada, the United States, Russia, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland - gathered at a Canadian military base last week to specifically discuss regional security issues. None of this means a shooting war is likely at the North Pole any time soon, but as the number of workers and ships increases to exploit oil and gas reserves, so will the need for policing, border patrols and - if push comes to shove - military muscle to enforce rival claims. The US Geological Survey estimates that 13% of the world's undiscovered oil and 30% of its untapped natural gas is in the Arctic. Shipping lanes could be regularly open across the Arctic by 2030 as rising temperatures continue to melt the sea ice, according to a National Research Council analysis commissioned by the US Navy last year. What countries should do about climate change remains a heated political debate, but that has not stopped north-looking militaries from moving ahead with strategies that assume current trends will continue. Russia, Canada and the United States have the biggest stakes in the Arctic. With its military budget stretched thin by Iraq, Afghanistan and more pressing issues elsewhere, the United States has been something of a reluctant northern power, though its nuclear-powered submarine fleet, which can navigate for months underwater and below the ice cap, remains second to none. Russia - one-third of which lies within the Arctic Circle - has been the most aggressive in establishing itself as the emerging region's superpower.

Corruption is a major challenge

GABORONE - While Botswana has been rated the least corrupt country in Africa, it does not mean that there is no corruption in the country, says Presidential Affairs and Public Administration minister Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Officially opening a Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) training workshop this week, Masisi said corruption is one of the greatest challenges facing the African continent.

He noted that Transparency International regularly publishes its Corruption Perception Index (CPI), and urges countries to take note of their positions on the index. He said investors use the index to decide whether to invest in any country.

Unfortunately, most countries on the African continent can be found in the bottom half of the index, he said.

He commended countries that have made great strides in combating corruption, but added that we still have a long way to go and cannot afford to be complacent. It is important to work together in a concerted effort to fight the evil called corruption, hence training programmes like this one that brings countries under one roof are a step in the right direction.

Masisi noted that while corruption continues to wreak havoc in all countries, its adverse impact is felt more in poor and developing countries. He said African countries require investment for further growth and development, but that owing to high levels of corruption, responsible investors have in many cases moved elsewhere.

He added that investors demand good governance and proven commitment to combat corruption.

The director of DCEC, Rose Seretse said the training is the third the directorate had hosted in conjunction with the Commonwealth secretariat. She said the workshop brings together investigators from Commonwealth countries to learn and share experience on how best to fight corruption.

Seretse said they believe that unity is strength, especially that corruption knows no boundaries.

She noted that corruption kills the economy, and that people should work together to stop it, adding that the workshop provides opportunities for participants to share experiences on approaches to fight the scourge. (BOPA)

Botswana power demands under the spotlight

CAPE TOWN - Electricity demand in Botswana is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.6% from 2011 to 2020, following robust economic growth and increasing rural electrification.

It is further estimated that about US$750 million (about P4-billion) will be invested in the Botswana electricity industry within the next five years. Such investments will be critical, as power imports from South Africa (which supplied 68% of Botswana's power needs in 2011) will stop from 2013 onwards, in an attempt by the latter to address its domestic power supply deficit.

A new analysis from Frost & Sullivan finds that Botswana's electricity industry is expected to grow significantly with additional power generation capacities coming on stream in 2012-13 (the 600 MW Morupule B coal-fired power station currently under construction). Some other power generation capacities are planned to be commissioned in 2015-16 (300 MW), and possibly in 2017-18 (300 MW).

New power generation capacities will most probably be based on coal, given the large untapped deposits available in the country. They will be owned by independent power producers given the limited financial means available to the loss-making state-owned power utility, Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), says Frost & Sullivan's Energy and Power Systems Research Analyst, Celine Paton. Indeed, new power generation capacities are urgently required in Botswana as peak power demand is hardly met.

As the electricity industry moves forward, key challenges will include low electricity tariffs, combined with an inadequate electricity regulatory framework and a general lack of infrastructure.

Electricity tariffs are not cost-reflective, explaining the increasing operational losses encountered by BPC, said Paton. Also, BPC has been facing spiralling costs of electricity imports, as a consequence of the tight power supply in the region as well as the successive electricity price hikes implemented by Eskom in South Africa.

Botswana will need to decrease its reliance on its neighbours as a source of (expensive) power supply. Toward this objective, the government will need to revise its electricity regulatory framework with, as a first step, the establishment of an independent regulatory agency.

A new independent regulatory agency Botswana Energy and Water Regulatory Agency (BEWRA) is expected to be put into place by end 2012, if the process runs smoothly. It should help ensure a more cost-reflective tariff structure that will attract private sector investment.

Both solar energy and coal-bed methane present strong potential as cleaner electricity sources, but their high initial capital costs (solar), and the technical challenges posed by the extraction of coal-bed methane, (still in an exploration phase) remain the main barriers to be overcome. As a consequence, it is expected that coal will remain the main energy feedstock in the foreseeable future, if related financing remains available.

Five in court for poaching

By Keagisitswe Dioka

Five men have appeared before Maun magistrate Phandiwe Taka facing for hunting a wild animal without a hunting licence.

The charge sheet states that Tlhaloganyang Batsholelwang (33), Botswang Ndozi (28), Paulo Sebera (50), Kemotho Lemogang (23) and Kenameditswe Molenga (34) together with two others who were not present in court, hunted and killed an impala on December 1, 2011, at Mababe.

When asked about their plea, the accused indicated that they would represent themselves and pleaded guilty, stating that they were found in possession of the wild animal. They said that when arrested by Wildlife officers, they explained to them that they found the impala lying on the road it had been knocked down by a vehicle and they decided kill it and loaded it onto their truck. They said their intention was to take it to the Wildlife department offices and not for consumption. They added that on their way, they were stopped by a Wildlife department vehicle which was coming behind them.

Their vehicle was searched and the dead impala was retrieved. They were informed by Wildlife that possession of wild animals, regardless of their explanation, is an offence. Their plea of guilty was changed to that of not guilty by magistrate Taka as the accused persons indicated that they had not hunted the impala. The prosecutor, Ogomoditse Soonyana, said the State is ready to prosecute and four witnesses will testify. The accused will appear on April 26 for mention.

Man in court for murder

By Keagisitswe Dioka

A 31-year old man of Kumokogo settlement near Tsutsubega has been remanded in custody after appearing before Maun magistrate Phandiwe Taka for a charge of murder. According to the charge sheet, Raphael Chabaesele, between April 9 and 13, the exact dates not known to the prosecution, allegedly murdered Mogopodi Monnawatlala of Dithatswaneng Ward in Maun.

The prosecutor in the case Carlos Diundu of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions revealed to court that investigations into this matter are still at premature stage adding that he was informed by the investigating officer that some exhibits were not yet retrieved. He applied that the accused person be remanded in custody pending investigations.

The CID Officer-In-charge Maun, Ranchi Olebile told The Ngami Times that they are still investigating the case of murder in which Monnawatlala (30), of Kumokogo settlement was shot to death by another man of the same settlement. He said the two earlier had a misunderstanding before a fight which ended in the shooting. The accused has been remanded in custody and the date of mention has been set for April 30. He was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Air Botswana reintroduces Maun-Cape Town flights

Air Botswana is to resume its direct Maun - Cape Town - Maun flights from June 1, using a BAe146 aircraft.

The flights will operate daily, departing Maun 3.25pm and arriving in Cape Town at 5.55pm. The return flight will be the following day, leaving Cape Town at 9.45am and arriving in Maun at 12.25 pm. The return fares start at approximately P4350.00 per person, including taxes. Some years ago the airline began flying to Cape Town from Maun but discontinued the route due to low passenger volumes.

Wildlife film academy moves to Okavango Delta

The Wildlife Film Academy has made the move to Botswana in what it describes as arguably the best venue for making wildlife film in Africa - the Okavango Delta.

The new venues will ensure that students are totally engaged in the experience of wildlife filmmaking, giving them the opportunity to film abundant wildlife, including the Big 5 and many other species, as well as the rustic joys of bush living that are part of the job description of a wildlife filmmaker, the Academy says in a statement. The Academy offers a comprehensive array of camera and edit equipment as well as lectures from industry professionals, allowing students to experience the A-Z of wildlife film-making.

There are three different locations for the parts of the 3 modules of the course. The first stop is Tsutsubega, where students will attend lectures including an introduction to wildlife film-making and scriptwriting, followed by a field trip to wildlife on the Khwai River and once filming is done, students move to camp Kitso for editing on Apple iMacs. The Academy teaches all areas of expertise and inspires students to combine skills in unique and successful ways. The course is divided into 3 parts and is structured in a logical film-making order, the statement added. Due to high demand and limited place, it is suggested early applications should be made. The dates for the first two courses are May 21 to June 14 and June 26 to July 19. Details can be obtained from telephone number +27 21 422 0154, fax: +27 21 422 or via e-mail: info@wildlifefilmacademy.com

No vehicles for constituency offices

The Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mokgweetsi Masisi, says given the government's budgetary constraints, which have been aggravated by the global economic meltdown, there is no consideration for providing each constituency office with a van/vehicle.

He said, however, the current arrangement where the office of the clerk avails transport to constituency offices as and when it is needed will continue, adding that use of own private vehicles for official duties at constituency offices will continue to be authorised by the clerk.

The MP for Ngami, Taolo Habano, had asked the minister to state if he will consider allocating each constituency office with a van to assist in administration duties. (BOPA)

Okavango floods lower than previous year

By Bright Kholi

The annual flooding of the Okavango River has started to subside in the panhandle and experts say the levels are lower than the previous year that saw property that were in low lying areas being destroyed.

This year's floods came in quietly and the flood water has by this week reached Maun's Thamalakane River and continues to pour in, and it is also flowing into the Thaoge River which feeds Lake Ngami.

Unlike in the two previous years, there have not been any evacuations of residents in the upper panhandle, as well as the lower panhandle as a result of the floodwaters.

Olopeng Balapi, of the Department of Water Affairs in Maun, told The Ngami Times that this year's water intake at Mohembo was much lower than that of the last year. According to Balapi the floodwaters started reaching the Panhandle in February but have since started declining after on reaching its highest peak of 845.49 cubic metes per second on April 7 as compared to 1159.0838 cubic metres per second on April 22 last year.

By Wednesday this week, the level at Mohembo had decreased to 726.692cubic metres per second. Balapi indicated that the flood waters have reached the Thamalakane as water levels have started to rise slowly. He is of the view that the Thamalakane will only flow in low lying areas without going to most areas such as in last year's floods. Kgosi Moneya Dibebe, of Nxamasere, also concurred that the flood water this year came in lower than last year but said that even then, water has submerged the village's community hall.

He said the water has not yet reached VDC houses that it affected last year, but feared it might push further into the village. He said people's lives are in danger because of animals that roam the village especially hippos, crocodiles and big snakes that come out of the river at night.

A spokesperson for the Guma Lagoon Camp near Etsha 13 told The Ngami Times that the water level at the lagoon has increase but has not yet inundated the road linking the village to the lodge.

Drotsky Cabins, near Shakawe, also reported that none of their facilities have been affected by the flooding, and the resort's spokesman confirmed that the flood is much lower than last year and has already started decreasing in level and intensity.

For tourism the flooding of the Okavango is always welcomed as a good development as it revitalises the delta's ecosystem.

The Department of Water Affairs is closely monitoring the flood water as it continues to flow into the Thamalakane and Boteti rivers. The two rivers claimed many lives in the previous flooding due to drownings.

Meanwhile, the Chobe River is in flood, having received floodwater in February. The flooding of the Chobe has delayed the movement of ferries at the Kazungula border, causing delays for trucks crossing between Botswana and Zambia.

During the Easter holidays there were long queues of trucks at the border, with some truckers spending more than two days before they could cross.

First Airlink flight scheduled for June 15

The new Maun-Johannesburg air route served by SA Airlink starts on June 15.

South African Airways (SAA), of which SA Airlink is a franchisee, says the new route will allow travellers on the SAA morning flight from New York to Johannesburg to make a day connection to Maun with an early afternoon arrival in Maun.

Todd Neuman, the Executive Vice President (North America) for SAA, said that the route will be operated by SAA with SA Airlink using a 37-seat Brazilian-built Embraer ERJ 137 regional jet.

Neuman said that this development shows that SAA is committed to offering most extensive route network to Africa's best leisure and business destinations and that the Maun route serves as key addition to that strategy being the best airport from which to access the beauty of the Okavango Delta.

He added that the new service to Maun will open up a new and convenient way to access Botswana's most popular safari destination through their service with their partners at Airlink.

The morning non-stop service flight from New York to Johannesburg will provide travelers with fastest way to arrive in Maun so travelers may spend more time exploring some of the best game viewing in Africa.

The new flights are now available for sale by travel agents through the GDS system.

The schedule for new daily service between Johannesburg and Maun is:

SA 8300 departs Johannesburg at 11:45 am, arrives in Maun at 1:15 pm. SA 8301 departs Maun at 2:00 pm, arrives in Johannesburg at 3:40 pm. The new service to Maun complements SAA's multiple daily flights between Johannesburg and Gaborone through its regional partner South African Express. SAA features daily non-stop services from the US to South Africa with morning departures from New York JFK and an afternoon direct service from Washington Dulles (with a stop in Dakar, Senegal).

Many students benefit from Foundation

About 90 students have benefited from the UB Foundation sponsorship over the last 10 years, the director of the UB Foundation, Dr Baagi Mmereki, has said.

Speaking at a UB Foundation dinner in Gaborone last week, Mmereki said in the academic year 2011/2012 alone, 19 students got sponsorship from the foundation. He said UB Foundation's mandate is to engage the private sector and other stakeholders in raising funds through a number of activities such as the annual dinner dance and an annual golf tournament to grow an endowment fund. The University of Botswana Vice Chancellor, Professor Thabo Fako, said through the foundation, UB has managed to sponsor post graduate students for their research and that this was a noble initiative aimed at engaging the university with post graduate programmes.

He thanked the private sector and other stakeholders for their partnership with the Foundation. Different companies were awarded certificates in appreciation of their support. Among those companies, Botswana Insurance Holding and Investec Assets and Management were recognised for their platinum sponsorships for the annual dinner-dance and golf tournament at P80 000 and P150 000 respectively. The foundation was established to assist UB to meet the goal of building an educated and informed nation as envisioned in Botswana's Vision 2016. (BOPA)

Presidency takes on two directorates

The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and the Directorate on Intelligence and Security have been transferred from the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security to the Ministry of State President.

As a result, the minister responsible for both will now be the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration.

Times Sport

Maun swimmers try for glory in Mozambique

The Botswana swimming team which will be competing against 14 other African countries in Maputo, Mozambique, next week includes three Maun youngsters.

They are Larissa Pretorius, Juan Milne and Karla Rawlinson.

A team of 10 years and above swimmers will part of a 36-member squad.

The Botswana Swimming Sport Association (BSSA) is stepping up preparations for the upcoming continental and international swimming competitions.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual national swimming championships at the University of Botswana's Olympic-sized pool at the weekend, the assistant secretary of the association, Pricilla Parker, said they were selecting from a pool of talented youngsters to represent the country at the Zone 3 and 4 Confederation Africaine De Natation Amateur (CANA) swimming championships in Maputo. A team of 10 years and above swimmers will be part of a 36-member squad. Parker said they were impressed with the level of preparations ahead of the games and that they will be taking experience to the championships as most of the swimmers took part in the last edition of the event last year. Botswana is the defending champions in the regional tournament. The association will once again work round the clock for the closely contested Under-19 SCASA Zone VI swimming games to be held in Zambia. Pretoria based David van der Colff is expected to lead the promising team of youngsters at the Lusaka games. Adrian Todd, who is based in the United Kingdom, is among the swimmers who are expected to compete against some of the region's top swimmers. The team also includes Australia-based 21-year-old John Kamunyuka and 18-year-old Deandra van der Colff. Kamunyuka participated in the last Beijing Olympics on a wild card. The duo is preparing for the London 2012 Olympic qualifiers. Another gold medal hopeful is tall 15-year-old Naomi Ruele who is based at the Pretoria high performance centre. (BOPA)

Sankoyo Bush Bucks exit Coke in style

Sankoyo Bush Bucks were eliminated from the lucrative Coca-Cola Cup tournament on Saturday afternoon by BDF X1 by 2 goals to 1 in a game played before an a half empty Maun Stadium.

The game was played at a high tempo with both teams showing their physical and tactical awareness and only BDF had a little advantage over the hosts technically - and this made the difference. The BDF X1 were the first to score when Bush Bucks goalkeeper Cotty miscalculated a long range volley for a ball going out for a goal kick only to find the ball in the back of his net as he was on his way to pick it up.

That's the first technical mistake from the goal keeper as he was supposed to jump and cover his posts to make sure the ball was going out. The second technical error was when Bush Bucks defender Kabo controlled the ball in his box and in trying to clear it straight up front was blocked by a BDF striker who won the ball and had the easier of the opportunities to blast the ball home past a helpless Cotty with less than ten minutes remaining on the clock and the match seemingly heading for penalty shoot-out lottery. Had Kabo exercised the right technique of clearing the ball sideways we could be talking a different story.

Sankoyo have proved to be a difficult side to beat in their maiden season in top flight soccer in the country, especially when they play at home, and it was evident in this Coca-Cola Cup when they matched the army side pound for pound with the later boasting of seasoned players who recently made the nation proud in qualifiers for AFCON, including the likes of Zebras captain Mompati Thuma, Patrick Motsepe, Mokgathi Mokgathi, Lemponye Tshireletso and the other experienced players Saukani Zulu, and Molatedi Mabina.

BDF came into this game like a wounded buffalo after losing to Rollers 3-2 a fortnight ago in another lucrative Mascom Top 8 cup first leg and had all the reason to try and work out a strategy that might see them redeem themselves and progress to the next stage of the Mascom. Bush Bucks were not going to be push-overs and surely deserved to lift heads high after such a splendid performance as the BDF breathed a sigh of relief when the referee blew his whistle signalling the end of the game. The free scoring Gaongalelwe Dipateletso was the most disappointing as he still felt in good run for the golden boot award as he had scored vital goals that despatched some teams out of the competition but was very unlucky on the day.

Fredrick Mutukwa, Zogora, and Collen stood tall as little Davids against the country's best. National team and BDF X1 captain Mompati Thuma, who is still nursing an injury but came with the team, said: This team (Bush Bucks) has the potential of playing whoever in the league. The defending and kicking cost them the game but they should not lose hope. Their time will come. He also sang the praises about Maun boy, Dunga, from Matlapana, who used to play constituency football and has since joined the army side from Bush Bucks. He torments defenders and shows that this area has a lot of talent that needs to be natured at grass roots level.

Centre Chiefs free scoring performance checked

Centre Chiefs run in the Coca Cola Cup was given scrutiny when they struggled to beat another Northern first division outfit, Peace Makers, and only managed to win the game 2-0 to prove how the so called small teams can be a problem when you play them.

Four Northern giants in the Be Mobile made an early exit in the last 32 - Nico United, Tafic, Satmos and GNT. Nico were bundled out by Molapo Green Birds 3-2, Tafic lost to other Be Mobile campaigners Mogoditshane fighters, losing narrowly by 2 goals to1, while Satmos was despatched by Miscellaneous 2-1. Rivalry was renewed between GNT and Task, with Task ending on the winning side by 2-1. Gaborone United made the last 16 at the expense of Mochudi Buffaloes whom they defeated 2-1.

Santos edged past Eleven Men in Flight 3-2, Extension Gunners had an easy passage beating Young Strikers 2-0 and Police X1 emerged the highest scoring team with their 6-0 defeat of Real Movers. Ecco City Greens got the better of Mahalapye first division outfit BR Highlanders when they beat them 2-0. A close call was an encounter between Notwane and the Special Support Group. Notwane scraped home 2-1.

Last season's Coke finalists, Motlakase Power Dynamos, sailed through with a single goal after beating Security Systems and finishing the last 16 candidacy was BMC, who showed supremacy by beating Real Masters 3-1. The only game in the last thirty two to finish in a deadlock and end up being decided on penalty shoot-out was between Northern first division side No Mathata and Southern division one side Black Peril which had a score-line of 2-2 after 90 minutes and No Mathata ended in the last 16 by scoring 4 penalties to 3 of Black Peril.

Terrors win tightly contested Nhabe league

Maun Terrors this past weekend scored the only goal of the game against North West United that saw them win the Nhabe regional football league.

The winning goal was scored by Zimbabwean international midfielder Tendai Katiyo and the goal was everything Terrors needed to secure three points and march on to the play-offs scheduled for Kasane on May 5. Terrors were languishing in the middle of the table at the start of the league's second round compared to Delta Winds and Gunners of Khwai who exchanged the first spot time and again. Terrors brought in old and experienced players from all the corners of the country, such as Phokeng from Maun BMC, the veteran Ronnie, Talk Talk, King and Be Mobile goalkeeper Taboka Maloba from GNT as a result and managed to win a good number of games with the combination of experience and youth to seriously contend for the league title. Delta Winds also had a good league season, fusing the youthful squad of an average of 17 years with boys that were from the development programme Re ba bona Ha. who were experiencing fist-hand football. Gunners of Khwai also assembled a strong squad but were unfortunate to lose two vital games over the Easter holidays that derailed their plans for the league.

Tigers face stiff challenge over the weekend

This Saturday Maun Tigers will have an uphill task in the national 1st division (North) after spending almost a month in the doldrums without playing a game when they will take on the wounded Sankoyo Bush Bucks who were last week eliminated from the Coca-Cola Cup by BDF.

Match fitness-wise Sankoyo stand a better chance if their weekend showing was not a fluke.

Tigers will be aiming to redeem themselves and resuscitate the supremacy they have enjoyed in the region when Bush Bucks were the whipping boys of domestic football. Both teams know that the stakes are high in winning this encounter with Sankoyo sitting comfortably at the top of the log while Tigers are plunged to relegation waters after parting ways with their mentor Fentos Mapeo and roping in former coach Baggio Keotswele. The game, according to the fixture list is to start at 3 pm, unless both teams agree on a better cool time which can be 7pm. The other motivating factor for Tigers will be that they dominated play in the first round game but ended on the losing side when Sankoyo converted the two chances that came their way and walked away as 2-1 winners.

