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21 Jun 2009 22:41
Edition 465 19 - 26 June, 2009
Children from different schools commemorated the Day of the African Child which was held under the theme, Africa Fit for Children, Call for Accelerated Action towards Their Survival on Tuesday . Bonatla Primary school children commemorated the day at their school as did other schools. Meanwhile the major event for the area was held at Mababe Village Kgotla where the guest speaker was their member of Parliament for Chobe, Duncan Mlazie. Children from Mababe, Sankuyo, Shorobe and Matsaudi Primary Schools attended. (SEE STORY ON PAGE 15)
Horror killing of girlfriend
KASANE A woman was the victim of a gruesome murder here this week.
It is believed she was killed with a spade and another sharp instrument in what local people are saying was a passion killing. Police however has not confirmed this.
The murder is suspected to have been committed by her boyfriend who was also found dead a few metres from his house, and is who thought to have committed suicide after killing her.
Sources have revealed to The Ngami Times that the two were lovers and that their relationship was not on a good footing. They have also revealed the man had worked at a furniture shop and his girlfriend at a Kasane supermarket.
The two were also staying together in the same house in Kgaphamadi. The station commander for Kasane police, Ntaya Tshepo, confirmed that a woman aged 22 was murdered on Tuesday night and a man aged 31 was also found hanging from a tree the next morning in what is suspected to be a suicide.Tshepo said the woman was found with multiple wounds on her body, suspected to have been caused by a sharp instrument. Tshepo said they cannot link the two deaths as investigations are continuing.
Passion killings have in the past rocked the country to an extent where authorities appealed for couples to seek advice when having misunderstandings.
It always appears that most passions killing are a result of jealousy after one partner wanted to end the relationship or was seeing another person.
Top tracker gored to death by buffalo
One of Maun's best known trackers has been gored to death by a buffalo near Toteng.
He was Tshimologo Kgomoietshwa who worked with leading guides in the Okavango delta for more than 50 years. The incident happened when he and a friend were following buffalo in the Matsobe delta area.
According to his family, it appeared that Kgomoietshwa and another man had broken the knee of one of the animals. The injured buffalo stormed the men, one of whom took cover under thick bushes while the other was gored several times. It is believed Kgomoietshwa died instantly.
The badly mutilated body was only found until the following day.
Police are investigating.
SHOCK LICENCE DEALS
By Bright Kholi and Molefhi Manyepedza
Maun is a hot spot for the sale of illegal driver's licences.
Some government driving examiners are known to demand money to help learners to pass theory tests, yard tests and road tests. This may explain the poor driving skills by taxi drivers and many others. The question though is whether these people went through legitimate driving schools and whether they completed all the tests.
Information reaching The Ngami Times is that results, allegedly tampered with by an examiner, will show that one has passed and this information is then be entered into a computer and the driver's licence issued.
Examiners involved in the scam are also said to be colluding with some driving schools which find customers for them. This is said to done in such a way that the person who gets the licence would appear as if he has passed all the tests. All the examiner does is to make sure you are booked in the normal way, then you may not even sit for the theory tests but your marks will appear. The same goes for the yard and road tests.
So everything would look legitimate on the computers. The problem is that the buyer would not have sat for the tests or failed it and had been made to pass. There is no mechanism to check balances against what is entered on the system and the original testing document, said an anonymous source who claims to have been approached.
He said the prices for the entire package range from P3 000 to P4 000 depending on whether the person knows you.
In an interview with The Ngami Times this week, the public relations officer in the Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS), Amos Motshegwe, said he is not aware that licenses were being sold in Maun.
I can't deny or say that is what happens but what I can say is that there are always some corrupt officers within the department who need to be rooted out, Motshegwe said.
He said in cases of allegations like those in Maun, they need the support of the public to report any wrongdoing by officers - we rely on the assumption that officers will be responsible enough to carry on their mandate diligently but sometimes the public is to blame for enticing the staff with money, he said and urged people approached by an examiner selling a licence to immediately report the matter to the police.
Motshegwe felt that people go to the extent of obtaining licenses illegally even when they can easily read the theory manual and pass the tests, and then go to driving schools to be taught how to drive.
He said sometimes illegal licenses can be traced even after the buyer had been using it for some time, but one has to be very careful to find one which has been taken through all the steps in the system.
DRTS Maun station manager Patrick Ranko also said he is not aware that corruption exists in Maun. He would not discuss speculation because he does not know what goes through the minds of his colleagues with regard to issuing licenses.
We have 5 examiners who have been appointed by the Minister of Works and Transport on the expectation that they do what is expected. I cannot say there is an examiner who sells licenses because that depends on the individual's moral fibre, Ranko said.
He added that theory examinations answer sheets and marking keys are not safe in the office where they are kept as everyone has access to them. Ranko said when it comes to copying in the exam room, it is impossible as those being examined do not write the same exam.
Maun assistant transport officer Tshireletso Motswiri said it is impossible for a driver's license to be bought or sold to another person.
He said drivers' licenses are stored in systems to help transport officers during replacing and renewals. During the replacement of old licences, one has to bring a report from the police showing that his/her driver's license is lost in which case a copy of the first licence will be issued, Motswiri added.
He did not know of any technique used to delete and replace the image on a drivers' licence card.
Accused claim innocence over State cheques
By Keagisitswe Dioka
Tebogo Mompati Bojong and Kazera Ngaruka, charged for stealing by servant and forgery respectively, have both pleaded their innocence in the trial of a case of fraud in which a P59 000 cheque was forged.
Bojong, who is alleged to have stolen eight government cheques, testified in court before Maun Principal Magistrate, Clifford Foroma.
A witness who had earlier testified said he had seen Bojong at one Samunzala's place. It is alleged Samunzala had forged the cheque.
Bojong testified that all that Makgobe saw was his imagination as he (Bojong) was in Gaborone when Makgobe went to Samuzala's place while he was still auditing at Maun Revenue Office a day before they left.
He said after three weeks Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) officers came to his office. He said he told an officer named Ketlhoilwe that he had heard about the missing cheques while he was still in Maun. According to him he was searched and nothing was retrieved from him. Bojong added the investigating officer told him that Samunzala was found with blank cheques and he was told that he had slept at Samunzala's place while in Maun.
When cross-examining the accused, the prosecutor for the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Pascal Mhandu, put it to him that he is the one who stole the cheques from Maun Revenue Office and gave them to Samunzala. Bojong denied this, saying he never stole any cheque and adding that cheques were locked in a safe.
Bojong labelled Makgobe a blatant liar who was lying for the sake of it.
Mhandu also asked him whether Samunzala might have been given those cheques by someone else and Bojong told him that there is a possibility that he may have stolen them or got them from someone.
Another accused, who is facing a single count offence of forging a Barclays Bank cheque for P59 000, was Kazera Ngaruka, a Health Administrator, who gave unsworn testimony.
He was represented by Tshekiso Tshekiso, of Kgalemang and Associates. He told the court that he never forged any cheque adding that he did not know about it and only came across it in court.
He further told the court that he accompanied Samunzala to Nthoo Commercial School where he said he was going to type his curriculum vitae. He said upon their arrival at Nthoo, he was playing with a computer while Samuzala was assisted by Babini Morula to type using a type writer.
Ngaruka further said as they were still typing Samuzala asked him to assist and he realised that Morula was typing a cheque for Samuzala.
Ngaruka told the court that he left the two as there was nothing he could do on someone's cheque. He told the court that he was surprised that a typewriter can write a cheque. He continued that after Samuzala was done with what he was doing, they took Morula and dropped her at her place and later Samuzala at his place. The other accused person in this case is Sunday Samuzala, while Gonnamang Setlhodi was an accomplice witness.
According to the charge sheet, on June 14, 2006, Bojong was employed by the Auditor General's Office at the revenue office in Maun and stole eight blank Barclays Bank cheques belonging to the government. The forgery count related to Samuzala and Ngaruka, who acting together forged a Barclays Bank cheque on June 16, 2006, claiming it to be a cheque drawn by the Government of Botswana in favour of Sentlhaga General Dealer to the sum of P59 000.
In June 19, 2006, Sethodi knowingly and fraudulently uttered the forged cheque in favour of Sentlhaga General Dealer. The accused persons will know their fate on June 30 when their case comes up for judgment.
Bright Kholi promoted to top position
The Senior News Reporter of The Ngami Times, Bright Kholi, has been promoted to News Editor and Editor's Assistant.
Kholi has had a distinguished career with the newspaper, and reported on many issues. He was the winner of the 2007 Population and Development Reporting Award presented by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Botswana Chapter). He has interviewed many prominent personalities, among them Morgan Tsvangarai, the prime minister of Zimbabwe, and also attended numerous conferences, courses or workshops on behalf of the newspaper.
These include reporting on labour issues, population and development reporting, SADC media conference in Zambia, HIV and AIDS reporting, child rights and the media and a Kodak photography skills course.