Business league comes back from break

The Maun company's league came back from the long Easter weekend to provide sports enthusiasts with games played this past weekend.

Aquarite hosted Spar in a game that Aquarite emerged victorious, scoring half a dozen goals past Spar who managed to get only one goal.

Saturday saw Aliboats lose 3-1 to Choppies Old Mall, while on Sunday Choppies New mall hammered Caltex Marcus by 5 goals to2 and Mulbridge got the better of Lepopo whom they shrugged off by 5-3.

Finishing off the weekend was a game between Canvas Zone and Builders World that ended in stalemate with both sides hitting the back of the net 3 times.

This weekend will see the games start on Friday at Maun Stadium 8pm with log leaders Choppies New Mall taking on their brothers from Old Mall and on Saturday second placed Aquarite entertain Aliboats at Boseja Primary School grounds, while Lepopo will lock horns with third placed Builders World in a game to be played at Cubs ground. Sunday will pit middle of the table Spar against bottom-placed Canvas Zone at Cubs and finishing off the weekend will be a game between Caltex Marcos and Mulbridge at Prisons ground. All matches start at 4 pm.

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Edition 598 13 -20 April 2012

Thundering hooves . . . . This was the scene at the Mascom National Derby race meeting at Shashe race track in Maun at the weekend. A record crowd saw 10 races at the country's premier race meeting. Horses from Botswana and Namibia were entered, and next year it is hoped to attract horses from other countries as well.

Mascom Derby a galloping success

The annual Mascom National Derby has proven to be the highest point on the horse racing calendar in Botswana. Sponsors, organisers, and spectators were thrilled by the growth the event has shown over the years.

This year's race, which took place on Saturday at the Shashe race track in Maun, was according to organisers the biggest of them all because of the turn out of racing fans. The spectators saw a dramatic grand race over 2 400 meters which saw four-times winner Voice of Charleshill silenced by Shut the Voice, from Werda. The event was attended by thousands from all over the country and neighbouring countries. By the time the gates opened there were already long queues of people waiting to get in and the traffic got more and more congested by the minute, with some motorists having to wait for at least an hour to get from the road to the gates while others parked near the road, and walked to the venue. The Leader of the Opposition in parliament, Botsalo Ntuane, praised the growth of the event and pointed out the possibility of the race growing into an even bigger event if the government, through the Botswana Tourism Organisation, could partner with the sponsors to make it a truly international event as many tourists were there, too.

Ntuane said he was disappointed in the time he took from the main road to the track, saying that the organisers must improve the logistics and provide more entrances and exits, and provide more seats for spectators.

The coordinator of the race, Tshepho Tshotlako, said he was pleased by the turn-out and that everything went smoothly according to plan. He, however, expressed his displeasure with some spectators who drove their quad bikes on the track, damaging it and putting the lives of others in danger as the horses sometimes went off track due to an uneven surface and holes. Mascom, as the main sponsor, was applauded by various beneficiary institutions such as Thuso Lutheran Rehabilitation Centre, Sepopa and Kubung primary schools for the computer sets and printers they received. The Ngami Times was also a sponsor of the event. Vendors cashed in as business was brisk at the race track. The race saw the legendary four-time grand race (2400 meters) champion, Voice of Charleshill, come in second to the cheekily-named Shut the Voice, of Werda.

The results of the last two races, the 1600m and the 2400m grand race, were:

Position Race Breed Horse Origin Owner

1 1600m Thorough Ajaccio (Namibia) S. Olibile

2 1600m Thorough Send the music (Werda) R.Esterhuizen

3 1600m Thorough Women Affairs (Maun) P. Wright

1 2400m Thorough Shut the Voice Werda R. Esterhuizen

2 2400m Thorough Voice of Charles Hill Charles Hill W. Joseph

3 2400m Thorough Send the Music Werda R. Esterhuizen

The owner of the 2400m grand race champion, Shut the Voice, Ronald Esterhuizen walked away with prize money of P17 000. William Joseph, the owner of Voice of Charles Hill got P12 000 while Esterhuizen also got P9 000 for his third-placed Send the Music.

LAND BOARD SNUB TO COUNCIL

North West District councillors are concerned over what appears to be a growing tendency by the Tawana Land Board (TLB)'s repeated failure to attend full council meetings.

The concerns were expressed at the last session of the NWDC full council meeting after TLB had once again failed to show up and address the council, as scheduled.

Council chairman Tebogo Bethia said this week that although an apology was belatedly tendered by a senior official, he still cannot understand why TLB always have stories to tell whenever they are expected to address the NWDC.

He added: This is very disappointing and uncalled for because usually they are invited well in time, and they also always confirm with my office that they will avail themselves (of the opportunity), but this never happens.

Their non-attendance always comes back to haunt me because councillors always demand explanations as to the TLB's seemingly indefference. It is important that they come or at least send those whom they find suitable and would be held accountable to respond to all the questions raised in the meeting. This is not taking us anywhere.

Bethia further noted that as a district we cannot continue to operate a system whereby some people choose to keep their distance even when they know they are needed. This is quite a drawback which impacts on us all negatively.

He cited an instance where he denied a senior TLB official an opportunity to make a clarification on an important issue raised by officials from the Department of Lands, who had made a presentation to the council meeting.

Bethia said his refusal then was appropriate, considering that the TLB has consistently been uncooperative.

The same concern was echoed by the Maun East Member of Parliament, Frank Ramsden, in a telephone interview with The Ngami Times.

He said even during his tenure as minister, he occasionally complained to the then-Minister of Lands and Housing, Nonofo Molefi, about his displeasure and the somewhat poor working relations with the TLB. He said it was not surprising that the same treatment is being metted out to the councillors.

He wondered why the TLB cannot be taken to task and be shown the need to take their work seriously.

You people (referring to the media) bear testimony to how those people used to undermine me. Remember they used to deliberately boycott my meetings regarding land issues; particularly the relocation issue which I still feel was never fully addressed. These guys never attended any of such meetings, instead they would choose to go behind my back and feed the public with contradictory information to what I would have communicated.

This in effect portrayed me as an untrustworthy person in the eyes of the people. I feel it is about time they reconsider their attitude because now they also undermine council, the highest local authority in the district.

They must also be shown the need to the deliver as expected and stop operating like an out of order household, he said. The Acting District Commissioner, Keabetswe Lesiela, has vowed to take up the matter, adding that he became aware of the situation after he had personally questioned the absence of TLB representatives at the last full council meeting. At the time he was told the council meeting incidently coincided with a land boards' retreat in Gaborone. As far as I know, they had been formally informed of the meeting. I must admit however that I have also made the same observation about them not attending meetings, not only the full council meeting, and this is very unfortunate. I will make time to meet them and discuss this issue, and hopefully something will come out of our discussions, Lesiela said. Meanwhile, by the tm e of going to press, the TLB had not responded as it was hosting a workshop in Maun.

Maun records lower Easter crime incidents

Maun Police station commander, Superintendent Kenny Badumetse, has applauded Maun residents for good behaviour and cooperation displayed over the Easter holidays. He said this when presenting the Easter weekend's statistics to the media on Tuesday morning.

Badumetse was happy that the police did not record any deaths resulting from crime or on the roads as compared to a murder case recorded last year during the same period. He furthermore said that they closed chibuku depots and shebeens well in time for customers to get home while still in good shape.

Badumetse, however, expressed regret that this year's Easter holidays also showed an increase in cases of common nuisance, going from last year's six incidents to 11 this year. The police also confiscated music systems and DJ equipment from people charged with noise and nuisance (disturbing the peace).

One person was caught for trading without a licence and two for obstructing police officers performing their duty.

Though Badumetse did not give an exact number of house breaking incidents, he maintained that these have gradually gone down.

He could not hide his feelings of gratitude at the lower figures of crime during the long weekend and attributed the improved results partly to the presence of all their officers who were not allowed leave in the period leading up to the Easter season and the active involvement of the community policing clusters in daily patrols.

Samedupi man injured in axe attack

Police are investigating a matter in which an identified man attacked Pelothomogi Morutwe, of Sedie Ward in Maun, with an axe at his Samedupi farm over the Easter holidays.

According to an eye witness, the suspect - who is still at large - is said to have uttered the words: 'ke tsile go go bolaya gompieno'' (I am coming to kill you today) before the attack, which allegedly followed an altercation over payments. Apparently Morutwe, also popularly known as Mr Bob, had engaged four labourers to harvest crops at his Samedupi farm a fortnight ago.

When contacted this week, the victim's wife, Constance Morutwe, expressed puzzlement that the attack could have been motivated by non-payment of outstanding wages. She maintained that the attack took place as she was busy preparing and counting money to pay the four labourers. It was while she was in this process that she realised her husband was being attacked with an axe by the suspect. She said she immediately ran to her husband's rescue.

'I used some clothes to bandage his badly-injured head and took him to the vehicle, she said. She drove her seriously injured husband to the Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital for medical attention, where he was hospitalised for two days.

She has expressed her displeasure with the police's slow reaction to the report of an attack. After the attack the suspect ran away and police are looking for him and Maun police station commander Kenny Badumetse confirmed that officers were investigating the matter and that the suspect is still at large. He has appealed to the public to assist in finding the man.

Fruit fly stops movement of fruit from Chobe

People travelling from Chobe have been shocked to learn that they cannot cross the Ngwasha Veterinary gate with fruit and particular vegetables.

The Plant Protection Unit says this is due an outbreak of the fruit fly-related plant diseases in the area, and fruit and vegetables are being confiscated at the gate if found.

The confiscation has caused a lot of confusion for travellers who feel the move is unfair since they are not given reasons for it. In an interview this week, Chobe district crop production officer Patrick Boitshwarelo said there was a movement protocol on fruits and some vegetables like tomatoes and green peppers. He said his department, in its endeavour to control the movement of the fly from Chobe as well as countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe to other parts of Botswana has imposed a fruit movement protocol.

I have to make it clear that we don't confiscate fruit if the correct procedures have been followed. If the fruit has been treated and given permits by our office before they are moved they are okay. It is only fruit that are untreated that are not allowed across, he said.

Boitshwarelo said they have realised that public education on the protocol still needs to be pursued as it appears many people are in the dark about the matter. He advised those travelling from Chobe with fruit to visit their offices in Kasane to be helped accordingly so that they can take their fruit with them.

Boitshwarelo noted that the protocol affects everybody. He said recently President Ian Khama was given a water melon by a farmer in the Chobe Enclave and they could not allow it to get out of Chobe before it was treated.

That water melon was treated at our offices and a permit given before it could be transported to Gaborone, he said.

The fruit fly is a small insect that lays its eggs in various plant tissues. The eggs of most species are laid directly in the pulp of the fruit on which the larvae feed. The larvae living in fruit actually feed on the yeasts growing in the fruit.

The abortion of the Freedom of Information Bill

It is worrying whenever laws are crafted as self-serving statutes by those who wield power as opposed to those serving the good of the nation by enhancing democracy.

Our forefathers were alive to this fact when they aptly observed that molaa kgosi o abo ae itaela. You do not make laws that will come back to haunt you.

The unfolding events in the National Assembly in the past few days are indeed a cause for concern for our democracy. It is surprising that in this era where transparency and accountability are the buzzwords in all democracy-loving worlds, our government should be pulling out all stops to kill the Freedom of Information Bill.

We sincerly believe the Bill could be our only means to accountability by government. The Freedom of Information law could be the only route giving ordinary people access to government information.

Strangely, in a country that prides itself as a long surviving democracy in Africa, our government last week clandestinly circulated a document urging the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) members of parliament (MPs) to oppose the Freedom of Information Bill. And the ruling party MPs gave in to the dictates of the government, and using their numerical strength in Parliament, deferred the Bill for further consultations despite the Bill having been previously thoroughly consulted upon.

The variations that the government had in mind could have been easily factored in at the committee stage.

We cannot agree more with the national director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Botswana), Phenyo Butale, who pointed out that you cannot postpone such a Bill that promotes democracy because of a misguided document whose author does not have full information on the Bill.

We are fearful that the deferrent is nothing but the abortion of the Bill, which is likely to go the way of the equally crucial Declaration of Assets Bill.

Ironically, the government is eager to promote regressive laws that are bent on degrading our democracy. For instance, by the end of today, government could have managed to ram through a controversial floor-crossing Bill that in essence contradicts the Constitution of the Republic of Botswana on matters of association, affiliation, alignment and belonging. Even the normally conservative Ntlo ya Dikgosi unanimously rejected the Local Government Bill No.13 of 2011.

The proposed law seeks to bar political representatives (Councillors and MPs) from crossing to political parties of their choice. Without going into the merits/demerits of the proposed law, what is however clear is that the ruling party is using national laws to settle internal political problems.

Our well-founded suspicions are that since the advent of the breakaway Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), the ruling party has suffered high profile defections, and the latter therefore hopes to use the proposed law to stem the tide.

In a functioning democracy, which we fancy ourselves to be, national laws should never be used to serve partisan interests.

It is not often that one can congratulate the public service for a job well done and above the call of duty.

This happened the other day in Ghanzi when Shuffle inadvertently discovered he had failed to renew the car licence.

A friendly police officer at Kuke Corner pointed it out to an astonished Shuffle couple, under the mistaken impression that it was only due for renewal at the end of this month.

In a panic, we asked the officer whether we had to return to Maun and spend hours in queues at the local licensing department or could one get a renewal in Ghanzi?

He and Mrs Shuffle suggested Ghanzi and off we sped. This is where the story gets interesting. Making it to the licensing department way out of the central part of the town, we arrived at the offices at 6 minutes to 1pm closing time. There, the fellow behind the counter said he was cashing up but helpfully added if we had the required P134 for a new disc, he would provide it. That's precisely what he did!

Shuffle calls this service with a smile. The job was done in four minutes, surely a world record for service from the public service?

All this goes to show that when next you have to use a public service facility, and have to wait, always think on the bright side and not harbour dark thoughts.

Well done, Ghanzi road traffic licensing department.

Shuffle who was out of the country has heard that there was a massive crowd at the great Easter event, the Mascom Derby, of which this newspaper is a co-sponsor.

We have always been happy to be associated with the horse race, which brings much needed publicity to our town and district as the leading horse racing centre in the country.

Not everything needs to be centred on Gaborone. It may be the capital but we, too, can lay claim to success!

English as she is spoke in foreign countries:

* Cocktail lounge, Norway: Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.

* Doctor's office, Rome: Specialist in women and other diseases.

* Dry cleaners, Bangkok: Drop your trousers here for the best results.

* In a Nairobi restaurant: Customers who find our waitresses rude, ought to see the manager.

* On the main road to Mombasa, leaving Nairobi: Take notice: When this sign is under water, this road is impassable.

DML discovers second zone of interest

TOTENG - Discovery Metals Limited (DML) has discovered a second copper-silver mineralised zone of interest at their NE Mango prospect following the drilling of 13 diamond holes. The NE Mango Prospect is located in the Boseto Zone and is less than 25km from the 100%-owned Boseto Copper Project's concentrator.

The Boseto Copper Project, which is nearing completion of construction, is scheduled to commence production before the end of June.

Planned production is approximately 36 000 tonnes of copper and more than 1 million ounces of silver per annum over an initial evaluated mine life of 15 years. Discovery Metals' Managing Director, Brad Sampson, said: These results represent some of the thickest intersections of copper-silver mineralisation we have intersected to date in the Boseto Zone.

The Mango Prospect covers a strike length of more than 30km and the exploration completed to date has already identified a number of zones of interest, that have potential for open pit and underground mining and that may contribute to a larger longer life Boseto Copper Project.

Work is progressing immediately to drill sufficient holes to allow estimation of inferred mineral resources in this area.

According to a statement from Discovery Metals, the copper-silver mineralisation at NE Mango 2 is similar to that at NE Mango 1. It is hosted in limestone approximately 15 metres above the contact between the D'Kar Formation and the Ngwako Pan Formation. Initial indications are that bornite is the dominant copper mineral with lesser chalcocite but chalcopyrite is common in the two south-western holes.

It further notes that the copper-silver mineralisation in NE Mango 2 appears thicker and lower grade than at NE Mango 1 (at the 0.3%Cu cut-off used to calculate intercept grades). The dip of the mineralisation varies between 60 and 80 degrees to the southeast (Figures 4 and 5).

The depth of cover, comprising Kalahari Sands and calcrete, varies between 25 metres to 35 metres. Vertical depth to the top of the sulphide zone is estimated to be approximately 70 metres.

Infill drilling between the south-western three sections is currently underway, with a goal of completing sufficient drilling in the second quarter of 2012 to allow the estimation of inferred mineral resources.

Infill drilling at NE Mango 1 has recently been completed, with the assay results expected by the end of the second quarter of 2012. An estimation of inferred mineral resources at NE Mango 1 is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2012.

Letters to the Editor

Noisy party music in park

Sir, - Unfortunately, as is usually the case, I wish to inform the public and senior officials at the Department of Wildlife (DWNP) about yet another disappointing visit to one of our national parks.

On a recent safari to Nxai Pan, with several international visitors as my guests, I was appalled to hear loud music coming from the staff compound at the entrance gate. The music began early in the evening and continued until 4 am. It was so loud that we could hear it quite clearly from our private campsite several kilometers away (and it kept us awake of course).

I suspect that the noise would have continued until daylight if I had not driven to the staff compound and asked the drunk partygoers to turn the music off. While there, I noticed a small generator powering a stereo and a speaker that was so big that it could only have been brought to Nxai Pan in the back of a bakkie!

It seems that this party was well publicised as several campers at the public campsite informed me (the next day) that they had been warned by staff from the Xomae Group (the company entrusted with running the public campsite) that they would be playing music that night during a party.

It also seems that this party was also sanctioned and attended by DWNP staff they hosted it after all!

I cannot believe that those running the campsite and those in government uniform simply had no respect for other users of the park that night how can someone drive a massive speaker (loaded on the back of a vehicle) through a park entrance gate and into a wildlife area and use that speaker to blast loud music into the wilderness? There would simply be no reason to do this other than to cause a public nuisance.

Finally, you will not all be surprised to hear that when driving past the scene of the party the next morning, there were beer bottles strewn all over the place a disgusting mess that I am actually quite used to seeing wherever the DWNP are living!

Those involved should be ashamed and I hope action will be swift from the DWNP hierarchy.

DISGUSRTED

(by e-mail)

Debswana donates to the needy in Maun

Maun residents, Wepo Keneetswe and Saoqo Tiroyaone were all smiles over the weekend as they received various donations from Debswana Orapa/Letlhakane D-Shift section. The donations were in the form of a pit latrine for Keneetswe while Tiroyaone only got clothes and bedding.

Speaking at the short ceremony dominated mostly by employees from the two mines, Principal Social Welfare Officer in the North West District Council (NWDC), Kehumile Mogobe said donations such as those received from Debswana are of tremendous importance as council alone cannot manage without assistance from elsewhere.

She said also that Ngamiland especially, has high numbers of destitute people who need all forms of assistance in their everyday life.

For his part, the delegation representative Lelatsa Lelatsa said they are always happy to offer a helping hand to needy people, adding that funds permitting, they will continue with their good gesture and help more families. In the past, he said, they used to donate food baskets, but have since decided on long-lasting donations such as housing and other amenities.

Meanwhile, council Public Relations Officer Wada Motsamai said they are faced with a big challenge whereby some beneficiaries do not have residential plots of their own, relating to a case in place whereby Saoqo and many others could not benefit from the donation of a standpipe because he does not have a residential plot under his name. She said in the past there have been numerous cases whereby after benefiting, a destitute person would be thrown out of wherever they would have been accommodated by relatives whenever disputes erupted, thus making it difficult for council or donors to claim back their structures, most of which are always permanent.

Dismal exam results in Kgalagadi

TSABONG  The Kgalagadi District council chairperson has expressed concern over deteriorating examination results in the district.

Addressing a full council meeting recently, Frans van der Westhuizen said he was concerned by the performance of schools from primary level to senior secondary.

He said Kgalagadi performed dismally adding that there was need for interventions from all stakeholders.

He said last year the Junior Certificate results stood at 74.4% and this year the percentage dropped to 45% adding that the results from Matsha College stood at 15% pass rate while the out of education and training was 26%.

Van der Westhuizen recommended the need to end the impasse between the Ministry of Education and Skills Development and teachers, saying this did not serve the interest of anybody including the two parties locked in the dispute. He said the two parties must allow objectivity to reign in the interest of the children and the country.

It's gyro-mania' in Nata and Maun this weekend!

A squadron of autogyros is due in Nata and Maun over the next few days.

A group of friends piloting the aircraft have been doing regular long distance flights for the past three years. The first was to Mozambique from Durban, South Africa - they flew as far as Vilanculos - with the second last year from Durban to Cape Town and returning inland over the Karoo area of South Africa. This year, the pilots will have been to Gaborone and Palapye and now it is Nata and Maun's turn to be visited. They have arranged with Northgate Lodge for refueling and Nata Lodge will be hosting them. From Maun they will be flying to Shakawe and then to Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi and Impalila Island before crossing into Zimbabwe and going to Victoria Falls and Kariba. They return to Durban via Kasane, Nata and Selebi Phikwe before returning to their home base in South Africa via Polokwane and Springs, in Gauteng. We are not a club but just a bunch of crazy gyronaughts who like to smell the roses' once a year. Mind you it takes about six months to organise a trip like this so one a year is enough, said the organiser, Malcolm Mercer.

Tsodilo Resources awarded new licences

Tsodilo Resources has been granted five new metals (base, precious, platinium group metals and rare earth elements) prospecting licences by the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources. The combined licence area of 2 810 square kilometres, which will be run by the company's subsidiary, Gcwihaba Resources, is situated in north-western Ngamiland. In a statement this week, the company said the licences cover an area now recognised from drilling on adjacent company licences to be underlain by rocks equivalent to those in the Zambian Copperbelt that host world-class copper deposits. Drilling on the company's existing licences has located minor copper and potentially significant iron resources which are the current focus of drilling.Tsodilo Resources' chairman and chief executive officer James M. Bruchs said the recent recognition by Tsodilo geologists that the rocks in north-west Botswana are identical to those in the Central African Copperbelt is incredibly exciting in terms of suggesting the area has potential for world class ore bodies. These new licences tie up all the available ground covering these rocks. The company's licence position should provide ideal targets for copper mineralisation. The area also contains a previously unrecognized major Rapitan-type iron formation which the company is currently outlining by drilling. Tsodilo Resources has, since 2008, used its own drilling equipment to explore for diamonds and base metals in northwest Botswana. Over the past three years, the company has collected over 20 000 line kilometres of detailed, high quality (20-50m line spacing) geophysical magnetic data using its three Geometric G-859 Cesium vapour magnetometres and has interpreted and incorporated this data with airborne magnetic and electromagnetic (VTEM') datasets over the 12 000 km² license area that it already holds.

Charles Tlagae back in court

A dispute between the prosecution and defence lawyers over whether the court should accept a document provided by the Tawana Land Board as per a court order in the case that saw Maun-based lawyer Charles Tlagae, of Charles Tlagae Attorneys, back in the dock on Wednesday for two counts of allegedly providing false information and uttering a false document.

The argument was taken outside of the court room when the case was adjourned for 30 minutes as chief magistrate Mompati Taolo took time to decide whether to accept the defence's application or uphold the prosecution's objection. He consequently upheld the prosecution's objection to the document being used as evidence.

Before the state prosecutors could call their first witness, Tlagae's attorney, Dick Bayford reminded the court of the applications they had made last year and how they had progressed in carrying out the order of the court.

Bayford had requested that the court should order the Tawana Land Board (TLB) to provide all documents relevant to this matter to both parties. In Wednesday's court proceedings the prosecution objected to the court perusing the document obtained from the TLB, stating that the defence is imposing evidence on the state, and suggesting that the defence should keep the document for themselves and use it when their time comes for argument.

Bayford, however, clarified to the court that the document is linked to a prospective State witness, Ntshemang Gaboekae, who had told the investigating officer that he had bought the property in dispute from one Batsweledi Ramatlhodi.

Priscilla Israel, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), on behalf of the State, stated that the ownership of the land is not part of the case and cannot be directly imposed on this case, reminding the court that the issue before court was for giving false information.

Tlagae is facing a count of allegedly giving false information to a person employed in the public service and another count of allegedly uttering a false document. Particulars of the first of offence state that Tlagae or about June 23, 2009 at the TLB gave false information to a TLB official that Sakaumba John Sakaumba had ceded his dairy farm to Batsweledi Ramatlhodi, which information they knew to be false in all material respects, thereby causing the official to process change of ownership from Sakaumba to Ramatlhodi, which the official ought not to have done if the true facts were known to him.

In the second offence, it is stated that Tlagae allegedly uttered a false Memorandum of Agreement of Cession to the TLB official, knowingly and fraudulently on the same day.

The prosecution called Sakaumba to the witness stand on Wednesday and he was still being cross-examined by defence counsel, Dick Bayford, by the time of going to press.

The State is represented by Priscilla Israel and Keneilwe Kgathi of the DPP, while Tlagae is represented by Bayford and Wanano Lumbile, of Charles Tlagae Attorneys.

Now Air Namibia hits snags on Maun route

WINDHOEK - Routine maintenance on an Air Namibia plane caused flight delays for approximately two to three weeks for passengers travelling between Windhoek and Maun in Botswana.

The delay not only has a negative impact on the national airline's passengers, but allegedly also affects local businesses and the tourism industry in Botswana, says the Namibian newspaper.

The newspaper was recently contacted by a South African tourist who travelled on Air Namibia's regional flight to Maun. The tourist slammed the airline for patently severe mismanagement and said in addition, all of the staff are surly, unfriendly in our interactions, and apparently unhappy in their jobs.

She said their flight to Maun on March 26 was delayed by four hours, adding that half an hour after the flight was delayed for the first time all the Air Namibia staff left the hall and went behind customs where no passengers could contact any of them to find out anything.

Air Namibia head of communications Paul Nakawa said the flight in question was delayed due to scheduled routine maintenance, which left the route to Maun with only two Embraer 135 aircraft to fly it.

The tourist said the delay caused her party of four to miss a chartered connecting flight which resulted in them having to spend a night at an expensive hotel as they could not get to the paid-for Okavango delta accommodation.

The group was apparently flown through Zimbabwe as they had to detour along with other passengers delayed from Zimbabwe. We also lost our prepaid accommodation elsewhere. There were two Australians who lost their night's accommodation as well as their chartered flight, the woman said, adding that the group of delayed passengers included a Russian couple and about 10 other foreign nationals. She said during their time in Botswana they were told by other tourists and businesses that the problems they were experiencing were not unusual.

Every single lodge and tour operator we spoke to in Botswana said that for the past two to three weeks delays of flights by Air Namibia are badly affecting tourists, tourism and businesses there (Botswana), and they state forlornly that the Namibian airline is going the same way as Air Botswana which has been doing this for the last few years, the woman said.

When asked to comment on these claims, Nakawa said that Air Namibia affirms its continuous aim to promote tourism and business in Namibia, the region and Africa at large, through air services with utmost safety and security for its passengers. Delays that are caused by scheduled maintenance are acceptable, as they are meant to ensure that we adhere to the industry and manufacturers' standards, hence they are not to demoralise our tourists or passengers, Nakawa said.

Air Namibia's zero-tolerance policy on flight delays and cancellations hit a further snag a few weeks ago when the airline was forced to cancel two flights from Windhoek to Johannesburg following a delay in a flight from Accra, Ghana.

Poverty policy switch already showing dividndse

A policy shift from poverty alleviation to poverty eradication pronounced in 2009 by President Ian Khama was highlighted this week when Vice President Mompati Merafhe said he had been given responsibility for driving it. In essence, we will not rest until all - I mean all - Batswana are living dignified, sustainable lives out of poverty, he told a conference attended by members of the government, the private sector and the diplomatic corps. He recalled that in October 2010, the President officially launched at Mahalapye the Pitso Ya Nyeletso Lehuma where the roadmap for poverty eradication was presented, discussed, and approved with some modifications.

At the Pitso, Merafhe said that poverty eradication was best addressed locally as each locality had its own positive characteristics which if harnessed can assist in developing robust localised programmes and projects that can aid in the eradication of poverty.

I have been informed that all districts have now held their Dipitso and are working hard to develop such localised plans. In this regard, I urge them to conclude their plans within the shortest possible time as this will ensure that Batswana in every part of the country start their journey out of poverty, he said in Gaborone.

The rollout of projects under the Programme is intensifying. Under Phase One, extended to 30 constituencies, 319 backyard projects have been completed and 592 are under construction.

In Phase Two, 7 000 backyard gardens will be rolled out to cover all constituencies starting this month.

Out of these backyard gardens, many families will be able to put food on their tables on a daily basis. Many families will be able to generate income of about P2 000 to P5 000) a month from selling their produce, depending on crops planted, he added.

Of great significance is the fact that based on the current definition used by the Central Statistics Office, which states that a family of four is said to be living below the poverty datum line if its monthly income is less than P879 per month, many Batswana would be able to step out of poverty.

Merafhe said the fact that the projects have been validated to be viable and sustainable under normal circumstances should be a source of inspiration to all of us.

A total of 2 894 Batswana have been identified for training on alternative packages and P21-million has already been disbursed to districts to set up projects for those who have been trained.

Passionate affair with crossbows

Book: The Horton Story

Author: Bernard Horton

Published by: New Generation Publishing

A quiet and unassuming man living in Maun has just published a book that details a passion from an early age to modernise crossbow development.

He is Bernard Horton, a Welshman who 50 years ago founded The Horton Company, now regarded as the world's leading crossbow manufacturers.

As a child he was a fan of the Robin Hood films of yesteryear which immortalised bow and arrow techniques but Horton is now regarded as the father of the modern crossbow and the revival of crossbow hunting.

The book details the many innovative designs Horton developed as a youngster in Wales, gun making in Scotland, and crossbows by his company - and the disappointments - without pulling punches.

With a passion for hunting and game management, Horton has taken an ancient weapon into the realm of modern hunting techniques.

The story details how the Horton Crossbow company in Wales became the Horton Manufacturing Company in Scotland specialising in crossbow and gun manufacturing, and in the 1980s relocated to Ohio, United States, when it was realised the biggest market for its range of products was in North America. At the time, the Hunter range was paramount as well as other innovations such as the Horton Thumbhole Stock. The Horton Hunter crossbow is displayed in the Royal Armouries Museum, opened by Queen Elizabeth II at the Tower of London.

Since then, the company has gone from strength to strength, and its new model The Legend crossbow has become the biggest selling product of its type in the world.

Horton came to Africa for the first time in 1988. He spent a month travelling and exploring Botswana, which was to become his permanent home in the years ahead.

I was impressed with the immense areas of Botswana that were as yet unaltered by human encroachment, by the open government and the very friendly people. As much as I admired all this, little did I know that I would make my home there in the not too distant future, he writes.

Horton gives amazing detail to hunts he has conducted in the wilds of North America, Africa, United Kingdom, Turkey and Poland. The book is crowded with memories of bow hunting of grizzly bears, moose, boar, elephant, stag, wildebeest, lion, leopard, buffalo and nyala among many others who were killed humanely which is of great importance to me.

He comments: I have always been a lucky hunter and I regularly pray this luck does not run out.

· The Horton Story is available in Maun through Nick Green on Facebook. Paperback is P300.00 and hardback P400.00.

Reviewed by Norman Chandler

Circumcision does not prevent infection'

By Keagisitswe Dioka

The Minister of Health, Rev John Seakgosing, has warned men that the male circumcision drive does not in any way make someone immune from getting infected with HIV and AIDS. Officiating at the closing of the Month of Youth against AIDS in Maun last Friday, Seakgosing said the Botswana National Strategy for Safe Male Circumcision has been adopted as an add-on strategy to existing HIV prevention strategies. Studies conducted in some of sub-Saharan African countries indicated that circumcision reduces the chances of men being infected with HIV by 60%.

He also said the main aim is to contribute to the reduction of HIV infection rates by scaling up safe male circumcision throughout the country to reach a prevalence rate of 80%, a total of 480 000 among 0-49 years old HIV-negative males by 2016.

He said Botswana has made significant strides against HIV/AIDS, adding that the war is still far from being won hence the need for sustained prevention measures to achieve zero new infection by 2016.

He appealed to the youth to wise up, be smart, and get trimmed, adding that the Botswana National Youth Council continues to mobilise youth across the country in an effort to achieve the target of 15 000 circumcised male youths by the end of February 2013.

Seakgosing also said in three weeks to come, the ministry of health will send a team to Rwanda gain more expertise on how to do male circumcision.

BNYC chairperson Metlha Mokwena said March has been designated as the Month of Youth Against AIDS in which young people hold HIV/AIDS sensitisation, community mobilisation and outreach as well as advocacy campaigns throughout the country. Kgosi Kealetile Moremi also commended safe male circumcision as it deals mainly with the youth which constitutes a high proportion population. She said the government is faced with challenges which needed to be addressed such as health, education and training, unemployment, talent, development, sports, culture, leisure recreation, crime and violence.

Drunken driving still a headache for police

By Lesley Van Neel

The deployment of the Booze Bus is starting to show progress, police reports show.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Maun Police Station commander Kenanao Badumetse said that the police had caught many drunken drivers and over-speeders over the Easter holidays - thanks to the Booze Bus. A vehicle specially fitted with a holding cell and facilities for police to test motorists for drunken behaviour. He also said that they did not record any deaths on the roads between April 5 and 9. The following table shows, as per police records, the statistics of road offences during the Easter holidays this year as compared to last year during the same time.Badumetse said that in spite of recording only one case of driving without a licence, the offence still causes concern as it is prevalent, noting that vehicle owners would rather spoil the chances of someone else getting a licence rather than having theirs cancelled.

He, however, noted that the public does not entertain the presence of the Booze Bus on the roads but this is not going anywhere and they should get used to it. The police were visible on roads from early morning till late at night during the holidays and helped control traffic at the Mascom National Derby, where a long queue had formed due to the large number of motorists attending the horse race.

Road Traffic Offence 21-25 April 2011 5-9 April 2012

Serious accidents 3 2

Minor accidents 2 8

Over speeding 35 31

Drunken driving 7 17

Driving without a licence 12 1

Unlicensed motor vehicles 2 14

Chaotic Easter holiday for Nhabe games

Nhabe league football games billed for the Easter holidays were more of chaos this past weekend with some games failing to take place.

Three games had been lined up for Good Friday at Maun Sports Complex starting at 2 pm to 8 pm, but only one game - the one for 2 pm took place.

The game between Brothers of Peace and Maun United saw BOP beating Maun United by 3 goals to 1, after which the game between Fuji Rollers could not take place as some women walked into the stadium claiming to have booked the stadium for their own Easter holiday activities and the representative of the stadium confirmed they had officially done so.

The denied any knowledge of any regional football league booking for the stadium for the holidays saying they did not even have any details as to when, where and how the football fixtures would be played.

The stadium however confirmed the booking for the Coca-Cola Cup game for Saturday where Sankoyo Bush Bucks would be locking horns with Tonota.

On Saturday, the game between Zungu and CTO did not take place at the same venue as it had been scheduled for 2 pm, the first reason being that Zungu did not show up and secondly CTO came to the ground 35 minutes late according to one referee.

Only one other game took place - between Maun Terrors and Gunners of Khwai which started at 4 pm followed by the Coca-Cola Cup match at 7 pm.

The games between Maun Heroes and Maun BMC, set for 6 pm, and the game between North West United and Cubs billed for 8 pm, were said to have been switched to the MTC grounds at the last minute to make way for the Coca cola game. Only Maun Heroes showed up while BMC was nowhere to be found. North West showed up at the rescheduled time and venue and played to a 1-1 draw against Cubs.

Nhabe region has always cancelled league games that could be set for the Easter holidays, but this year was a special one as the league had too many teams participating and are running out of time to finish matches to give a chance to the resultant champions to prepare for the play offs which have been set for Kasane from May 5.

It seems that the problem will not be solved as the league committee was aiming to finish all games by April 15, and there is still a backlog which might see teams battle it out during the week to avoid a situation that happened last year when Sankoyo was hand- picked to represent the region as champions before the league was completed.

On Sunday, Gunners of Khwai, who were down to play double-headers together with Maun Terrors, lost for the second time in less than 24 hours to Moeti United by a solitary goal they conceded in the first half, and Maun Terrors shrugged off a stubborn youthful Makgabisanaga 5-0. The game that was billed for 2 pm between BMC and Horizon Stars did not take place as both teams did not show up.

Monday afternoon was a bleak day for Delta Winds who conceded at the stroke of the final whistle to a header by Cubs' Ogaufi and lost the game 2-1. North West United overcame the young Maun United that followed later in the day by 4-1 to round off the chaotic Easter holidays programme. The race for the league championship is still wide open, with Delta Winds having to win three of their remaining games and Khwai need to win two of theirs, with the resultant team having to face Maun Terrors who seem to have run away with the league with only one game to go.

The biggest of remaining games is set for Saturday at 8 pm when Khwai take on Delta Winds in a match that might decide who faces Terrors at the end of the league series.

Bush Bucks take another step in Coca-Cola Cup

Sankoyo Bush Bucks took another giant step in the Coca-Cola Cup football tournament courtesy of a win over Tonota at Maun Sports Complex on Saturday evening.

In a thrilling fast paced encounter of two halves, they beat their 1 st Division North counterparts by 2-0 to advance to the next stage.

The game started at a high tempo with both teams attacking each other before a paltry crowd that found their way to the stadium after having spent the afternoon at the Shashe race course where they had taken their families to enjoy the sponsored Mascom horse race meeting.

Sankoyo opened the flood gates as early as the 32 nd minute with a header flicked to the far corner of the goal by the free scoring Gaongalelwe who beat the otherwise busier of the two goalkeepers on the day hands down after a long clearance by the versatile midfield maestro, the defensive link man Fredrick Mutukwa who stamped his authority from start to finish.

Hardly two minutes later, Oris missed a sitter after good exchanges with Skebo with only the goalkeeper to beat. The rejuvenated Oris, known for his troubling of the opposition defenders with his high speed when approaching goals, corrected his last miss when he tapped home a beauty of a goal into the near post with Tonota defenders hard on his heels after a brave flick-on by the hard running Ngale about 10 minutes later to give Sankoyo a deserved 2-0 lead.

Mutukwa's long range effort was parried out for a corner a minute later to deny Bush Bucks' third goal and the two teams went to the break with Bush Bucks in front.

The second half saw the two teams coming once again with more fire power, with Sankoyo taking it more cautiously to protect their lead and Tonota throwing everything towards Sankoyo's goals but were constantly frustrated by the defence marshaled by Zogora and his co-gangling defender Collen.

The goalkeeper of the moment Cotty, had nothing much to deal with, but played a pivotal role to collect all the loose balls put through his defenders by the hungry Tonota midfielders for their under pressure strike force. The only near chance of a goal for Sankoyo was when Ngale put through Skebo who turned wasteful with the goalkeeper at his mercy.

Tonota piled more and more pressure looking for a goal, and kept more good ball possession, but were constantly frustrated by the Bush Bucks outfit who closed all the playing spaces with speed.

This worked for Gadimang Tiiso's boys who managed to hold on tight to their 2-0 lead and book themselves a place in the next stage.

10-man Terrors mesmerise Gunners

The game that every football fanatic in the region had patiently waited for finally took place over the Easter holidays between Maun Terrors and the log leaders Gunners of Khwai. It was a curtain-raiser to the Sankoyo Bush Bucks and Tonota Coca-Cola Cup match.

So much was at stake for both sides - Khwai wanted to maintain the log leadership and Terrors wanted to win the match and close in to challenge for the honours as well, and maintain their second round performance of yet to lose a game.

The match started at a high tempo with both teams looking for an opening goal but Terrors were the ones to hit the back of the net with a goal from their double scorer of the day, Elwin Chakala Shorty, who never lived to see the end of the game as he was red carded for abusive language on a Khwai player in the first half.

This did not dampen the Terrors spirit, guided by their veteran Ronney, who on the day played as a sweeper - a rare position in his playing career and who normally masterminds the middle of the park.

Khwai responded a few minutes later, when their defender capitalised on an infringement about 20 metres from goal to send a curling ball that beat the experienced Taboka Maloba a former Be Mobile goalkeeper with Francistown's GNT in goals for Terrors. The goal was a resultant miscalculation by Maloba who had arranged his wall perfectly but still took a step to the side of his wall to allow the hard shot make its way through to the near post.

The goal gave Khwai the confidence to add numbers forward and had more advantage when referee Eliot Dintweng sent off Chakala but Terrors resisted by leaving a lone Ontiretse Modongo up front and packed their defence and midfield each time catching Khwai on counter attack, and this paid dividends when in one of their counter attacks Modongo had the easiest of tasks beating the helpless advancing Khwai goalkeeper at the stroke of half time to take the two teams to half time with Terrors comfortably leading by 3-1.

The second half started with both teams applying the same first half tactics.

Khwai allowed the effective Tendai Katiyo and Coaster but the story could have been different as Khwai preferred to sit back with four defenders, three midfielders and three outright strikers who only applied great pressure going up front but could not vary their runs into the box and this made the job easier for Ronney to collect every loose ball they played into space in an attempt to go for goals.

Khwai this time around resorted to high square balls into Terrors territory but found Maloba on good guard and commanded his defenders well.

The game continued in high tempo and at times blowing cold as Terrors kept more possession and passed the ball a lot each time they got hold of it to kill the momentum of Khwai's attack until the final whistle.

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09 Apr ' 15:12

Edition 596 6 - 13 April 2012

Twenty-three-year old Goitseone Tshimologo (centre) is Miss BOCCIM Youth Expo. The pageant, which was held in Francistown, was part of the annual Youth Expo show where young inspiring entrepreneurs exhibit their products and network on business opportunities and ideas. Goitseone is pictured here with her two princesses, 19-year-old Chedu Jimmy while the second princess is Jade Blasco, who is 13-years-old. (Picture: BOPA/Daily News)

COUNCIL INVESTIGATED FOR CORRUPTION

Top official spends 48 hours in cells

By Staff Reporters

The North West District Council (NWDC) is under investigation by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC). The investigations are said to be an answer to a public outcry that a lot was not in order at the council.

A senior official was detained this week and spent 48 hours in a police cell while assisting with investigations. NWDC Secretary Kwele Puso confirmed this week that the Maun Administration Authority (MAA), a sub-council, is being investigated by the DCEC.

According to Puso one of the senior employees at MAA was recently detained for 48 hours as part of the investigations.

Kwele could not be drawn into revealing what the investigations were about, save to say that he was not at liberty as the chief executive officer of the council to discuss such matters. He maintained that he has to let the DCEC do its work without any hindrances until they complete their investigations.

Sources, however, revealed this week that investigations centered on some senior officials over procurement irregularities.

Maun was this week awash with rumours that a lot of people were benefitting from council tenders through corrupt practices. Some alleged that people who continue to receive tenders were in cahoots with some council officials, who are rewarded with brown envelopes for their dubious role.

It's like every unit of council is corrupt, they always want one to pay something for a service they are employed to do. If it comes to outsourcing services then it's a problem. The same companies always get the same jobs, a concerned businessman revealed to The Ngami Times.

Contacted for comment, Maun police station commander, Superintendent Kenanao Badumetse could neither confirm nor deny that they had a senior council official detained in their cells.

He said if someone is detained by the DCEC, then the police only provide the cells and the police would not know who the person is and what he is arrested for.