Editor: Norman Chandler
Editorial Comment: Bright Kholi
Dust settles on a damaging lawsuit
It is with relief that President Ian Khama has decided to withdraw his lawsuit against the Sunday Standard newspaper.
The nation was watching anxiously and wondering where this was all heading following publication of a story in that newspaper linking the President to the death of a man allegedly shot by security agents in Gaborone last month.
We would like to thank the President for listening to words of advice as the lawsuit would not have been good for the country.
As we said earlier, Ntwa Kgolo ke molomo and it would appear the two parties have indeed considered their options. They would be advised to stick to their mandates with the zeal that the nation expects and avoid such instances.
Freedom of expression should be cherished and we should also accommodate divergent opinions to enhance our democracy. It should also be noted that in our endeavours as journalists, we should be mindful of the rights of other people and above all be ethical and professional.
At the end of the day we are all partners in ensuring that Botswana is developed and protected.
Maun users of cellphones cannot understand why their text messages (SMS) are not arriving at intended destinations internationally and locally.
For much of this week, the messages have, according to cellphones from both local operators, been sent but after enquiries to the recipients, it transpires nothing had been received.
Of course no one wants to take the blame service providers or the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) which provides the equipment used for the service in the first place.
To cap that, the internet and the e-mail services were also affected. Apparently this was caused by a change-over unannounced of course from one system to another involving fibre optic cables. It would be so helpful if service providers and BTC took the trouble to advise the general public, believe it or not we are their customers, of breaks in service. Shuffle wonders whether this situation is not being brought about by the government's stated policy of intercepting SMS messages, e-mails and cellphone calls as part of its national security apparatus.
Whatever the case, someone should do something about it and not leave the public hanging, as it were.
What ever happened to transparency?
Last week's edition of this family newspaper was probably one of the most difficult to produce in the 10 year history of the publication.
There were numerous problems associated with the printing and publishing a 12-page newspaper packed with advertising, and inevitably the amount of space available for news stories was seriously affected.
Our problems started when our suppliers in Gaborone informed us they had sold off all their stock to another company incidentally, based in Maun as we later discovered.
Of course, this was a body blow as there was literally no newsprint suitable.
Frantic efforts to source newsprint were made but without success and the decision was taken to produce a 12 page newspaper and cut back on editorial content because of the large amount of advertising that had been received.
We hope that readers understand. This newspaper prints in Maun and has to rely very heavily on suppliers in Gaborone and Johannesburg. If the suppliers should run out of paper then we have a major situation developing.
Many people must have been mystified on Saturday when they tried to tune in to the TV coverage of the opening ceremony and first game of the Confederations Cup football tournament in Johannesburg.
Yes, it was there, but it was all in Portuguese. Now one understands that Angola and Mozambique speak Portuguese, but Botswana? The pre-tournament advertising said coverage would be in English and Portuguese.
Hopefully by the time this goes to print, MultiChoice will have sorted out the problem or didn't anyone bother to check!
While on the subject of TV, Shuffle noted that Botswana TV's slot on DSTV remained blank for the whole of Saturday afternoon.
The reason appears to be that BTV bought free to air rights for the tournament but have been compelled by the rights holder to restrict the signal to the geographic territory in other words, television that is not distributed via satellite, as is the case to Maun. Therefore it does not cover much of the country.
Anyone who watches BTV via satellite using either a DSTV decoder or any other decoder will be blacked out for the duration of the game being broadcast.
This is a waste of money for people who subscribe to MultiChoice Botswana as their programming opportunities have been wiped out. The question therefore is: Is it worth the money if BTV cannot get its house in order?
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Did you know? Insects are, by far, the most diverse group of organisms on Earth, and must intrigue anyone with the slightest interest in the natural world. The total number of named insects species lies between 800 000 and 1-million, which is about 55% of all known species on Earth and several times the total number of plants (260 000) or vertebrates (50 000). It may be surprising that the number of insect species cannot be given with greater precision.
Rape accused escapes conviction
By Keagisitswe Dioka
A 31 year old Maun man, Benito Thabang Mazinyane, who was charged with raping a 25 year old Etsha 13, woman is a free man after Maun principal magistrate Clifford Foroma dismissed the complainant's evidence and discharged and acquitted him.
Foroma said some factors had to be considered, such as whether the intercourse that allegedly took place was lawful or not. Foroma said it was clear that the complainant knew the accused, and that on the day of the alleged incident she willingly opened the door for the complainant to enter her house. She left the keys in the lock and the accused started undressing himself while the complainant was sitting on the other side of the bed looking at him.