When asked whether his organisation was investigating, DCEC Public Relations Officer Lentswe Motshoganyetsi said: The issue that you have raised falls within operational matters therefore the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime Media Policy and Section 44 of the Corruption and Economic Crime Act (1994) forbids discussion or shedding information on matters that are operational.

The investigations come at a time when the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Peter Siele, said on the Radio Botswana morning programme that corruption was rife at councils.

Overflowing beef stores benefit schools

By Basadi Morokotso

A lack of storage facilities at the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) Maun abattoir might have come as a blessing to cash-strapped schools and non-governmental organisations in the district as they continue to benefit from donations of meat and other meat products.

Addressing the North West District councillors, the abattoir's Plant Manager Mothobi Mothobi said they have been faced with a very big challenge of lack of storage capacity, particularly for failed maturation product.

This has meant only a limited number of cattle per day have been slaughtered to ease congestion in their cold rooms.

He said with productivity continuously improving, they have produced more than their stores could take, resulting in unhygienic storage facilities which were over-flowing with 175 tons of meat products,100 tons of which had failed maturation.

Mothobi said this situation is compounded by faulty freezer doors which could lead to product contamination. In such instances, the veterinary authorities had no option but to halt the sale of fresh product and recommended it for heat treatment, a costly and time-consuming process to dispose of the meat while simultaneously slaughtering. A request was made to the Director of Veterinary Services to allow us to transfer this meat as is, so that it is cooked in Lobatse. This was granted. This process of transfer is ongoing and the remaining bone-in meat is being donated to schools, NGOs, parastatals and other businesses in the Ngamiland area, he said.

Commenting after the address, Councillor Duncan Enga wanted to know who should be held responsible in incidents whereby cattle die during transportation to the abattoir, considering the fact that BMC does not compensate farmers who find themselves in such a dilemma.

He also suggested that because BMC is a profit making organisation, they should opt for other measures and seek overdrafts from local banks to ensure hard-pressed farmers are paid on time.

The other option according to Enga would be for the BMC to outsource the selling of live animals to external markets on their behalf while they (BMC) concentrate on other imperative issues of sourcing and slaughtering livestock.

Mothobi said the livestock movement protocol does not allow for cattle to travel outside BMC zones. He said it is the responsibility of truck drivers to ensure the safety of all cattle they carry, and that they are always held accountable for whatever happens during transportation.

We have nonetheless sent them strong warnings and I am happy to say since then we have never received any dead arrivals. We only do live buying, and cattle coming to us are the responsibility of the owner up until they are slaughtered, he said.

Magic plate' helps in arrest of thief!

A magic silver plate which is used as a tracking device by a local traditional doctor, David Makwanje, has allegedly helped in the recovery of a stolen Philibao satellite dish worth P350 and helped the police arrest the culprit.

Maun Police Station Commander, Superintendent, Kenanao Kenny Badumetse, told The Ngami Times that a complainant reported that his satellite dish had been stolen from his home in Boseja during the evening of March 18.

He said the complainant went to consult a traditional healer the following day in order to solicit help for the recovery of the dish and the apprehending of the thief.

Makwanje, who is very popular for the use of the silver plate to recover stolen items, then consulted his gadget to follow the trail of the thief. The plate is said to have made several stopovers where the thief had stopped on his way from the complainant's place. The plate, which had attracted a crowd of about 70 according to Badumetse, landed at the Maun Senior Secondary School (MSSS) gate where the crowd was denied entrance. When being denied entrance to the school premises, Makwanje's gadget is said to have written down the name of the suspect on the ground, and the security guard confirmed that there was someone with such a name on the premises.

As the principal of the school refused Makwanje and his client access, the client called in the police and they consequently arrested the suspect who was found to be in possession of the stolen satellite dish. The accused was detained for one day and is yet to appear before the Maun Magistrates Court on a charge of theft.

Badumetse said the plate could be helpful to them during investigations, but it can also complicate their investigations. He said this is because of the many people that the plate draws might disturb investigations and the fact that the plate does not go straight to the suspect but follows their trail, involving innocent people as well.

Police to increase visibility on roads over Easter

Maun police traffic officer Assistant Superintendent Samuel Kgomo has warned that his staff will be very visible on roads this Easter, adding that they will set up random roadblocks and the Booze Bus will also be active monitoring drunken driving.

He advised travellers to use public transport and to leave early to avoid crowding at the bus rank.

His plea is that people driving long distances ensure that their vehicles are fit to take on the distances, not to overload and to make frequent stops and get sufficient rest.

Kgomo said they will be controlling traffic at the Mascom Derby horse race on Saturday.

As drunken driving figures are on the rise, Kgomo told motorists they will not tolerate any such cases and will take measures to discipline the culprits.

He urged drivers to get a sober person to drive them or to take a taxi if they want to indulge in alcohol consumption.

Meanwhile, Kgomo told The Ngami Times that they are investigating the cause of an accident that took place on Sunday at about 5 pm involving a Toyota Corolla which overturned and killed one of the two passengers.

Three Zimbabweans in court for murder

By Lesley Van Neel

Three Zimbabwean nationals have been remanded in custody pending investigations after they appeared before Maun chief magistrate Mompati Taolo this week for the murder of Baitirile Ipolokeng.

They are held at Maun State Prison and are due for mention on April 17.

The particulars of the offence are that the trio - Thandolenkosi Khumalo (20), Talent Mguni (20) and Mlungisi Khumalo (23) on March 31 near Thitoyamokodi ward in Maun.

Acted jointly in the murder of Ipolokeng.

Meanwhile, in another incident of murder, the police are investigating a suspected killing of a 31-year-old woman which took place in Boronyane on March 28.

Maun Police station commander Superintendent Kenanao Badumetse said the deceased was last seen with her 27-year-old boyfriend leaving Boronyane for Boro 1.

Badumetse said the boyfriend reported the accused missing to the police on the evening of March 29. The police, however; according to Badumetse, became suspicious as to why the boyfriend took so long to report her disappearance.

He was taken in for questioning and since he was not of any assistance to the police, he was then remanded in police custody on the same night.

The boyfriend helped the police with their investigations and the police subsequently found the body of the deceased behind Okavango International School, in Boronyane. Badumetse said the police found the deceased with multiple stab wounds.

The boyfriend is remanded in custody and is held at Maun State Prison pending investigations.

Chance to show our worth

As we enter the Easter holiday season, Maun has several festivities lined up, prominent among which is the Mascom National Derby. The annual horse race has gradually become a national calendar event, which of late has even started attracting participation from neighbouring Namibia.

With it, other activities in various sectors have hitched a ride, and this is commendable as the hospitality industry is tapping into opportunities provided by the event. Most hotels and lodges will be fully booked, local bars drink-emptied, vehicle rental operations fully engaged, and local eateries cleaned out of food.

Undoubtedly, if properly managed, the event can prove to be a major money-spinner for the Ngamiland region. It can be fine tuned to mark the start of the current tourism season, which is primarily outward looking.

This could be by way of spicing it up with an exciting programme with a bias towards cultural tourism ala the Rio de Janeiro carnival, the New Orleans Mardi Gras, the Bahamian Junkanoo and the revival of the Maun Carnival. Who said our beloved overseas tourists are only interested in wildlife?

Though a highly adventurous lot, the tourists seriously value their general personal safety. Events, like the forthcoming horse race, provide the residents of Ngamiland with an opportunity to prove their worth in matters of safety.

As hosts, residents must in the coming days show zero-tolerance for acts of violence that include rape, burglary or any form of uncivilised behaviour. Similarly, we expect our guests to adhere to that code of conduct.

This is for the good of everybody if they are to have a quality and memorable time during the Easter holidays.

We further appeal to the public to cooperate with police and veterinary personnel at disease control cordon gates of Makalamabedi and Kuke or any other checkpoints. These law enforcement officers however should also avoid over-zealousness that borders on harassment and violation of peoples' rights.

The importance of making our region a destination of choice for the majority of holiday-makers cannot be overemphasised. The money these holiday-makers inject into our local economy is the type other districts would die to have.

We should therefore consider ourselves previleged to play hosts and return that favour accordingly. Once again we appeal for self-restraint as we go around the business of celebrating the Easters.

For weeks motorists travelling on Mathiba 1 Road flanking the airport have been puzzled by a broken and buckled street lamp post.

Now a little birdie has whispered in Shuffle's ear that it was all the fault of an elephant statue on the coroner of Moeti and Mathiba 1 roads!

Apparently an out-of-town motorist drove down Mathiba 1 early one morning and was so startled to see the life-sized jumbo that he lost control of his vehicle, smashing into the lamp post.

Then, a few weeks later, another motorist suffered the same fate that person was probably just as startled and drove straight through gates leading to the airport construction area. There were bits and pieces of gate and fencing to greet motorists the next morning.

The lamp post incident also highlights the situation developing on our roads.

Motorists have been driving into lamp posts erected along several roads, but no replacements have been erected.

There were many complaints at the time of the lamps being erected that the poles were too close to the roadside but the authorities said the poles were in their correct position in terms of local legislation.

Perhaps the murmurs of disapproval were correct after all?

A government sometimes asks for it.

The British authorities have just decided that hot snacks like sausage rolls and pies should be subject to VAT . . . but if sold cold VAT doesn't apply!

The question arises: If you buy a hot pie, but it cools and is cold by the time you leave the shop, can you get your VAT refunded?

You wouldn't believe how such a trivial matter could warrant ongoing newspaper and TV headlines and just shows that the Barmy Brits are at it again!

We have all had the experience but now officialdom is being urged to do something about it.

Shuffle is talking about the poor work ethic found in Botswana and the endless shuffling queues (hence the name of this column!).

At a regional conference on doing-business, the poor work ethic in both the public and the private sector makes it difficult for investors to set up businesses in Botswana and is also worsened by tedious government processes.

The seminar's anxiousness is supplemented by the Global Competitiveness Report which identified poor work ethics in the national labour force as the country's most problematic factor.

An independent economist, Dr Keith Jefferies, called for a mind set change, especially among government officers and the bureaucracy suffered by the private sector at the hands of government officials leaves them wondering.

An economist and management consultant, Emang Maphanyane, says Botswana has to do whatever possible to better the processes of doing business - It is not acceptable to have queues everywhere in the country, he said. If we do not change the mind set in the public service, we won't change mind set in the country.

Poaching leading to global extinction of wildlife

Botswana has signalled the ends of trophy hunting, apart from on game farms, which could result in as huge poaching problem in the years ahead.

This has been the case in other African countries where strenuous efforts are being made to stop the poachers from killing elephants, in particular, as well as lions, buffalo and other plainsgame.

Below is an abridged extract from the Scientific American publication with local information included.

Reeking of infection, the elephant stumbled into the Tanzanian camp where Thomas Appleby works as a safari manager. Its back legs festered with gangrene radiating from the open, pungent wounds that the animal had evidently endured for at least two long weeks.

Ivory poachers had shot the elephant in both legs, but it had probably bolted before they could subdue the massive beast enough to hack off its tusks. The infection had slowly spread throughout the animal's limbs, and Appleby had to put it down.

The poor thing, it completely tore my heart out, Appleby said. We are losing thousands - and I mean thousands - of iconic animals because of some kind of rapacious hunger from far-off countries.

The ivory poachers who shot Appleby's elephant were most likely African, but their orders probably came from thousands of kilometres away - from China or Vietnam. In many parts of Asia, traditional Chinese medicine, a taste for game meat, a desire to display pricey horn and ivory trophies, and a lust for rare pets have merged into a cultural infatuation with wildlife consumption.

The world is in the midst of a global extinction crisis primarily driven by illegal hunting for highly valuable animal body parts.

Having largely emptied its own jungles of furry, scaly, and feathery creatures, Asia's thirst for exotic blood, bile, and bones has turned to the African continent.

The Far East's middle class is becoming more affluent; it is no coincidence that poaching on the African continent has spiked in recent years, as more and more people are able to afford luxury goods like ivory or exotic pets.

With this demand spreading to Africa, it's only a matter of time before we see populations of animals in Africa start to decline in a similar manner to Asia, said Chris Shepherd, the Southeast Asia deputy regional director of the non-governmental organization TRAFFIC that deals with illegal wildlife trade. Shepherd doesn't think Asia's demand will stop with Africa, either.

Shepherd is part of a group of increasingly desperate conservationists who deal with these statistics on a day-to-day basis. He witnesses illegal Madagascan tortoises openly displayed in Jakarta pet markets, despite Indonesian legislation that bans their trade. He deals with the logistical nightmare of sorting out 2 800lbs of African ivory seized in Vietnam in a single week.

On the worst days, he and his colleagues must draft the public extinction notices when another animal succumbs forever to the trade.

Despite the scale of these crimes, politicians and the public are all too complacent. We're losing all of our wildlife, and people are just sitting back and letting it happen, Shepherd says.

The trade link between Asia and Africa is not new. Ivory, rhino horn, and other wildlife products have for years found their way into the Asian market.

In the 1980s, Japan was what China is today in terms of wildlife exploitation. Japan was the largest importer of sea turtles, reptile skins, and fur coats, but as the leading importer of ivory - mostly used to fashion intricate seals for stamping official documentsthe country drew huge criticism from the international community when African elephant populations began to collapse.

In 1989, the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) banned ivory trade. This event marked an important milestone for Japan, and the government decided to play by the international rules and crack down on contraband trade.

China has today assumed the paramount role as the driver behind most wildlife trade, with countries like Vietnam and Thailand also coming on strong. And this demand is increasing on a seemingly exponential scale.

Africa, thanks to a high Asian presence and lax laws, is now the new frontier for obtaining wildlife. Lion bones are shipped to China in lieu of tiger, African pangolin hides are hidden in cargo bound for Vietnam, and elephant and rhino products are leaving the continent in tons.

This growing Asian influence is bringing disaster to us in Tanzania, said Alfred Kikoti, a research scientist with that country's World Elephant Centre.

Over his lifetime, Kikoti has witnessed the change in poaching trends brought on by Asian demand.

This killing is not a normal one, he said, In the past poachers were selective, but now no more - they kill whole elephant families and take even the tiniest ivory.

The high demand for ivory motivates the poachers to kill quickly and indiscriminately. Kikoti believes that, at this rate, elephants will largely disappear from the African continent within five years.

Hunting for subsistence versus hunting for trade has caused some confusion in the conservation and development communities.

Officials say this is organised crime, it's about big money.

TRAFFIC investigations have spread to South Africa where researchers have analysed samples from what appears to be the largest Asian seizure in the past 10 years - 33 rhino horns, 758 ivory chopsticks and 127 ivory bracelets.

The goods were concealed inside a container shipped to Hong Kong from Cape Town, and TRAFFIC hopes they can lend clues to the perpetrators' identity.

All too often, in Asia and Africa, criminals get away with their actions. Judges allow foreign nationals out on bail only to find the criminals skip the country. When guilty parties do make it to court, fines for wildlife crimes are readily paid, and constitute a sum much less than the value of the wildlife products for which they are being prosecuted.

A big problem apparently is that enforcement officers, on finding out how much horns are worth, sometimes seize the horns and then immediately go into negotiations with the criminals.

The means of procuring the animal parts vary by country. For elephants in East Africa, poor people are generally hired for small sums to do the actual killing. Poachers take advantage of huge areas of wilderness left unpatrolled and bring several clips of ammunition with them on their hunts.

As we speak, people are in the bush poaching elephants, Kikoti said. If rangers see these guys, they'll say wow! - they're not someone you can just attack. The rangers wind up running away.

More awareness training of prosecutors and judiciary officials is needed, because a good ranger may arrest someone but a higher-ranking officer may not take the crime seriously and then let the perpetrator go.

Data clearly shows that China had emerged as the world's driver in illicit ivory trade. Chinese ivory seizures have increased. - in 2009, China reported 733 cases of illegal ivory imports; in 2010, it was 635. On average, China makes two ivory seizures each day but no one knows how large the trade really is.

Overall, conservationists hope the rest of the world will become more engaged with these issues.

A lot of people come to Africa to see our wildlife, Kikoti said, If these animals are killed, we're finished.

Huge concern over waste disposal

By Basadi Morokotso

The North West District Council (NWDC) has expressed concerns over the growing illegal disposal of waste at undesignated areas.

The concern was raised by the council chairman, Tebogo Bethia at the full council meeting last week.

He also called on relevant institutions and structures to integrate their efforts to curb the practise which he described as posing a health hazard to the region's residents.

The illegal activity is mostly perpetrated by people who have not registered for refuse collection, either with council or private refuse collection companies even though it is a pre-requisite.

Under the Waste Management Act of 1998, he said, plot owners are required to provide temporary refuse storage and make arrangements for regular collection. He decried the situation whereby home owners choose instead to carry large amounts of waste with own vehicles and dump it at ungazetted places.

Councillors felt measures should be put in place to educate communities on waste management and related environmental matters due to tackle ignorance.

Boseja West councillor Vepaune Moreti said a lot of waste material continues to be dumped at ungazetted places as there is no provision for private vehicles at the dumping site. He suggested that dump site officials should be able to assist people who drive to the site in their private vehicles.

His sentiments were shared by councillor Kegomoditswe Ofentse who said proper supervision should be maintained at the dumping site and elsewhere and that all those going above the law should be brought to book. She said Boseja has become vulnerable, particularly now that the area is in the same locality as the dumping site.

Most parts of the area are an eyesore, she said.

Top police officers promoted

The Commissioner of Police, Thebeyame Tsimako, has announced the promotions of an Assistant Commissioner and two Senior Superintendents.

Promoted to the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner is Assistant Commissioner Solomon Mantswe, who was Staff Officer to the Commissioner but will now be Director of Departmental Management Services.

Senior Superintendents Isaac Lesego Pule and Kealeboga Moruti have been promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioners.Pule becomes the Staff Officer to the Commissioner while Moruti remains in the Performance Management Systems Branch as the Deputy to the Performance Improvement Coordinator.

Criminal activities on the rise

Crime is continuing to cause problems in parts of Maun. Thieves are apparently targeting the Tsanakona area where motor cars have been broken into and intruders have entered yards in an effort to gain access to private homes.

There have been several incidences of criminal activity in the Sedie and Disaneng wards.

In Sedie, a house was burgled about 15 minutes after the tenants left but were disturbed when people arrived at the property soon afterwards.

Fences have been cut when thieves tried to gain access to a property,

Last week a Zimbabwean man was apprehended on a Francistown-bound bus at the Makalamabedi veterinary and security gate when he was found to be carrying a stolen laptop.

Maun Lodge in another expansion

By Bright Kholi

Maun Lodge has embarked on its fourth expansion since its establishment in 1999. In the latest phase of development, the hotel is constructing 60 extra rooms at a cost of about P18 million and this will bring the hotel's total number of rooms to 140.

One of the directors, John Wellio, told The Ngami Times this week that they saw the need for more accommodation in Maun back in 1999, and started the facility with 30 rooms. Since then demand kept on growing.

The 30 rooms proved to be far below the demand for accommodation - since we were restricted by the land we had, we acquired land around the lodge and embarked on the second phase five years later, Wellio noted.

That phase comprised of 12 chalets to cater for budget accommodation and 11 river-facing rooms with an additional two presidential suites.

We later realised that this was also not enough and so we engaged in the third phase of the hotel in 2010 by adding 26 more rooms and a 350-seater conference facility together with a restaurant to cater for that number, he said.

The latest project is the fourth phase comprising of a double storey block of 60 rooms.

We think 140 rooms will be adequate for the foreseeable future, he said.

Wellio says that while they have grown in leaps and bounds over the past 13 years, the road was not a smooth one. He said that over the years the authorities made it practically impossible for them to expand.

It took us 18 months to get a building permission for the third phase and 12 months to get permission for this phase, he said. This challenge was due to misguided policies where you find that a building code runs parallel with the guidelines . . . these inconsistencies are an obstacle and need to be ironed out, by aligning these guidelines and policies.

On how Maun could benefit more from tourism, Wellio regrets that though Maun has grown tremendously over the years there are still too few benefits for Maun's economy from tourists who pass through the town. He believes tourists should spend some time in Maun to also purchase whatever the town has to offer, unlike now where they alight an aircraft from Johannesburg and board small aircraft into the delta. At Maun Lodge we promote local talent in that when we have groups of tourists here, we bring in traditional groups and a comedian to entertain our guests. We also buy paintings and artefacts from local artists, he said.

Maun Lodge currently has 85 employees and 15 more are expected be employed when the current project comes to an end in February next year. Wellio also said the lodge provides attachment opportunities for students doing hospitality-related courses.

Wellio said they are currently not planning to put up any accommodation facilities in other areas around the country.

We are the hotel of choice, giving value for money, and putting more emphasis on customer care focus, he noted.

Ngamiland currently has 127 accommodation facilities, with 1290 rooms and 2768 beds, of which Maun lodge is currently the biggest at 80 rooms.

Wellio says he hopes the government and the community will work towards promoting leisure business.

Somelo residents allegedly being swindled

Prominent people in Ngamiland, including councillors, are allegedly swindling remote area dwellers (RADs) of Somelo settlement, comprising mainly Basarwa, of their livestock.

The Basarwa communities in that settlement primarily acquire their livestock through government empowerment schemes.

The swindlers are known to buy livestock from the Basarwa at give-away prices ranging between P700 and P800 per head for cattle, and P150-P300 per head for goats.

Somelo resident Mathogonolo Ralephata says the alleged practice reverses government's empowerment efforts. It is even more disappointing that councillors are allegedly involved in this scam, he said.

Woman farmer Keletile Moatswi expressed similar sentiments - we do not expect councillors and other wealthy people from Maun to exploit us like this. Another resident, Somolekae Bapati appealed to the relevant authorities to intervene.

Council officials responsible for (RADS) in Maun were shocked to learn that some top people are allegedly be taking advantage of the Basarwa's desperation and ignorance. A council official who preferred anonimity described such people as criminals.

UB employee on corruption charges

GABORONE - A 44-year-old cash and financial accounts manager at the University of Botswana appeared before the Village magistrate's court in Gaborone recently charged with 13 counts of corruption. According to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), Thabo Jovial Abram committed the corrupt offences amounting to P2.2 million between 2005 and 2009 in Gaborone. Particularly of the case are that Abram failed to disclose his direct interest in a company conducting business with his employer, the university. Abram held a directorship in PI World Tech (Pty) Ltd, a company with which the UB proposed to deal, when he knowingly failed to disclose the nature of such interest to the university when he travelled to South Africa with a colleague and a director of the said company to inspect a certain factory owned and run by SPS (Pty) Ltd, of which PI World Tech was a local agent.

DCEC also alleges that Abram prepared the UB purchase requisition for procurement and raised Purchase Orders and subsequently paid the company to supply the university with individual image holograms.

He is also alleged to have failed on different occasions to disclose the nature of interest when dealing in procurement of other equipment such as printers, uninterrupted power supply (UPS) devices and when writing memoranda of agreement for the service and goods to be purchased from SPS.

A plea was reserved for his next court appearance, scheduled for April 26. He was ordered to pay P1 000 bail and report to Gaborone West Police Station on Fridays between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm.

Abram was represented by Lizo Ngcongco while Wesson Mantswe, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), appeared for the State.

Man drowns in Lake Ngami

A Botswana Defence Force (BDF) scuba diving team was by Tuesday still searching for a 27-year old man who is suspected to have drowned in Lake Ngami last Friday.

The Gumare man, together with a fisherman colleague, met his fate when the fibre canoe they were in capsized in gusty winds that swept across the lake last Friday. The other man survived.

The two men are known to have paddled on-shore to check on their fishing nets, which had been cast overnight, when strong winds developed. The waves caused by the wind filled up the canoe leading to it being submerged.

Sehitwa Police Station deputy station commander Moutlwatsi Ikobeng said fortunately there is a survivor and he has been able to show us the exact location of the incident.

A member of the BDF team confirmed that they have already managed to recover the submerged canoe but have been unable to locate the body as it could be trapped in petrified trees that covered the lakebed before flooding in the current years.

Puncture spoils Makgabisanaga own party

Makgabisanaga played gallantly to score 3 goals against Zungu on Sunday but were their own worst enemies when, with only 20 minutes of play remaining and the score at 3-2, started ballooning the ball out of play as a time-buying measure but, as a result, lost it all when the ball that had been hit into the thorny bush time and again by their defenders came back with a puncture - and no replacement ball could be found at the ground to continue the game.

Zungu piled pressure on Makgabisanaga immediately after scoring the first goal to reduce the deficit from 3-0 to 3-1 and as a result Makgabisanaga resorted to kicking out the balls coming their way to try and kill the moment Zungu had of attacking them.

The unfortunate but fortunate incident for Zungu occurred as the match had to end after several efforts of getting a ball was fruitless.

A ball was later found from an unnamed sports person but Zungu had to ask the referee to call the game off as it was already late, and saying they had a journey to travel to Mababe since it was a Sunday and most of the players had to be on duty the following day, which means that no unsporting conduct stopped the game but lack of the match ball. The game has to be replayed.

Gunners of Khwai trashed Fuji Rollers 4-0 to seriously contest the league title, while Delta Winds at MTC ground were held to a 1-1 draw by stubborn Heroes who scored first after Trash beat an ill-planned offside trap by the Winds defence and another blow took its toll when Aone Mokupi was red carded a few minutes later for an off-the-ball incident on Heroes' right back.

The 10-man squad came back from half time with a more attacking purpose type of play and forced the Heroes to camp in their half most of the time and commit many fouls.

As a result PK Mokuye was fouled just outside the box and the Unobatsha Mbaiwa injected a powerful shot to the far post that beat the Heroes goalkeeper.

Maun Terrors pushed themselves further up to among the top three and revived hopes of making it back to the National First Division when they continued their good form, beating the young Maun United 3-1.

At Maun Sports Complex, Cubs emerged the high scoring team of the weekend after the shortest man on the field, Fish, put his name on the score board five times and Shumba added one to make it six goals to one against Maun BMC. Later on Moeti United got the better of CTO who seem to have lost it all after having been one of the league contenders when they wrapped up the weekend games by winning 3-2.

Rebabona Ha Centres growing rapidly

Rebabona Ha Centres in the Maun region have made tremendous growth since inception in the late 1990 says a statement made by senior co-ordinator Tebogo Mogaetsho before leaving for Francistown were all the regions converged over the weekend. The programme under the Botswana National Sports Council and sponsored by mining company Debswana has made significant strides in unearthing soccer talent in various regions in the country and most of the players who progressed from this youth development programme have made it to regional first division teams, and some have even gone further to representing the national junior soccer teams.

A notable example is Kabelo Dambe, the national team's goalkeeper who started with the programme in its inception in the Francistown region, and Phenyo Mzambia Mongala who was also groomed in the Southern region programme.

The number of kids in the programme increased rapidly after the primary and school sports activities were put on hold due to the public service strike last year.

Maun started with only one centre, at Thamalakane Primary school, but has grown to 4 centres after the establishment of Sedie, Boseja, Thito and CTO centres - which re-located from Thamalakane.

The centres boast of a total of 801 youths, of which 614 are boys and 187 are girls and are being run by 14 male and 3 female volunteer coaches.

The coaches are not paid but have been trained and the Sports Council continues offering them courses in relation to this field.

Last year the region won silver for boys and bronze for girls in the national competitions held at district level and the finals held in Gaborone, which were organised and run by the Botswana Football Association.

As a result, 8 boys were selected for the National under-20 team and six girls also made it to the under-17 and under-20 teams, respectively.

Mogaetsho appealed to the community to volunteer and help in grooming the kids but was quick to point out that people should do so with no expectation of remuneration but passion for the sport.

He also appealed to the National Sports Council to provide the region with adequate equipment, especially balls, the re-instatement of the league, and the induction for new volunteer coaches and more international friendly matches.

Centre Chiefs pile on the pressure

Mochudi Centre Chiefs, better known to their large following as Magosi hit five goals past Nico United at UB stadium in Gaborone. Chiefs started like a house on fire, showing no mercy to the copper nickel miners who only managed to score 2 in reply.

Chiefs, who have been doing well in the Be Mobile league, continued their scoring form in the first leg of the million Pula Mascom Cup competition and have made a mammoth task for the Majombolo when they play the return leg in Selebi Phikwe.

Gaborone United, who fired their coach Elvis Chiweshe after losing four successive league matches, roped in Philimon Makwenge into the hot seat in a bid to try to revive the money machine status they have been known for.

They managed to beat Santos 1-0 via an own goal that deflected from a defender to beat the goalkeeper and the national team versatile Ofentse Nato walked away with a Blackberry phone for being the man of the match. Rollers put their house in order after their dismal performance the past week against Nico United, wiping away the tears with a 3-1 defeat of BDF X1 and the other instrumental national team asset, the young Mogakolodi Tsotso Ngele, was crowned Mascom Top 8 player of the day and he also won a Blackberry phone. The clash of the meat boys showed who had more beef on the day when Ecco City Greens made their big brother BMC from Lobatse bite the dust after grinding them to a 3-1 score, making BMC coach Chicco Nare swallow his words when he had said he did not have any problem in beating his counter parts.

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02 Apr ' 03:23

Edition 596 30 March - 6 April 2012

South African musician Bulelwa Zahara' Mtukukana pictured greeting a crowd of people and her fans at the Old Mall in Maun on Friday before her performance at Fish Boro that night. Picture Bright Kholi

THE END LOOMS FOR HUNTING

The new hunting season in northern Botswana is likely to be the last and next season will also be the final one for the Tuli Block and southern Botswana.

The government has banned hunting of wildlife, except apparently for elephants and on game farms, in favour of photographic safaris.

It will be losing millions of Pula as a result of the move through VAT payments, training levies, bed night fees, and trophy fees.

Hundreds of people from hunters to safari employees and taxidermists are expected to be out of work, and as a result it is widely anticipated that the economy of towns such as Maun and Kasane will be adversely affected.

The government will also no longer be issuing hunting quotas, which is one of the mainstays of rural communities.

The authoritative The Hunting Report publication said last year that hunting would be significantly reduced in Botswana, with plains game hunting continuing only on private ranches (but) we also reported that elephant hunting would continue under a special dispensation for elephant management.'

Elephant is conspicuous by its absence from lists of animals (that cannot be hunted). That's because elephant populations in Botswana have been rising significantly, and, in the process, destroying habitat that many of these other species need. Most telling is that elephant quotas have not been reduced, rather they have been increased and more have come up for auction.

In a statement to the publication on August 26 last year, the government said: What is being done is to encourage photographic tourism and gradually limit but not ban wildlife hunting. It must be known that species with declining numbers will be considered for limited hunting while those with increasing numbers like elephants, will continue to be hunted within CITES framework.

The Ministry (of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism) said at the time there was no plan to ban hunting and would like to assure all hunting safari companies and affected communities that live near wildlife management areas who continue to benefit from hunting.'No further confirmation of this could be obtained by The Ngami Times this week.

Lion hunting in Botswana was suspended in 2007 to allow the cats' population to swell as the Department of Wildlife said there was a dwindling number of lions in the Khutse Game Reserve, Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) and the Kgalagadi Trans-Frontier Park, where conflict between humans and predators is on the rise.

In the Kgatleng District the hunting of wildlife of all kinds has remained suspended since 1981.

The move towards photographic safaris has divided wildlife conservationists, some of whom argue that hunting quotas issued to the communities that live near wildlife management areas help empower and develop local communities.

Usually the community sells the commercially valuable species such as elephant, zebra, lion and leopard to a private-sector partner. These species have no subsistence use for local people.

Valuable trophy (male) animals such as buffalo, gemsbok, sable, wildebeest and kudu are sold, while the females (meat value) and the lesser antelopes, such as duiker, impala and springbok, are retained for subsistence hunting.

Hunting joint-venture agreements generate large sums of money at community level and substantial employment during the six-month hunting season from April until the end of September.

The tourism industry of Botswana was initially based on trophy hunting and all areas outside the national parks and reserves was divided up into concession areas to be tendered for by professional hunting companies for trophy hunting safaris.

It is widely feared that the ban will allow for an increase in poaching, already widespread in many parts of the country, particularly the Chobe National Park and the Central Kalahari.

The ban on hunting in Kenya 1976 resulted in 100 000 elephants being poached within a year, said one hunter. According to the Endangered Species Handbook, Botswana earns US$100 million (about P750-million) a year from tourism, including trophy hunting.

In an interview published late last year the Mmegi newspaper in Gaborone, top hunter Harry Charalambous, of Maun, called for an increase in the quota for game hunting in the area, saying it attracts billionaires from Europe and America to Botswana.

He said he hosts Russian billionaire and Chelsea Football Club owner, Roman Abromovich, every year for trophy hunting.

Charalambous added he also pays approximately P10-million a year to four community trusts in Chobe, Sankuyo, Mababe, and Okavango from proceeds earned from trophy hunting.

He told the newspaper he was aware that President Ian Khama is not a fan of trophy hunting and is being lobbied by other interest groups to ban it in favour of photographic safaris.

South Africa's Airlink to fly to Maun

Dramatic new air travel plans are to come into effect from June 1.

The South African carrier, Airlink, is to fly to Maun from Johannesburg seven times a week and Air Botswana is planning to introduce a Gaborone-Cape Town route.

Airlink will be the first non-Botswana airline to be allowed to carry passengers from Maun to South Africa. Air Namibia at present has traffic rights only for Windhoek-Maun but not from Maun to Zambia.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) said in a statement this week that Air Botswana has been approved to expand operations in Gaborone with three weekly flights to Windhoek on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in addition to the Windhoek-Maun route which has been operated by Air Namibia.

The first flight from Windhoek to Gaborone will take off be on May 15.

In addition, Air Botswana has received approval for the introduction of a Gaborone-Cape Town flight three days a week. Previously, Air Botswana flew from Maun to Cape Town but the route was discontinued because of economic problems facing the airline.

These developments are in line with the CAAB's mission of providing efficient and effective aviation services to customers through continuous development of the aviation industry in Botswana, the statement added.

A reporter writes that Airlink officials visited Maun this week to make on the ground arrangements. It is understood that Wilderness Air is likely to do the airline's ground handling here.

Airlink currently flies from Johannesburg to many destinations within South Africa as well as to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar and Swaziland.

Airlink is privately owned but operates as a franchisee of South African Airways. The airline has developed into South Africa's first feeder network and is specifically aimed at linking smaller towns, regional centres and hubs throughout South Africa. Airlink successfully completed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and were placed on the IATA Register on February 6, 2008.

Their passenger profile represents 30% leisure and 70% business and the airline carries over 80 000 passengers every month. It has three key partnerships - Swaziland Airlink, Airlink Cargo and Sub-Sahara Airlink. Airlink Cargo is a ground handling company providing domestic and international cargo services and specialised clearing and forwarding while Sub-Sahara Airlink that provides a scheduled flight service between Johannesburg (OR Tambo International) and Mafikeng airport in the North West Province, South Africa.

Last year's floods proved costly for government

GABORONE  The Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Oreeditse Molebatsi has told Parliament that during July to September 2010, the estimated government loss with regard to research crops and chilies was estimated at about P25 000. Answering a question from the MP for Kweneng East, Moeng Pheto, Molebatsi said the damage was mitigated by the closure of a main channel from the Thamalakane River next to Island Safari Lodge in Maun. He said during the 2011 floods, the estimated government loss increased because all citrus trees died and all the date palms except for 11 out of the 216 plants also died. Molebatsi said it is estimated that about P500 000 has been lost looking at the value of the citrus trees and date palms, over the expected period of production of 20 to 25 years. He said the fruit trees had reached their mature stage and were in full production, and that it is not easy to transplant a mature tree because of transplanting stress. He, however, said some of the trials like crops, pasture and dry land trials have been relocated to the Ngamiland Rural Training Centre.Pheto had asked for the extent of the government's loss with regard to the research materials, experiments and information at the research centre in Maun following the 2011 floods. He also wanted to know why the government did not relocate some of the trees and plants to safer places before the flood reached the research centre. (BOPA)

Pitse finally shows up in court

Former Tawana Land Board Secretary Andrew Moremi Pitse's three warrants of arrest were cancelled and new trial dates set when he finally showed up in court last Friday.

Pitse was not detained after missing three court appearances despite warrants of arrest having been put out.

The State is suspected to have spent thousands of Pula towards its 15 witnesses' transportation, food and appearance fees in court. The authorities could not be drawn into disclosing the actual costs involved. The State called the witnesses who did not testify due to the absence of the accused person for the two trials. These witnesses are again going to be called to testify in June 11 and 12 before the Maun chief magistrate for the case of abuse of office. They are also expected to testify in July 4, 5 and 6 for Pitse's other case of abuse of office and corruption.

The warrants were cancelled last Friday after the accused showed up in court.

Even though his trial was scheduled for Thursday and Friday, it was then re-scheduled to the new dates in the presence of prosecutors and Pitse's attorney, Charles Tlagae. In those two cases, before Maun chief magistrate Mompati Taolo and principal magistrate Clifford Foroma, Pitse explained to court that he missed a flight from Gaborone to Maun on the 21 st and opted to use a bus the following day.

In another case before Foroma, handled by Universe Kabecha of the directorate of Public Prosecutions, which was supposed to be on March 12 and 13, it was said he confused the dates.

Tlagae told The Ngami Times in an interview that his client will be available in the next trial dates. He said he advised him to be in Maun few days before the trial.

Airline apologises for flight disruptions

Air Botswana has apologised to its customers for flight schedule disruptions in recent weeks.

The airline says a lack of aircraft at times has resulted in the unfortunate need to, where required, combine trips. This is normally done in cases where there's schedule disruption that is due to maintenance work that needs to be done, rendering planes unable to operate over a period of time.

The issue is also further complicated by a lack of suitable replacement aircraft in the region in the short term.

Air Botswana is at an advanced stage of purchasing additional aircraft to ensure that minimal disruptions are experienced with its operations in future, the statement adds.

Police confiscate vendor's goods

ETSHA  Police this week swooped on roadside vendors in the village, confiscating foodstuffs.

Vendors were told they did not have licences to sell goods.

Passersby watched in astonishment as the police loaded all the foodstuffs into a van and returned to Gumare.

The government talks about alleviating poverty and those people were trying to make an honest living. The income from the sales helps put bread on the table, said a witness.

Drunken driving in Maun worries cops

Maun Traffic Police are concerned over the increased level of drunken driving over weekends in in th village. The number of drunken drivers seems to increase every weekend as statistics of the division's Operation Booze Bus has shown this week. According to figures from the previous weekend, nine people were caught for drunken driving and this past weekend the number shot to 17, nine on Friday night and eight on Saturday night.

The operation, which is aimed at reducing road accidents, is clearly starting to show progress as most accidents are caused by drunken drivers. According to station traffic officer Assistant Superintendent Samuel Kgomo the number of accidents recorded went down and accidents that were recorded over the weekend were very minor.

Kgomo said the operation is not, as people perceive, intended to catch only drunken drivers but also to monitor the safe usage of roads by all stakeholders and in so doing, reduce the number of road traffic accidents that occur frequently on Maun roads. Kgomo said the operation will continue and they will continue to set up roadblocks to monitor safe road usage.

This week, early morning roadblocks were manned by police and army personnel on key main roads. It appeared to be aimed at taxi drivers and passenger-carrying safari vehicles.

Half a- million theft case again postponed

By Keagisitswe Dioka

A case of theft, in which two Maun Police constables, Liberty Matikiti and Gammu Masole, have been charged for stealing more than P500 000 of the North West District Council's money in 2010 has been re-scheduled for July 9, 10 and 11.

This is the third time that the case has been postponed.

The trial dates were set before Maun principal magistrate Clifford Foroma after the new prosecutor in the case, Modise Kebonyemodise, of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, stated that the matter was allocated to him last Friday and indicated that he could not proceed with the trial and asked for another date of trial.

The two constables are facing a single count of stealing two cash boxes containing P522 948.05, the payments for the Draught Relief Programme.

The particulars are that the two on April 11, 2010 broke and entered into the North West District Council Revenue Office and stole two cash boxes.

Addressing the court after the prosecutor's remarks, Matikiti told the court that he communicated with his attorney, Lawrence Lecha, last Friday and Lecha had assured him that he will be present for the trial.

Matikiti asked for the court to give him time to communicate with his lawyer about the case.

Representing Masole was Charles Tlagae, of Tlagae Attorneys, who advised the court to consider the factors that the court orders are not respected.

He pointed out that there was a court order in a previous mention stating that their clients' First National Banks (FNB) accounts should not be frozen but according to him it is clear that there is contempt of that order in respect of the accused person's accounts.

Hunting banning is unnecessary

President Ian Khama's administration's body language on wildlife hunting in the past few years has increasingly become unmistakable.

Indeed, the administration has never been ambiguous about banning hunting, and the local conservation bodies and the affected communities have equally been waiting for that Doomsday nervously and helplessly.

Even the assurances from the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism last August could not assuage such well-founded fears. The Ministry boldly stated that the Botswana Government has no plan to ban hunting in this country and we would like to assure all hunting safari companies and affected communities that live near wildlife management areas who continues to benefit from hunting.

Seven months later, the same government is showing its resoluteness in effecting a wildlife hunting ban without even the courtesy of its now common insincere consultative processes.

This rushed and ill-advised decision appears to be based on some highly questionable survey done by wildlife ecologist Dr Michael Chase which concluded that the Okavango Delta has suffered catastrophic species loss in the past 15 years.

At the height of the debate surrounding the controversial survey, one blogger noted that apparently this man (Chase) took his surveys in downtown Gaborone. We couldn't agree more.

In its haste to find justification to satisfy the whims of the anti-hunting lobby, the government has stooped so low as to evoke inconclusive studies, which erroneously hold wildlife hunting responsible for species losses.

On the contrary, we believe the legal hunting quotas, which have been in place for many years, are a very useful wildlife management tool that can be improved on. They play an important role in the mitigation of human/wildlife conflict by bringing sufficient immediate income to meet the needs of communities living with wildlife. Botswana's wildlife management policy has always been premised on this practical understanding.

Should that policy be found to be wanting, then it calls for increased genuine public participation and debate for its review and not the kamikaze route the government seems bent on transversing.

That policy review will be better navigated with the active participation of the affected communities, local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as the Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM), Kalahari Conservation Society, BOCOBONET and others.

The euphoria in both the local conservation and tourism sectors that greeted Khama's ascendancy to the presidency has since dissipated. Admittedly that euphoria was not misplaced as Khama was then considered a friend and the father of conservation in Botswana owing to his steely anti-poaching initiatives during his Botswana Defence Force (BDF) days.

However, his conservation policies are increasingly lending credence to apprehensions that the country's time-tested conservation policies have been high-jacked by international conservation forces opposed to sustainable use of wildlife resources. These include such international NGOs as Conservation International and Peace Parks, on whose boards President Khams sits, which espouse protectionist conservation paradigm.

This is not the route we should be taking as a country.

Game throughout northern Botswana is taking to the trees to escape the latest hunting season.

For many species, it will be the last time they will need to fly as hunting is being banned in the area next season.

Lions, elephants and other animals know that hunters are reluctant to fire straight up into the air unless it is a salute at the funeral of a top hunter - for fear of the bullets missing their prey and falling back to earth, perhaps seriously wounding or killing anyone of the ground.

That's why, every April, the Moremi Game Reserve and the concession areas are devoid of animals and tourists are not amused because they, too, are scouring the bush at ground level and not looking up into the trees.

Fearful for their lives, the animals only return to the ground in the dead of night on April 1 because by then they know the hunters will have given up their quest for trophies and gone further afield, Shuffle has observed over the years.

Meanwhile in the rivers, bream will be sleeping involuntarily - on the bottom of rivers and will not be disturbed by fishermen.

The reason for that is because an organisation called the Ethical Treatment of Animals (ETA) has told Shuffle it would sabotage fishing by releasing tranquilisers into Okavango, Chobe, Thamalakane, Boteti and Boro rivers so that, for a short period this year, the fish will be napping, not nibbling.

The good news for anglers is that the fish will have shaken off the effects and returned to their normal behaviour in time for the Bream Classic in July.

Shuffle's recent column on the red, blue and green dogs of Maun has had a sequel in Denmark.

A Copenhagen newspaper has reported that the Danish parliament had passed a new law requiring all dogs to be painted white.

The purpose of this, it explained, was to increase road safety by allowing dogs to be seen more easily at night.

Believe that, you will believe anything . . . after all, it happened on April Fool's Day!

Laugh out Loud on April Fool's weekend

* Fat chance of this taking place in Maun! -

An English newspaper once reported communicate directly to Transport officer in case of accidents. As members give their services voluntarily, reasonable notice should bed given 24 hours whenever possible.

*Some countries should try this one -

A conference of Ministers of some government departments will take place to arrange measures for their execution British newspaper.

* Seen in a Sri Lankan newspaper: Wanted. Room with large bath for music lessons.

Prophet who admits wrong-doing as a youngster

People of our region

Basadi Morokotso interviews Prophet TP Elias, of the Boseja Ward-based Saving Grace church which has instantly become a popular place for many people in Maun, to find out how the church started and his life as a Prophet.

Can you please describe yourself?

My name is Thato Patrick Elias, but I'm popularly known to my flock and elsewhere as Prophet TP Elias. I was born and bred in Palapye where I did all my schooling. I am married to Olorato Lesego Elias and we were blessed with a son, Tlotso Prince Elias.

How was your childhood like, I mean, your encounters with life?

I led an easy life as would be expected for a child and my parents raised me with humility and I was too principled as a young boy. I suffered severe asthma but was prayed for and saved by the man of God, Prophet Royal Seoseng. I excelled both in life and at school where I used to win prizes of appreciation for myself and the schools I went to, but there was another side of me also which I led secretly. That was a life of hardships within my inner self that I could not control. At some stage also I was a dealer, and would drink alcohol even though it was occasional. I would also find myself on the wrong side of the law most of the time, having had to spend nights in police cells. That was the bad life, and little did I know that the Almighty was preparing me for better and bigger things.

Your divine calling. How did it all start?

It all began in 2004 in a vision when the Lord spoke to me, and had called me prophet unto the nations according to the order of Prophet Jeremiah. I believe he wanted me to repent from sin and save fellow sinners. Then, in 2009 while traveling to Palapye from Sehitwa just after Mopipi, I had a vision and in that vision the Lord told me I will one day gather his people to reveal heaven to them while on earth. He said the name of my ministry would be Gates of Heaven. It is however known as Saving Grace because of the sermons I preach, which are revelations from God through me, His servant to His people for edification and comfort. You should note that every prophet have their areas of expertise.

Considering your age, how does the congregation act in response to your teachings?

The response so far is commendable. Fortunately, I have a good following of firm believers who understand that I do not have to be an old man to do the work of God. It is never the issue of age, but what is delivered to them and how superlatively they treat it.

It has become common knowledge that a good number of people have fled their respective churches for Saving Grace. What is your take on that?

Really? Then I am not aware. All can say is that whenever there is a new church or organisation, definitely a move is always expected. The number of people coming for worship at Saving Grace or elsewhere is determined by what God has given you as a prophet for his people. We have never gone around publicising our church. As a prophet, my observation is that the majority of people who flock to Saving Grace are from the world, and that some were drunkards and were involved in so many evil things. Some of those people have since been delivered and they lead a new life as we speak.

I understand you are a professional nurse and working at one of the local clinics. Considering the fact that both are demanding engagements, how do you balance the two? Or are you retiring?

No, no I am not retiring or going anywhere near there. The two vocations might seem demanding, but God is always directing me, my life belongs to Him and He does all the work because the content belongs to Him. I am never overwhelmed, that is why I do both assignments willingly because I am directed all the way. And I am so happy that He planned it this way and allowed me to do both, for me it feels very right.

And how do you differiante between the healing at church and what you learnt in your line of work at the clinic?

We do not in any way interfere with medicine at church. God the Almighty is the author of everything, and everything is planned by Him. At church we pray for people to be healed, and then it is always their choice to also seek medical help so that they can be checked again for their various ailments. In their medical observation, doctors would then prescribe drugs whenever possible and determine if they are fully recovered or not, whatever the case might be. Through prayers I can only command that the blind might see and that the lame could walk just by looking at them. That is why I can never command that they abandon their medication for my healing.

Where do you see the church in five years?

I would prefer to say three years instead of five because I see a change in three years from today. Our church will run like a government. We will be able to offer scholarships and continue to give aid to the poor, to the widows and the poor especially. We believe the Lord will continue to direct us and that through Him our good works will grow, God willing.

Any last words?

I would like to urge other churches to unite and come to the world intervention by rescuing the masses of people worldwide. People are suffering from worldly things such as sickness, demonic activities and so forth, and we need to step in and offer a helping hand. As churches we must also work on increasing the intensity of giving out to people. I also urge people to refrain from church politics. Church leaders should also stop criticizing others and calling them false prophets. Every man of God has been sent with a vision, and it is upon us to let them do their work as per their covenant with the Lord.

Fears that water may be major flashpoint for war

Drought, floods and a lack of fresh water may cause significant global instability and conflict in the coming decades as developing countries scramble to meet demand from exploding populations while dealing with climate change, US intelligence agencies said in a report released on Thursday.

The assessment says the risk of water issues causing wars in the next 10 years is minimal even as they create tensions within and between states and threaten to disrupt national and global food markets. But beyond 2022, it says the use of water as a weapon of war or a tool of terrorism will become more likely, particularly in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. The report is based on a classified National Intelligence Estimate on water security, which was requested by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and completed last fall.

It says floods, scarce and poor quality water, combined with poverty, social tension, poor leadership and weak governments will contribute to instability that could lead the failure of numerous states.

Those elements will likely increase the risk of instability and state failure, exacerbate regional tensions, and distract countries from working with the United States on important policy objectives, said the report, to be released at a State Department event commemorating World Water Day.

At the event Thursday, Clinton is to unveil a new US Water Partnership that aims to share American water management expertise with the rest of the world.

We assess that a water-related state-on-state conflict is unlikely during the next 10 years, the report said, noting that in the past countries have tried to resolve water issues through negotiation.

However, we judge that as water shortages become more acute beyond the next 10 years, water in shared basins will increasingly be used as leverage; the use of water as a weapon or to further terrorist objectives, also will become more likely beyond 10 years.

The report predicts that upstream nations - more powerful than their downstream neighbours due to geography - will limit access to water for political reasons and that countries will regulate internal supplies to suppress separatist movements and dissident populations.

At the same time, terrorists and rogue states may target or threaten to target water-related infrastructure like dams and reservoirs more frequently. Even if attacks do not occur or are only partially successful, the report said the fear of massive floods or loss of water resources would alarm the public and cause governments to take costly measures to protect the water infrastructure.The unclassified summary of the intelligence estimate does not identify the specific countries most at risk. But it notes that the study focused on several specific rivers and water basins. Those included the Nile in Egypt, Sudan and nations further south, the Tigris and Euphrates in Iraq and the greater Middle East, the Mekong in China and Southeast Asia, the Jordan that separates Israel from the Palestinian territories, the Indus and the Brahmaputra in India and South Asia as well as the Amu Darya in Central Asia.

Senior health officials suspended amid TB drug shortage

KAMPALA/GULU: Uganda's Minister of Health, Christine Ondoa, has suspended several senior health officials, including the managers of the national HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programmes, for poor performance and drug shortages.

Health centres across the country have been facing critical shortages of TB drugs in recent weeks and officials say the lives of an estimated 50,000 people have been put at risk as a result.

Dr Francis Adatu, the national manager of the TB and Leprosy Control Programme, was suspended over a critical shortage of TB drugs, and Dr Zainab Akol, programme manager for HIV/AIDS, over the unstable supply of antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs. Her suspension comes one week after a national AIDS Indicator report revealed an increase in the HIV prevalence rate from 6.4 percent to 6.7 percent.

Three other senior managers - Dr James Sekajugo, the programme manager for non-communicable diseases, Sarafin Adibaku, in charge of the Malaria Control Programme, and Rachael Senyange, from the UN Expanded Programme on Immunization, were also asked to leave office immediately. Dr Robert Basaza, a senior planner arrested on 20 March to assist the police with their financial investigations, was also suspended.

I have withdrawn her [Akol] and four others from their assignments. I have adopted the changes to overhaul the departments in order to improve on service delivery, supervision, monitoring and financial management, Ondoa told IRIN/PlusNews. I have left it to the technical persons [permanent secretary and director general of health services] to get people to take over the management of the programmes.

At Gulu Hospital in northern Uganda, 37 newly diagnosed patients and more than 50 continuing patients are without TB medicines. The TB clinic has been running without drugs for the past three months, said Rebecca Akuu, the senior nursing officer at the TB clinic. We are telling patients to keep checking. IRIN/PlusNews found frustrated and frightened patients at the clinic. I don't know what to do, my life is in danger, said Otto Ayella. My cough is getting worse making it hard for me to breathe. (IRINNews)

Bigger, better 2012 Mascom horse race

The Mascom National Derby annual horserace is back and bigger this year.

The derby which made its debut in 1996 with a crowd of less than 400 spectators has grown over the years to become one of the biggest highlight of sport in the country.

This year the coordinators of the event have gone all out to make the event more memorable by inviting horse owners and jockeys from Namibia to participate in this coveted competition, and prize money of P17500 for the winner of the 2400 metres main race. The Ngami Times is a co-sponsor of the event. The race, according to Nhabe horse race coordinator, Tshepho Tshotlako, is scheduled for April 7 at the Shashe race track in Maun and starts at 8am, ending at 6pm. The cover charge is P30 for adults and P10 for children under 12 years.

The race is to constitute three categories (Tswana breeds, Crossbreeds, and Thoroughbreds respectively), and the card has 10 races with a total of 120 horses taking part. The Namibians are expected to bring 30 horses and some owners have bought horses and trained them in Kimberley, South Africa, to challenge the three-time winner of the grand race, The Voice of Charleshill.

Tshotlako has told The Ngami Times that this race has become very big with the competition also a lot tougher, more so that former champions of the track such as Kusaru the Taringo Lion of Ivory Coast and Speed Devil have retired. On the entertainment front, there will be various DJs from radio stations but the performance to look out for is that of the Botswana Police brass band and military bands.

A delegation from Namibia, including the High Commissioner to Botswana and the Namibian Minister of Sport is also expected to attend.

Popular star horses in their own right such as Umaru of Maun, Swaairockie, Spanish Richman of Namibia and the legendary Voice of Charleshill are expected to be the biggest crowd attraction.

The public is advised to be at the track from 7am to avoid unnecessary crowding at the gate.

Tshotlako said there will be strict security. Food and other goodies will be on sale at the race. Tickets can be bought at the Maun and Ghanzi Mascom shops.

Storm wreaks havoc at Lake Ngami

A heavy storm that swept through Lake Ngami last Sunday has left fishermen counting their losses amounting to thousands of Pula.

In the wake of the storm the fishing community not only lost their catch of the day but also fishing equipment comprising nets, canoes and boats.

Their on-shore equipment such as tents and food stuff were also destroyed or damaged.

Fortunately for the fishing communities, no one was hurt and the worst that they suffered was physically and violently carried in their boats and canoes by stormy waves to the edges of the lake.

When counting his losses this week, a Lake Ngami fisherman, Sekhazoo Obolokile, said that I lost tonnes of fish including fishing nets. There is no way I can recover them.

Another fisherman, Jabulani Bangenizwe, put his estimated losses at more than P2000. A principal Wildlife officer in Maun, Cosmos Rathipana, confirmed that the after-effects of the storm have been reported to them and appealed to the fishing community in general to always take necessary precautions as there is no compensation for loss of life, material and fishing equipment in the event of such natural calamities.

He said that as the Wildlife department was tasked with issuing fishing permits, they are also responsible to putting in place necessary control measures. The department, he said, does not tolerate pollution in any manner from fishing groups and cautioned individuals who throw fish intestines, beer cans, dirty plastic and related waste within lake surroundings as such practices are strictly penalised by fauna and flora laws. Lake Ngami is the one of the world's exclusive breeding grounds for some of rarest bird species such as flamingo.

Tourists robbed at lodge

Thieves continue to be active in the Maun area despite security guards at hotels, lodges and camps.

At least 10 laptops and other property has been stolen in the past few days. It is understood that a Zimbabwean has been arrested and is assisting the police in their investigations. In the latest incident, thieves on Monday night stole two Apple laptops with American plugs, a Rebel t3i camera, a 300 mm lens and Pentax binoculars with optical zoom from a room in a luxury lodge.

There has also been a spate of burglaries at private homes in the Thito and Tsanakona areas of Maun.

Headmaster refuses to take blame for school's poor performance

By Boniface Keakabetse

Education and Skills Development minister Pelonomi Venson Moitoi and the headmaster of Maun Senior Secondary School, Maunge Mafoko, have exchanged heated words with finger pointing over the school's poor performance in the 2011 examinations.

This happened after Moitoi, when addressing stakeholders in Maun, condemned the school's management for the 20% in overall quality pass in last year's Form 5 examinations. Moitoi who complained that the mark is very low, wanted the school's authorities to explain.

This mark means that in every 10 students who set exams 8 have failed, Moitoi said

Maun Secondary is a school that produced sports stars like Leslie Sekotswe, Gable Garenamotse and Glody Dube.

Moitoi noted that the school's performance is a cause for concern considering the quality of students coming from its catchment schools - Your catchment pass rates in 2011 are Tsodilo 70%, Moeti 75% and Sedie 70%, so why do students fail when they get here?

However, Mafoko was unimpressed and felt the minister's condemnation and assessment of the bad performance was too harsh and ignorant of disturbance caused by the public service strike last year.

He said the teacher-dominated civil service strike last year led to class interruptions and as the school was on a double shift system, this created a backlog in teaching. Moreover he said Maun Secondary's blues are inherent in Ngamiland's education challenges being remoteness, lack of information and transport.

Mafoko advised Moitoi to note that the 20% is better compared to other schools. He said his school is number 11 of all 28 senior schools in the country.

He concurred that the junior secondary school pass percentage Moitoi referred to was in respect of quantity not quality passing - It's not like we are enrolling only good students from junior schools. For instance some of students come here with drug related problems and that is a disadvantage to us, he said. Earlier on Moitoi told the gathering that incompetent school heads across the country will be demoted. She said she is aware some undeserving headmasters in the previous years were promoted to the school head positions. Moitoi was addressing teachers in North West region chiefly on a countrywide drop in student's examinations performance. She called on teachers and education authorities to set their differences aside to reverse recent years falling pass rate. She said her ministry has introduced incentives to boost teacher's morale and is working for the provision of housing to teachers. She further said headmasters will for the first time get tea, a P200 airtime allowance and fridges in their offices. The ministry has also devised a performance-based plan for promotion of performing teachers across the country. Teachers on the other hand are disgusted by the proposed incentives. One of teacher representative, Selotlegeng Kwerepe, said what teachers needed is progression not meagre incentives. He said progression in teaching compared to other professions is very slow. On other issues, one teacher slammed rampant student-teacher sexual relationships in Maun junior secondary schools - Teachers turn students into lovers. They frequently take students on naked swimming sprees around swimming pools in hotels and lodges and in the river. said the male teacher from Tsodilo.

Major power problems looming

Power supplies throughout the country are to be interrupted between Sunday (April 1) and May 15. The Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) says the series of outages will be affecting key 220kV and 400kV electricity transmission lines, which h provide the main routes for the transportation and importation of electricity within the country and from the region. It is anticipated the availability and capacity of the transmission grid will be significantly constrained, says BPC.

The outages are necessary to facilitate the connection and integration of the Morupule B power station to the national transmission grid. In order to maintain the supply of electricity to customers at as high a level as possible, there will be need to reconfigure the transmission system. To relieve pressure on the reconfigured system and therefore, minimise service interruptions in different parts of the country, BPC said this week. BPC is appealing to all users to assist by managing their electricity demand.

China could import Botswana beef

The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) has shown interest in expanding the beef market to China in the near future.If we could get at least one per cent, our challenges with the European Union (EU) could be addressed, said the Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Oreeditse Molebatsi, in an interview with BOPA after a tour of the BMC in Lobatse by a Chinese delegation whose aim was to appreciate the commission's operations and explore opportunities of buying beef from Botswana.

Molebatsi said EU requirements are becoming stricter by day, hence the need to spread BMC's wings and look for other markets.

He noted that if the negotiations between the two countries could go well, BMC could secure a market in China soon.

He said China and other countries have been successful because they pay more attention to small entrepreneurs, adding that it is time our government changes the system and pays serious attention to small farmers as 80 per cent of cattle slaughtered at BMC are from local farmers.

Councils told to toe the line

President Ian Khama says that since last year the government has been hearing disturbing developments in Councils related to motions of no confidence in chairpersons and mayors.

He told a meeting with district councillors in the South-East district this week that this was a cause for serious concern as they do not in any way promote local governance. I wish to remind all councils that the purpose of their existence is to provide services to Batswana and what is happening in some is unacceptable.

Both the Townships Act and the District Councils Act are very clear on elections of the political leadership of councils and the period after which elections must be held, he said.

He urged councils to focus on issues of developing communities and desist from things that do not add value to their mandate.

Allegiance and commitment must be anchored on people's aspirations and concerns as a key service provider . . . your existence can only be justified by the quality of service you render to the district community and the impact of your strategies and interventions on the lives of Batswana.

Times Sport

Bush Bucks terrorise Ghanzi Terrors in Coke game

Sankoyo Bush Bucks gave a very good preliminary round account of themselves in a Coca-Cola Cup match on Saturday despite staying for two weeks without competitive game time.

They crushed Ghanzi Terrors 5-1.

The Gadimang Tiiso-coached lads showed hunger and thirst from the first minute of the game, attacking their opponents.

Tiiso has done wonders with the trust team he started coaching two seasons ago and in his maiden season won the league and went on to win the promotional games play offs.

Gaongalelwe Dipatelo was the cream of the day with a hattrick and Kabo Skebo Bayei's brace was all that Bush Bucks needed to secure a place in the next stage of the competition, despite coming back from a goal down after Terrors had scored in the opening 10 minutes before Bayei equalised three minutes later. Ngale banged the second a quarter of an hour later taking the two teams to the break with a 2-1 score line.

Ngale was at it again in the opening minutes of the second half before Bayei netted his second and the 4th goal for his team. Ngale put the final nail into Terrors coffin with about 20 minutes remaining.

It was a sweet victory for the Bucks, but still with this victory the coach was not satisfied as his side could have scored more goals had it not been for the wasteful Oris and young striker Botshelo who took turns to miss the goal each time they were put through by the hard-working midfielders.

The only goal scored by Terrors was from a defensive error which showed lack of maturity from the defence who failed to pivot and clear a harmless looking cross which a Terrors player hit towards goal but in trying to clear it, Bush Bucks players deflected it into their own net to the disappointment of their outstanding goalkeeper Cotty. All in all, the defence marshaled by the gangling figures of Collen and Zogora was good to watch and the instrumental Fredrick Mutuka playing deep in midfield had been a pale shadow of the versatile ace who commands respect from opposition teams.

He only managed to pick up his game and show supremacy in the second half, winning every tackle and dominating in his ball passing skill.

Maun Terrors score big

Maun Terrors came out of the weekend as the highest scoring team of the weekend's Nhabe regional league football when they walloped the troubled Mababe side, Zungu, by 14 goals to nil at Wildlife Anti-Poaching ground.

Zungu have been the whipping boys of the season but one cannot take away the spirited performance from the side that never stops attacking no matter how many goals one puts n their net.

Delta Winds got the better of North West United whom they outclassed by 3 goals to nil the same day t put a break to the Elephants' beautiful performance they have been enjoying of late.

CTO suffered a defeat at the hands of a rejuvenated Cubs side, not only losing by 1 goal to nil but had their coach Modongo given his marching orders and his players were at it again in as many weeks, vying for the referees head after the game.

Players accused him of denying them what looked a legitimate goal which could have seen them equalise and share the spoils.

Gunners of Khwai maintained their good run for league honours defeating a stubborn Makgabisanaga, and it took almost the first 45 minutes of the game with both teams level at 1 goal apiece for Khwai to take the lead of 2-1 and in the dying minutes of the game to snatch the 3 points with a goal scored after a defensive mix-up in the Makgabisanaga box to give Khwai a 3-1 victory.

At W.A.P. Grounds, Heroes came from a goal down to level the score to a one all draw against BOP, after the young gifted Collen hit a scorcher which beat Heroes goal keeper hands down before another young sensation, Jojo, pounced on a defensive blunder that could not clear a ball in the sixes to finish it off.

Fuji Rollers recorded a 1-1 draw with BMC. Horizon Stars were lucky after 90 minutes by beating the youthful Maun United 2-0 even though they came to the ground one man short.

This weekend Saturday will pit Gunners of Khwai against Fuji Rollers at Wildlife Anti-poaching ground, and Delta Winds take on Maun Heroes at MTC in a game that Heroes can not afford to lose. Both games start at 3.30pm. On Sunday, Zungu play hosts to Makgabisanaga at WAP (3.30pm), Maun Terrors welcome Maun United at MTC (2pm), and at 4pm North West clash with Horizon Stars. A rejuvenated Cubs take on Maun BMC who seem to be blowing hot and cold at Maun Stadium (2pm) while CTO have an uphill battle when they take on the unpredictable Moeti United at the same venue at 4pm.

Mascom is back with a bang

The Mascom Wireless Network has bounced back into the football fraternity with a lucrative offer for the Be Mobile teams that made it to the Top 8 the previous season.

They are also sponsoring the first major cup competition with the introduction of the Mascom Top 8 trophy which will see eventual winners walk away P1-million richer and the runners-up pocketing P400 000. Football lovers are expected to be treated to a thrilling display when the inaugural Mascom Top 8 under the slogan Tse Di Tona - kicks off this weekend. After outstanding performances over the past weekend by Ecco City Greens, Nico United, Mochudi Centre Chiefs and BMC, there is no doubt the spectators will be treated to good football.

The sponsorship does not only provide for teams but will cater for the referees fees, individual prizes as well as media awards. The 8 teams were drawn on a home and away basis, with Gaborone United (GU) taking on Uniao Flamingo Santos, Centre Chiefs playing Nico United, Township Rollers have a date with BDF X1 while Ecco City Greens face BMC. GU, who this past weekend lost against Nico United, will need to revive their spirits and turn on the fighting spirit they are known to have always carried in cup competitions against Santos, while a showdown is to on the cards between log leaders Centre Chiefs, who come bubbling with confidence after their massacre of GNT, and the unpredictable Majombolo who sent Rollers to the dry cleaners on Saturday.

Builders World show supremacy in companies league

Maun Builders World ran riot on Saturday afternoon mesmerising Yamaha in an exciting companies' mini-league game and plastering their opponents 3-0 while league main organisers Aquarite shared the spoils with Choppies New Mall in another exciting talent showcasing at Prison Grounds with a 5-5 scoreline at the end of 90 minutes,

Goals came from a brace by captain Ofentse Dikole and from Paul Malvin, Philip and Tsietsi Kwebu Moroka netting one each.

On the other side, Choppies Mokane scored a hattrick before Koketso and Wabotoka registered a goal apiece.

Mulbridge registered an emphatic hard fought win edging Canvas Zone 3-2 with a brace from Kelebogile Obonne and one from Mphoyamodimo Keibonye while Canvas Zone replied through Kelekile and Ithueng.

Lepopo narrowly lost to Caltex Marcus 4-3.

There was much to feed on when Spar and Choppies Old Mall clashed, Spar emerging victorious with a 2 goals to 1 score line with goals coming from Pontsho Malela and captain Onkutule Mompedi while the consolation goal for Choppies came from Benjamin Kepaletswe. Maun Companies league fixture week:

Saturday Caltex Marcus vs Builders World (Prison Ground), Canvas Zone vs Lepopo (Cubs Ground). Sunday - Aquarite vs Choppies Old Mall (Cubs), Yamaha vs Mulbridge (Boseja Primary School), Choppies New Mall vs Spar (Prisons). All games start at 4pm.

Maun swimmers do well in SA event

Two Maun residents have taken part in the gruelling Ebenezer Mile Open Water Swim at Haenertzburg, near Tzaneen, in South Africa. About 200 swimmers from all over Southern Africa competed in the event, which is organised by Rotary clubs in the area. From Botswana there were swimmers Morula School, in Selebi Phikwe and Clifton School, in Francistown, as well as Maun competitors Mark Smith and Jacques Pieterse.

The 3000 m event had to be cancelled due to the fog and visibility was poor, and the mile was shortened by 200 m so instead of a mile they swam 1400 m. smith came 21 st overall and 3 rd in the Men over 31 category. Pieterse finished 38 th overall and 14 th in the Men 14-30 ager group category.

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22 Mar ' 17:22

Edition 595 23 30 March 2012

Pictures of horror these two dogs are among many which have had acid thrown at them.

Big hunt for dog killer

At least 12 dogs in Maun have been sprayed with a chemical, believed to be an acid some have died in agony while others are being treated for horrifying wounds.

The dog killer is reportedly active in the Wenela and Thito wards, but other wards may also be affected.

The Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS) said this week we started receiving reports in early February of a dog with what looked like a terrible burn wound to its back. We sent someone out to find the dog and it was brought back to the clinic where it was euthanised. A few days later, there was another report of a dog with a terrible burn wound, and we told the caller that it was OK, we had picked up this dog already. But they had seen the dog only that morning this was when we realised there was a bigger issue, said Ally Lamb, the acting chairman of MAWS

MAWS then sent a team on a door-to-door investigation in Wenela Ward and they returned with four more badly burned dogs. Local residents said at least 10 dogs had been burned and MAWS rescued 8 of the animals while two died agonising deaths.

Residents told MAWS of two other dogs that had died from their injuries before the situation became public. When we asked the residents if they knew who had done this, they replied that they did know and they had reported him to the police. They also told us that the suspect denied responsibility and the police took no further action, a MAWS statement said.

We have taken statements from local residents and have presented a file to the police as we would like to press charges. We believe the suspect lives in Wenela Ward and works for the Education Department.

We will not rest until the police secure a prosecution.

Dr Richard Whitehead and other volunteer veterinarians working with MAWS said a clinical examination revealed that one of the dog had received third degree burns to approximately 30% of its body it was apparent that the burns had occurred some time ago (greater than 7 days) for the tissue to become this badly infected. On the basis of the injuries, this dog was subsequently euthanised for humane reasons.

Four male dogs were then brought in and each had 3 rd degree burns on various [arts of their bodies.

The worst affected showed multifocal burns over more than 20% of its body. Due to the severity of its injuries, the animal was euthanised humane reasons. The other three all displayed similar burns of similar severity , however the burns for these animals were less extensive or infected.

Whitehead said: It is my opinion as a qualified veterinarian that these bu r ns were deliberately and maliciously inflicted upon these animals by a human. The lesions were consistent with burns incurred due to the application of a chemical.

These animals would have suffered horrifically both at the time of the initial burning.

Third warrant of arrest for Pitse

Maun chief magistrate Mompati Taolo has this week issued another warrant of arrest for Andrew Moremi Pitse, a former Tawana Land Board secretary.

This is the third warrant issued after he missed his mention date in respect to the current case and another warrant which was before Maun principal magistrate Clifford Foroma last week when he defaulted trial.

Like last week, the courtroom was packed with state witnesses ready to testify.

Pitse was found last week and it was established that he had confused the dates and was never taken to court to clear up his warrants. Meanwhile, he will appear for mention to set trial date on April 10 or as soon as he is arrested.

His attorney, Charles Tlagae, told court this week that he had lost contact with his client and is unable to approach him.

He said he received a phone message from the accused on Wednesday that he (Pitse) missed his flight to Maun and would use public transport to travel. He added that the message assured him that he would be in Maun the same day.

Tlagae told the court he had called Pitse's cellphone on Thursday morning but there was no answer. When commenting to what was said by Tlagae, Pascal Mhandu, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, applied for a warrant of arrest. He said Pitse was aware of the trial dates which was set for March 22 and 23.

Pitse is facing a count of abuse of office. The particulars are that while employed by Tawana Land Board as a secretary, on or about December 21 he abused the authority of his office and prejudicial to the rights of Tawana Land Board renewed the sub-lease of Okavango Community Trust when he knew that the Tawana Land Board had rejected the application for the renewal.

Pitse is meanwhile expected to appear before Foroma on Monday for another case of abuse of office and corruption in respect of an official transaction.

Particulars are that the accused on September 6, 2001, was in abuse of authority of his office, and prejudicial to the rights of the Board entered into a contract with Adzafrica (Pty) Ltd without the knowledge and authority of the Board. Particulars of the second offence say Pitse on September 16, 2001, and September 15, 2005, accepted for himself the sum of P10 000.00 as inducement or reward following his approval of the Adzafrica contract.

Wildlife auction not end of educational park'

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) has allayed fears that the massive auction sale of wildlife at the Maun Educational Park, scheduled for March 30, could be the beginning of the end for the park.

The Maun community has previously expressed fears that government could be having clandestine plans to depopulate the educational park and turn it into a rumoured five-star hotel complete with a casino and a golf course, and owned by influential and politically-connected private interests. The March 30 sale is expected to dispose of 150 impalas, 22 warthogs, four wildebeests, four zebras and four giraffes to registered game ranchers and farmers only.

The Ngamiland regional wildlife officer, Molotlhanyi Othomile, however explained that the planned sale is part of proactive measures aimed at mitigating the expected winter flooding. He noted that in the past two years flooding has adversely affected the educational park.

In 2011 the flooding was so severe that about 75% of the park was submerged, and this led to the concentration of the wildlife on the only available higher ground. This also drastically reduced the games' grazing area, he said.

Othomile explained that, as a result, the department had not only to bear the costs of supplementary feeding but had also to contend with an increased wildlife mortality rate in the park.

This time we want to be proactive by reducing the numbers to avoid a re-occurrence of last year's situation, he said.

Meanwhile, the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) has been charged by the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism with coming up with management plans for all educational parks in the country. It has yet to complete its work.

Last year the BTO commissioned a consultancy to, among other things, consider whether such parks could be better utilised by leasing them to stakeholder communities or turn them over to private interests.

However, the Maun community, which initially was not consulted, expressed shock on the government's intentions. The BTO had to undertake an urgent consultative mission to Ngamiland.

Police say traffic cop not involved in drag racing' accident

Rumours that a Maun police traffic cop was involved in the alleged drag racing accident on Friday night in which one person was killed have been denied by the police. The accident occurred near the Ema Re Je hiking spot in Boseja, along the Maun/Francistown road.

District Traffic Officer, Superintendent Alfred Magudu has denied rumours of the involvement of a traffic cop in the accident, insisting the officer was at the scene to attend to the accident victims.

Magudu told The Ngami Times that Constable Nonofo Joseph was not involved in the alleged drag race but he actually came to the rescue of the victims.

According to Magudu, it is suspected the accident happened when a silver BMW that was overtaking another car tried to avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle. The BMW swerved off the road and hit three stationary cars before ploughing into four hitch-hikers waiting by the road side.

One of these pedestrians died at the scene of the accident while the others were taken to the Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital. The driver of the BMW was taken to Delta Medical Centre. Investigations to determine the cause of the accident are ongoing, Magudu said. Magudu also disclosed the police had apprehended nine motorists for drunken driving over the weekend, when the booze bus' was active in Boseja in particular.

Maun motorists to have difficulty using traffic lights'

By Lesley Van Neel

Fifty percent of motorists in Maun are not familiar with traffic lights and traffic police are concerned that while traffic lights being installed on Maun roads will help to control key junctions, motorists will have difficulties in using them.

District Traffic Officer, Superintendent Magudu, has told The Ngami Times that his division is planning to educate local drivers on the safe utilisation of the newly erected lights. This, he said, will be done through traffic reports on radio, through kgotla meetings, and at road blocks.

He fears that lack of knowledge of the usage of traffic lights may result in fatal accidents, and excitement might also lead to an increase in fatal accidents. Magudu urged drivers to be vigilant, to avoid accidents and they must, when at traffic lights, drive with the mentality that other drivers might turn even if they do not have right of way.

Meanwhile, learner drivers have welcomed the traffic lights.

Individuals who were interviewed at local driving schools said this would diminish fear of driving in cities like Francistown and Gaborone as they would know how to use the traffic lights.

Coordinators at driving schools do not find any necessity in having to change the way they teach learner drivers.

One coordinator told The Ngami Times that they have been covering the issue of traffic lights indirectly through road markings.

He said there are road markings that regulate drivers at 4-way stops and when a student knows what to do at theses stops, then they will be able to drive through traffic lights, the only difference now being that they are no longer controlled by the markings but by the lights.

Farmers' anger over BMC delays

Staff Reporter

Farmers in Hainaveld Extension 2 farms are outraged that poor communication from the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) has unfairly denied them the chance to sell their livestock to the abattoir.

The chairman of the Extension 2 farms' sub-committee of the North West Integrated Farmers Association (NWIFA), Zachariah Nguvauva, said that on March 6 Agriculture minister Christiaan de Graaff told a kgotla meeting in Sehitwa that the whole of the Hainaveld farms area would not be selling for slaughter to the abattoir.

The understanding was that all cattle from that area will be sold as live animals to the Zimbabwean market. We are now surprised to learn that the BMC is purchasing livestock from Hainaveld farms Extension 1 only, said Nguvauva.

BMC plant manager Mothobi Mothobi confirmed that initially all of Hainaveld farms were not to sell for slaughter to the abattoir but to the Zimbabwe market. However, there are still some livestock movement protocol issues to be ironed out with that market.

In the meantime, explained Mothobi, the BMC decided to afford all farms an opportunity to sell to the abattoir as they also qualify. The farms have therefore been allocated a quota of 80 cattle for each of the stipulated three days. The first intake was on March 13, and the next will be on April 10, with the last on April 26.

Farmers in Extension 2 are outraged that this latest arrangement excludes them to the advantage of those in extension 1, but Mothobi said that according to us, by Hainaveld farms we mean the whole area that covers both extension 1 and 2 farms.

He acknowledged there could have been a communication breakdown in that regard and pledged that the BMC would urgently address kgotla meetings to clarify the issue.

Regarding the purchases in other areas of Zone 2D, Mothobi maintained that quotas have not changed in those areas - We are sticking to the original quotas. Each area has been given a quota of 800 cattle. Should we experience plant breakdowns, as has been the case with Semboyo quota, we will make for replacement for that date, he added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) has confirmed they presently working with their Zimbabwean counterparts in finalising the livestock movement protocol on Zone 2D. The Zimbabwean market, which has been buying live animals from Zones 2 A, B, and C could not source such imports from Zone 2D due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in that zone in August last year.

After the elapse of the six-month disease period, DVS applied to Zimbabwe for the inclusion of the livestock exports from Zone 2D. It is hoped the livestock movement protocol would be concluded by the end of this month and exports to that country commencing in April.

Mungisi denies Clinic complaints - again and again!

The Letsholathebe II Hospital superintendent, Dr Maxwell Mungisi, has flatly denied numerous complaints raised by residents that the Maun General 24hr Clinic does not operate on a 24 hour basis.

This comes after there had been numerous complaints that the facility is not operating as has been expected and that even security guards are nowhere to be seen, especially at night. Management has also been blamed for turning a blind eye and being defensive whenever issues of mismanagement regarding the clinic were raised.

In an interview with The Ngami Times, Mungisi said the allegations are not constructive to management in anyway because they are just unfounded stories meant to frustrate their efforts. He said people who are always complaining should know and understand that should such predicaments arise, they should as well be part and parcel and help and be part of the solution, particularly councillors.

As far as I know, the clinic is fully functional and operates 24 hrs as planned. So for people to go around spreading untruthful information like that is not good for us at all as it is pure fabrication of stories trying to defeat everything that we work exceptionally hard for. Management and staff alike are also being deliberately demoralised, which to us is very unfair. But we are not going to back down, instead we will soldier on and deliver as per the expectation, he claimed.

However, contrary to what Mungisi says, The Ngami Times visited the clinic on March 14, at around 0310 am as a follow up and confirmation on the complaints that have reached its offices. Firstly the main gate was not manned, as there was not one security guard in sight. Then inside the clinic there was not even one person in sight, and no one answered the knocks on all the doors at the clinic. Some doors were not even closed.

After about 20 minutes, The Ngami Times team left and still there was no one in sight, even the security guards, not even Mungisi himself.

Just last week, some people who had gone to seek medical assistance there claim they had to wait for hours without a nurse or a doctor being around, and that government property had on the night in question been put at risk because even the consulting rooms remained unlocked for the period they stayed there, which equalled hours of waiting until they finally gave up and left. On the issue of the non-availability of security guards at the clinic's main entrance, Mungisi said for the fact that it operates 24 hrs; the clinic is also manned by security officers 24 hrs.

These men are there daily and we have never gone a day without them. If by any means they were not there when the concerned people' came in, then like any human being it is likely that they might have gone to answer a call of nature or patrolling the other side of the premises. I mean, that might explain why they were not there.

So really people need to understand and bear with us, Mungisi said.

The inaccurate dispensation of drugs is another setback which the public feel has for sometime not been wholly addressed, because clinics still prescribe drugs which are always unavailable, leaving patients to fend for themselves, at times going as far as buying the recommended drugs themselves or giving up altogether.

Last year, at one of his meetings in Maun, the Assistant Minister of Health, Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri, had advised that patients should not be made to go around clinics searching for drugs which were not available at the time of dispensation, and that nurses should go all out to ensure that all is in place.

He went on to say should drugs not be available at clinics, it is the responsibility of the nurse on duty to phone other clinics and the main hospital to locate drugs so that when the patient is finally sent to collect them themselves, they will be readily available for collection.

Like other clinics, he said Maun General would dispense emergency drugs at night and that patients are always advised to come for the rest of the medication the next day.

A new challenge for all motorists

The much anticipated Maun's coming of age' will undoubtedly be an event to herald. The town is about to have its first traffic lights or robots, as they are commonly known in Botswana. It is hoped the new development will go a long way in improving road usage safety in Maun.

However, like any new innovation anywhere, we are also mindful that if inappopriately used, the new development could achieve unintended results. It could easily spur on more road accidents.

It is for this reason that the traffic police should be commended for their proactive role in ensuring that the public is educated about the new development. The police are planning a comprehensive public awareness campaign in relation to the introduction of traffic lights.

Given that more than 50% of local motorists are unfamiliar with traffic lights, the police campaign is not only critical but will also lay the necessary foundation for their use in the district. Towards the achievement of that goal, we implore the police to ensure the district's motorists are properly inducted into the usage of this latest innovation.

Their proper usage could add another credit to the local motoring community. The police's strict enforcement of respect for zebra crossings in Maun, particularly along the ever-busy Tsheko Tsheko Road, has consequently earned local drivers admiration from out-of-town motorists. The respect for zebra crossings in Maun has been commented on positively by many motorists from either Gaborone or Francistown.

The police, however, should not only concentrate on the more than 50% robot-illiterate road users but must also ruthlessly clamp down on those who would be claiming to be street smart just because they have driven at the Maun dumpsite traffic lights, the lone Kasane fire station robot, or in Gaborone for that matter. These are the dangerous lot.

In fact, the local traffic police must set out to be pioneers in clamping down on the undesirable culture of impunity commonly known as robot jumping. This practice, which involves taking-off prematurely when the opposite lights turn amber, is blamed for many road accidents in Gaborone and Francistown.

Inadvertently, it has sadly become an accepted road usage practice in Botswana. The local traffic police must ensure it does not find any accommodation on our local roads.

We further implore the police to instal cameras at strategic locations so as to bring to book violators such as these lights jumpers and like-minded malcontents.

As it is we already have so many dangerous obstacles on our roads that include livestock (donkeys, cattle, goats, dogs, etc) and wildlife, and the new traffic lights should not be seen as another road safety obstacle.

We also appeal to the general road-using public to cooperate with the police if they are to benefit from the use of the traffic lights. Those who are not familiar with the traffic lights should not be made to feel ashamed to learn about them and similarly those who are should treat that familiarity with modesty and humility.

The graphic pictures of acid-burnt dogs on Page One today is testimony to how some people hate animals.

In any other civilised country, such people would be sent to prison or be heavily fined. In Botswana, the fine is a paltry P10!

We see cruelty to animals on our streets and in our villages every day. Donkeys limping along as they are tied by their legs to other donkeys. Donkeys and horses similarly treated, hungry dogs roaming the streets and being kicked out of their way by pedestrians, others flung out of cars, dogs left to fend for themselves when supposedly educated people go on holiday and don't make provision for their pets . . . the list is endless.

Organisations specialising in animal welfare seem to be fighting a losing battle trying to educate the authorities and the population.

Pressure is being brought to bear on politicians to do something about it and hopefully something will be done to eliminate the suffering of these dumb animals.

The first signs of autumn are in the air.

Chillier temperatures than normal are being experienced by early morning risers after a very long period of warm weather. Does this herald a long, hard winter?

It is a question that one must ask as most are wondering whether we are likely to get much more rain.

The expected flood this year does not seem too likely, given the early rains and nothing really after those downfalls. Of course, the vagaries of the weather could dictate otherwise.

While many in southern Africa, Botswana included, are trying to preserve the rhino from extinction and from poachers keen to sell the horns to Far East traders, an Australian zoo has suddenly discovered it is losing its rhinos as well.

The zoo is investigating the sudden and mystifying deaths of four white rhinos that showed neurologic abnormalities like stumbling. The Taronga Western Plains Zoo, a safari-style animal park about 400km west of Sydney, said toxins, bacterial infection, snake venom and organ failure had so far been ruled out in the deaths.

Currently tests are underway to investigate possible viral causes, although several types including Hendra virus and West Nile virus have also been ruled out, the zoo said in a statement. As a precaution, its three remaining white rhinos have been removed from display and placed in a quarantine area at the zoo. They are being closely monitored by keeping staff and the veterinary team.

The zoo said a team of vets was working around the clock with specialists from Africa and North America, virologists and pathologists to try to determine what had killed the animals.

No other species at the zoo had been affected and the rest of its animals were in good health which could of course point the way to few people wanting to get their

hands on the horns.

Oh, yes. Don't forget Vietnam and China are quite close!

Advert in the classifieds section of an English newspaper: Gents 3-speed bicycle, also two ladies for sale, in good running order.

Okavango poverty levels to be tackled

The Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration has reiterated the government's commitment to eradicating poverty. Speaking during a tour of Mohembo East, Katutura and Shaikarawe in the Okavango region recently, Mokgweetsi Masisi said his visit came about after President Ian Khama visited the area recently. The President was concerned about what he saw, hence the visit to assess the level of poverty there. The President was deeply concerned about the level of poverty that he saw in this part of the country and asked me, the Minister of Local Government, Peter Siele, and the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Kenneth Matambo, to visit and assess the level of poverty, he said.

Masisi said their visit would enable government to make better assessment of what needs to be done and how to better people's lives.

From what the President and government officials working here said, it is apparent that something is lacking and we want to see what is it is and where, he noted. He said in his ministry's drive to eradicating poverty, they would visit the Okavango region soon to hold a poverty pitso that will look at issues of poverty in the district. Siele said they wanted to hear and see for themselves the situation that people were living in - We want to have a clear picture of what is happening here and make assessments and programmes without relying on other people's information, he said. Residents complained that they sometimes go for months without access to clean drinking water and that children had to walk distances of between 15 km and 20km to go to schools and clinics. Government officials tasked with provision of social services told the ministers that they faced massive challenges when trying to execute their duties. The challenges included lack of transport and appropriate vehicles to access remote areas where their services were needed. (BOPA)

Crippled woman claims negligence

Apparent negligence at a high level is ruining the live of a crippled 54-year-old Maun woman, Masiela Morula.

The alleged negligence is being blamed on the Maun Social Welfare Unit of the North West District Council. The lonely woman, who cannot walk or stand up to fend for herself, appears to be a serious victim of official negligence that allegedly dates back to 1997. Welfare officials haven't registered her for her basic needs and rights to which she is entitled to under the Constitution.

Masiela says she is treated like a dog when she is taken to the Welfare offices each month.

Other people disabled like me and non-disabled people had their requests considered by the same office, she added.

Her parents died several years ago, leaving nothing for her except the house in which she is living. Masiela, a polio victim, said she has been rejected by officials for 15 years a situation which has come as a shock to non-government organisations like Thuso Rehabilitation Centre in Maun.

Dickson Samaemo, of Thuso Rehabilitation, said: Our organisation assisted Masiela Morula with a little bit of education and other basic life skills such as sewing, and lent her a wheelchair as the old one is understood to be not in proper condition. Another elderly woman of Maun To hear that the council department failed to assist a disabled and destitute person of this calibre is distressing, said Ditirelo Oteng, a resident of Maun. Another resident, Ditoriso Ditoriso, described Thuso Rehabilitation as the best organisation in terms of assisting the poor.

Masiela's neighbour, Bearu Bearu, said she was confused and shocked when the welfare office failed to assist Morula with a wheelchair last month as the old one did not operate properly.

A chief social worker in Maun, Kehumile Mogobe, said: I know nothing about negligence in this office, and it is why I have assigned my subordinate officers to investigate this matter. I don't agree with the word negligence' as a new person in this office. Let us say she was not assisted.

Construction of Kazungula Bridge to go ahead

One of the key development projects that Botswana and Zambia have embarked upon is the construction of the Kazungula Bridge across the Zambezi River.

President Ian Khama told Zambian president, Michael Sata, at a State luncheon in Gaborone marking the Zambian's visit to Botswana that although this project has taken inordinately long to commence, I am, however, pleased to note that our two countries have ultimately secured funding, thanks to the support of our friends and development partners such as the African Development Bank and the Japanese Government.

Its completion will facilitate increased trade and investment, not only between Botswana and Zambia, but also the Southern African region and its completion would help to realise our shared vision of attaining greater integration through improved communication links.

Khama also said the political and security situation in the region still has challenges. It is my profound hope that Madagascar and Zimbabwe will deliver credible elections whenever they are held, and we in Botswana are determined to play our role to help achieve this alongside other sister states in the SADC region.For too long now political instability has been going on in those countries, and for too long therefore on the SADC Agenda. We only wish they can conduct elections like Zambia and Botswana and indeed others in our region without the accompanying violence leading to instability.

Commenting on the international situation, he said it is our hope that the African Union will become more effective in dealing with instability where it exists like in Somalia, in dealing with droughts and famine, and to come up with a roadmap to address developmental issues, health, poverty, education and many other challenges facing our continent.

He added that Botswana remains concerned about the ongoing wholesale murder and widespread violation of human rights perpetrated by the Syrian regime. It is unbelievable that the international community is unable to respond in a robust manner to halt these atrocities which include the indiscriminate bombardment of cities killing men, women and children, sniper fire that does the same, the use of landmines along refugee routes and torture.The failure of two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to carry out their responsibilities that have now allowed such slaughter of innocent people to continue is a disgrace. Assad and his regime have abused their mandate to govern, not that they ever had one in the first place. We call for regime change and for Assad and others with him in their killing frenzy to be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for committing crimes against humanity. We hope and wish that one of the world's greatest diplomats, Koffi Annan as the UN and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria, will succeed in his efforts.

Air Botswana embarks on extreme makeover campaign

Air Botswana, the national carrier, has embarked head-on to overcome negativity within the airline and the public in a dramatic bid to turn the airline around.

According to the latest edition of the authoritative World AirNews' magazine, new general manager Sakhile Nyoni Reiling is upbeat about the airline's future.

Reiling is making significant headway and might just prove the right appointment to turn the airline around, says the magazine.

Reiling was the airline's first female pilot and is now its first female general manager.

She admitted to the magazine that when she took over she found Air Botswana's failed privatisation attempts had left the company in something of a mess. Out of six aircraft in total, only two were airworthy and the leasing of other aircraft had come at an extremely high cost. Staff motivation and performance had dwindled and new projects were halted altogether, reports the magazine.

Yet, with years of experience and an ambitious and positive outlook, she has embarked on an extreme makeover campaign, with the goal of transforming the carrier into as global competitor by 2013.

The objective at the airline is to increase productivity. It might take time, she says, but eventually we will do that. I want Air Botswana to be a profit-making airline which is compliant with all aviation standards and recognised internationally. A negative public image is one major problem Reiling faces as well as the perception that Air Botswana provides sub-standard service.

The magazine recalls that in December she assured an Aviation Pitso that the carrier's maintenance programme had been designed to enhance safety and eliminate incidents. The airline - which has applied for membership of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), from which it voluntarily withdrew because of concerns about safety and other aspects of the business is fighting challenges related to scheduling reliability and frequent flight delays. According to World AirNews, Reiling's mission will not be easy but the possibility of running a profitable airline in Botswana is real. The government seems to have changed its approach and is looking at the aviation industry as a whole with more realistic and achievable expectations.

Strong opposition from other airlines will also play a key role in the future of Air Botswana.

In particular, the privately owned soon-to-fly Blue Sky Aviation, with the first of its four Boeing 737s to be in service soon, is acompetitor to take note of.

Hoe is Air Botswana going to handle this rapid escalation of competition in the local market?' asks the magazine. Reiling has not announced any new plans as yet but the way forward might be coming from a totally new direction.

The changing traffic in Botswana's skies has not gone unnoticed by two major airline alliances SkyTeam and Star Alliance, which are currently engaged in a serious battle for the African market . . . there are industry murmurs that SkyTeam is considering Air Namibia and Air Botswana as candidates.

Air Namibia introduces new route to Gaborone

People travelling to Gaborone or Harare from Windhoek will soon be able to fly there directly.

Air Namibia, with which Air Botswana has a code sharing agreement for the Maun-Windhoek route - has announced three new regional routes that will come into operation on May 15. The third route is to Ondjiva, in Angola.

Acting managing director Theo Namases says the new routes are part of a new business strategy for 2011 to 2016 which aims to make Air Namibia profitable in five years' time.

One major aim of the new business plan is to improve Air Namibia's operations, to decrease our dependency on government, Namases said.

According to Namases, the flight times are being structured in such a way that business people can make a return trip on the same day. One major benefit of the new routes, especially those to Harare and Gaborone, is that passengers travelling from Windhoek no longer have to travel via Johannesburg as is currently the case.

Namases said Air Namibia has taken a zero-tolerance approach to flight delays and cancellations. Works and Transport minister Erkki Nghimtina said that after the delivery of new aircraft which Air Namibia announced late last year and the introduction of the new routes, the national airline is expected to deliver a high standard of service to each of its passengers. Nghimtina called the introduction of the new routes timely and said it will help to translate into reality the tremendous interest which has been shown in the SADC region by the outside world.

Nghimtina said Air Namibia must operate as a commercially viable airline even though it is in a very competitive and volatile environment and the introduction of more flights between Namibia and its neighbours will ensure the strengthening of political and economic ties between these countries.

Botswana's high commissioner to Namibia, Duke Lefhoko, said Air Namibia is implementing the talk of regional integration and commended the national airline for this.

Lefhoko said air transport will promote trade and investment between the neighbouring countries.

Hippo on the loose at Makalamabedi gate

By Lesley Van Neel

A thirsty hippo has thrown the police's stop-and-search programme at the Makalamabedi Veterinary cordon gate camp into disarray since last Friday. The hippo's nocturnal visits to the camp have ensured the officers stay locked in their houses.

Superintendent Alfred Magudu, of Maun Police, has confirmed that the hippo comes from at least 8km from the river to roam through the police camp. He said this has made officers at the camp to stay indoors as they fear the animal.

Magudu said they have reported the matter to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) and hoped that they would be of swift assistance as the hippo poses a major threat to human life when it is on dry land.

Commenting on the hippo's unwelcome nightly visits, Principal Wildlife Warden at Maun DWNP, Phepha Babopi, said that his office has received a report on Friday and attended to it immediately. He said some officers from the DWNP had over the weekend gone there to scare the hippo away from the gate and back to the river.

Babopi said that, according to the report received, the hippo comes in the evenings to drink water from the ablution block at the gate.

Apparently there was a water spillage which attracted the roving hippo to quench its thirst before having a sleep-over.

Zahara finally performs in Maun, today!

By Bright Kholi

South African singing sensation Bulelwa Zahara Mtukukana will be performing tonight (Friday) in Maun - this follows her failed show last weekend, which the promoters attributed to the unavailability of a sound system. Zahara (25) was to have performed last Saturday but the show was stopped and postponed to today at the last minute.

Tonight's show is scheduled for Fisher's Farm on the Boro (populary known as Fish Boro)and is billed to start as early as 4 pm. The South African singer arrived in Maun yesterday and had the opportunity to interact with her fans in the malls. A spokesperson of Labeling Systems, who are the promoters of the show, revealed this week that they had to postpone last weekend's performance because the sound system for the event did not arrive from Gaborone.

She said they had sourced the sound system from Gaborone because there was none available in Maun.

The promoters were greatly disappointed by the issue, and after consultations with Zahara's manager, they had to stop Zahara and her crew from coming to Maun and also decide to stop and postpone the show on Saturday morning.

We realised that going ahead with the show with poor sound quality was going to spell disaster. The performers may even have refused to perform with poor sound quality, she said.

Zahara was supposed to have landed in Maun last Saturday, just before midday, and performing that evening at Fish Boro. The promoters said following the cancellation of the show, they had an interview on Duma FM to inform all concerned about the change, as well as the postponement.

We then informed the police about the situation and that we were prepared to refund those who wanted their money. The police even suggested ways of doing so without putting our lives in danger, she said.The promoter also said had it not been because of the sound system issue, the show was going to be a great success.

Regarding today's show, she said people are still buying tickets and all is set. We however apologise to Maun residents for what happened last week. It is unlike us to have events failing like that.

We hosted the two shows in Francistown some two weeks ago, and both were successful, she added.

Veld fires burn 3 million hectares in Ngamiland

By Lesley Van Neel

Of 28 veld fires that ravaged the North West District between 2011 and 2012, the Department of Forestry and Range Resources (DFRR) could only manage to reach one due to shortage of manpower. The combined veld fires, 14 each in the Ngami and Okavango sub-districts, burnt more than three millions hectares.

This was revealed by Wakgotla Paledi, of the DFRR, at a fire preparedness workshop held in Maun last week. The workshop was aimed at defining the actors, roles and expected resources that should be mobilised as and when required by the DFRR as a leading agency with respect to fire management objectives.

The workshop, which was facilitated by Paledi and his colleague, Desmond Serero, also aimed to provide an operational plan in resources mobilisation for a more effective and efficient strategy in case of fire outbreak. Together with stakeholders who attended the workshop, the DFRR wanted to outline and define command and control structures for emergency response activities. It was also revealed that fire fighting in the district and the country at large is faced with challenges, particularly reluctance of would-be volunteers on account of lack of insurance cover, shortage of protective clothing, and non-payment of volunteers while public servants get paid for the same task.

Such challenges notwithstanding, the DFRR has been able to conduct public awareness campaigns, train 790 people on basic fire fighting, and has plans to train 30 people from each district every year in collaboration with Australia's New South Wales Rural Fire Services. Firebreak construction and maintenance is also being done each year and fire teams have also been established at Khwai, Sankoyo and Mababe as a fire fighting initiative.

Croc grabs dog at old bridge

Eyewitnesses on the old Jackson Bridge watched horrified as a crocodile killed a large grey coloured dog this week. Motorists said they were attempting to cross the bridge when they heard a dog howling. Upon investigation, they saw a crocodile with the dog, which had a brown collar, in its jaws in the middle of the Thamalakane River.

In another incident, an unnamed gardener who went into the river at the weekend was bitten on a leg by a small crocodile. He was treated for his wounds.

Pilots asking why the silence on Moremi crash

Many pilots and others in the aviation industry worldwide are asking why there has been no crash report issued by Ministry of Transport accident investigators into the Moremi air crash which killed nine people, including the pilot, last October.

The Cessna Caravan 208B, powered by a PT6 Pratt and Whitney engine, was burned out.

The report was expected in February but to date nothing appears to have been released to the public.

It is known that experts from the Cessna company, the manufacturers of the plane, have been to the crash site at Xakanaxa as well as experts from a company specialising in propellers.

Doubts are being expressed as to whether Botswana is capable of investigating an aircraft accident according to one pilot.

In comments on the website PPRuNe (Professional Pilots Rumour Network), a pilot's opinion is that without the publication of proper investigations, lessons cannot be learned.

A pilot called Ragdragger, writing from Tanzania, adds that pilots have excluded almost nearly any possibility other than a mechanical one for the accident while another is of the opinion that the cause of the engine failure should be the most interesting issue. The PT6 is so extremely reliable that a failure at the critical time just after takeoff has probably never happened before to a single.

A properly maintained PT6 simply does not fail so badly as to cause a serious fire.

This leads me to suspect a prop failure (bird?) or a fuel shortage. A fractured fuel pipe might explain the reported fire. Something very unusual must have happened to cause such a catastrophic failure.

A New Zealand pilot, who says he flew in the delta, writes that the cause of the engine failure should be the most interesting issue. The PT6 is so extremely reliable that a failure at the critical time just after takeoff has probably never happened before.

A fellow pilot is quoted on the website as saying the accident was not so rare as you think. In January 2009, another C208B caravan, A2-AKG, based in Maun, suffered power loss immediately after takeoff from Piajio airstrip on Chief's Island. In that case, however, the strip is surrounded by open swampland and in the resulting forced landing no-one was killed.

If that was the case in AKD's situation, I would imagine that a similar outcome might have occurred, instead of in Xaxanaka's case where the airstrip is surrounded by trees

He adds that both Caravans were maintained in Maun.

A pilot writing under the pen name The Ancient Greek asks whether an official accident investigation was ever published for the AKG incident sounds like there may be lessons to be learned about maintenance (as) this sort of thing does not happen to a properly maintained PT6

In a lengthy report, a pilot signing himself Foxcotte, writing from Kenya, says the pilot of the ill-fated aircraft, Martin Gresswell, was a good pilot - but human, so not absolutely infallible but very careful and correct.

He was professional, experienced and knew Caravans and Botswana flying very, very well. He erred on the side of caution rather that took a gung-ho attitude, adored his daughter and having started a new life with his family in Botswana had everything going for him.

He joined Moremi to fulfill a dream of becoming a management pilot, and was so chuffed at the start. Over 9 months that dream became disillusionment to the point he would rather return to what he had left in Kenya than continue with what he had found in Botswana. He left that decision a week too late.

Recountng what may have happened that fateful day, Foxcotte says it appears Martin got airborne out of Xakanaxa planning a normal departure to the right back to Pom Pom (camp). When whatever went wrong with the aircraft happened, he called a Mayday, banked slightly to the left and headed for the only clear area for an emergency put-down. With few options for anything, his left wing struck a tree ripping open the fuel tank and spiralling the aircraft down in flames into a bushy area of ground. All of that and the final outcome of the crash is in the public domain.

What isn't known is what had happened to that aircraft/engine in the past - what had been replaced in the last overhaul, what components were near life or allowable limits, how many takeoffs in the past had been a bit over-temped, overtorqued, firewalled or how many accidental shut-downs/restarts had not been declared or if pilots/company had been operating out of manufacturer parameters. I really don't think that Martin put the aircraft in the swamp for any other reason than he had absolutely no choice.

There are people out there who have more information that has not been heard, who know more background to the situation, who flew the aircraft in the past.

Referees go on strike

Maun soccer referees last weekend went on strike and did not show up for league games as they are demanding money owed to them by clubs.

Teams waited in vain for referees, or ended up hand-picking volunteers to officiate. Others went home without kicking the ball. The most painful part was for the teams that are not in arrears with the referees. On Saturday at MTC grounds only two referees arrived for the Fuji Rollers-Maun Terrors match which Terrors won 2-1. Immediately afterwards, the two referees left the pitch before a game that was featuring Horizon Stars and Maun Heroes. A player from one of the teams that had just finished their game was called to the rescue, and Heroes managed a 2-0 result, while at WAP ground a game between CTO and Delta Winds was officiated by the region's chairman as no referees showed up.

The game almost got out of hand in the dying minutes as CTO players were up in arms refusing the second goal of the match. The referee waited for the restart but the sides refused to do so, and he waited for full 90 minutes before blowing the whistle. On Sunday, the same story happened when Fuji Rollers and Maun United had to do with a volunteer referee. The Delta Winds game against Horizon Stars could not take place as there was no referee or official from the league committee present.

Makgabisanaga shared the spoils with Cubs when they drew 1-all before Terrors got the better of BMC, beating them 3-1.

At Maun Stadium, BOP scored half a dozen goals against Zungu who only managed 2, and North West United shared a point each with Moeti United in a 1-1 draw.

Tigers fail to travel while Sankoyo miss game time

Maun Tigers, popularly known as Ngambera, failed to travel to Mahalapye for their 1 st Division North league fixture last weekend citing lack of finance to cover travelling expenses.

This has been the norm with most teams playing in the division, which does not have a sponsor, while the same story happened on the other side of the region with Tonota failing to turn up in Maun for a crucial tie against Sankoyo Bush Bucks.

Tigers, who last week travelled to Bobonong for a league fixture, could not raise enough funds to again make a trip to Mahalapye as they do not have a team sponsor but rely on gate takings or donations from wellwishers. Speaking to The Ngami Times, a disappointed player said they had prepared well in training for the weekend clash but the lack of funds was a blow to them and hoped that some Good Samaritan would come to the rescue of the region's giants as they have been struggling to raise enough funds especially when they have to play away from home. Had they played a home game, they could have managed to raise revenue from gate takings which, he said, was not enough as well to sustain the whole trip including accommodation and food.

Sankoyo Bush Bucks, who were disappointed last week when Mahalapye Hotspurs could not honour the league fixture, were further disappointed this past week when Tonota could not show up as well.

Sankoyo have been bubbling with confidence as they matched the so-called giants pound for pound in their maiden season in the league.

Business league kicks off

The much talked about Maun business football league, which comprises of different companies in Maun, finally kicked off this past weekend.

The opening ceremony was on Saturday morning, and a shining floating trophy donated by Lepopo Wholesalers was also unveiled.

The teams will not only compete for the silverware but incentives as well as cash are on offer and the top team will walk away with the trophy and gold medals while the second placed side will get silver medals and the 3 rd team will take home bronze medals.

The committee is formed from employees of all registered companies.

The teams who had confirmed participation and were present at the opening ceremony were: Aquarite, Mulbridge Transport, Spar, Lepopo, Choppies New and Old Mall, Canvas Zone, Builder's World, Caltex Marcos, and Yamaha.

A gate fee of P3 for games was agreed upon for all ages. The company bosses encouraged the public to attend the games as these are meant to relax families after the week's work. In the evening, the first game kicked off at Maun Sports Complex between the tournament organisers Aquarite fighting it out with Mulbridge in a tense but gruelling game in which Aquarite registered a 3-1 victory.

On Sunday, Spar (Combined) beat Lepopo 2-1 at Prison grounds, Choppies New Mall) was the opening games highest scoring team when thrashing Canvas Zone by 8-1 while Builder's World narrowly lost to Choppies Old Mall by a single goal.

Rounding off the weekend fixtures was a game between Caltex (Marcos) and Yamaha, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

District youth office donates boxing equipment

It was all smiles at Maun boxing club when they received boxing equipment from the Maun District Youth office. The equipment was donated by the department to improve youth recreation activities in the region after the club had requested assistance through club leader Innocent Chombo.

Speaking at the hand-over, held in the presence of the deputy District Commissioner Mogomotsi Madobe, Assistant Youth Officer Moatlhodi Phethogo thanked club members for the time and patience that the club had spent in waiting for such a donation to materialise as the process is not a one-day thing but takes time.

He also stressed the need for other youth to follow suit as the department has funds available for recreation.

Chombo expressed their gratitude for the equipment although some of the things they had requested were either not supplied or wrongly supplied which was an issue that was to be taken up by the Supplies Department to make sure they corrected the errors with the companies the equipment had been ordered from.

He also talked about a lack of transport and food whenever the club was to participate in tournaments outside the region and asked the North West District Council to help where possible as the equipment might be of no value when they train and cannot participate in any tournament.

Chombo thanked the Maun technical staff of Mooketsti and Sekgoma whom he said facilitated a training venue for the club which had no fixed training place and moved from one school to the other. After the handing over of the equipment by Madobe, Master of Ceremonies Modiri Moremi called upon the councillor for Maun East, Baphuthuludi Kgari to give a vote of thanks, and he encouraged the youth to work even harder and not lose hope as the government was fully behind a healthy nation which starts from the youth refraining from drug and alcohol abuse and participating more in sports to become responsible future leaders.

Rollers cruise through while Chiefs rule

Township Rollers cruised through in a Be Mobile league encounter against Mogoditshane Fighters edging them by a single goal in a game that most people expected Rollers to run riot after Fighters had gone into this weekend game with both first and second choice goalkeepers on suspension after receiving red cards in last week's game against Tafic.

Satmos produced a surprise package to give them hope of survival when they held ECCO City Greens to a 2-all scoreline, while Extension Gunners narrowly beat Santos by a single goal.

BDF X1 was stung by Miscellaneous who scored a single goal to take home the three points on offer. Police X1 sent Notwane further into relegation worries when they overcame them by 2 goals to 1.

Centre Chiefs made sure they scored a single goal to open up the gap on top of the log to 9 points. BMC got the better of Great North Tigers (GNT) when they beat them 2-0 while TAFIC were once again humiliated by visiting Nico United, who won 3-0.