He said all this time the complainant never screamed or called for help to show that the accused was doing something she did not agree with.
The complainant's behaviour led the court to believe that there was no rape. Foroma said the complainant allowed the accused person to have carnal knowledge with her without a condom and did not resist.
Foroma said in most cases similar to this one, a man might think that a woman does not have problem in having sex with him.
He also said the complainant said she did not scream because she feared the accused, but her defence was also dismissed as Foroma said it is clear that the accused was not aggressive, adding that even the keys were left hanging in the door.
The complainant agreed to have sex and afterwards told the accused she was going to the toilet while she reported the matter to her mother. It was also revealed that the accused had waited for the complainant for a long while until he left to go home. He was arrested the following day while sleeping.
He said the accused could have run away if he knew that he committed such an offence and Foroma again told the court 'the complainant's behaviour does not show that the incident was without her consent.'' The complainant's house near her mother's and she (her mother) would have heard her screaming for help. Foroma said there was no way he could convict the accused for rape considering the circumstances surrounding the complainant's behaviour. When conducting his defence, Mazinyane, had told the court that he went for traditional healing on July 3, 2008 at Etsha 13 and had been taken there by the complainant. He later proposed to her and they made an appointment to meet.
She had also shown him her house and had later gone to the house as agreed. They had sex together and later the complainant asked for money to buy toiletries but he told her he did not have any money.
He added that the complainant had reported him to the police because he told her that he did not have money to give her.
The prosecutor was Patrick Fane, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
Berserk man takes on police
MAKALAMABEDI There was blood everywhere as a man went berserk in the charge office at Makalamabedi police station at the weekend.
He had gone to the police station to search for his wife, who had left home to report having been allegedly assaulted by him.
While police were trying to assist the woman, the man burst into the charge officer and began fighting the police who retaliated at the man, described as aggressive. A woman officer and another colleague ran out the building, leaving the man and his wife inside.
The man then took his wife home.
A police officer said that he was flabbergasted by the actions of people who expect us to help them.
Investigations into the circumstances of the fighting are continuing.
Excited children at Bonatla Primary School in Maun look on as the year of the African Child is celebrated this week.Bonatla school head Dorcas Sethoko said this day is for the kids. They were killed and tortured, and that is why this day was declared the Day of the African Child in 1991., that is why we are gathered here today, she said.
No.1 Detective Agency now in Afrikaans
Botswana's best known novel has been translated into Afrikaans.
The No 1 Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith, has already been made into a film which was shot in various areas, including Ramotswa, from which the detective of the book, Precious Ramotswe, gets her name. The New York Times, one of the United States' most distinguished newspapers, has described her as the Miss Marples of Botswana. Top mystery author Agatha Christie wrote a series of novels concerning the fictional Miss Marples, a do-gooder detective character. In a wide-ranging interview with the Afrikaans Sunday newspaper Rapport the No 1 detective Agency author says that the first three books about Precious Ramotswa have all been translated in to Afrikaans.
What is it that makes McCall Smith's books so fascinating? says the report. He himself is a retired professor in something as dry as the law. Medical law at that.
It also asks why the books were translated in to Afrikaans and finds the reason is because the language is interesting and living with a fascinating history.
Okavango flood excites international interest
The annual flooding of the Okavango delta which has this year seen airstrips and low lying areas under water has created huge international interest.
The phenomenon is regarded as one of nature's miracles as the water flowing in to the Okavango River and spreading through the delta before reaching Lake Ngami and the Kalahari Desert is unparalleled in most parts of the world. This year's high flood levels are the talk of the region. After more than a decade of decreasing water levels in the Delta, channels are now overflowing and dry riverbeds are being transformed.
What is the explanation behind this seemingly sudden generosity of nature? How long can it last? Scientists at the University of Botswana's Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre (HOORC) in Maun have been studying the water regime of the Okavango intensively since the Centre was established in 1996.When asked these questions, Professor Lars Ramberg says the only constant we have in the Okavango Delta is change. Variability in the flow of water is the rule. This is because the rainfalls in Angola have large variations from year to year, and it is from that the inflowing Okavango River is getting all its water. Climate change is compounding the problem as we anticipate a general trend towards dryer conditions, but looking at historical data collected by the government we can develop models for predicting the likelihood of wet and dry periods. It appears that we are now entering a period of increased inflow and larger areas flooded in the Delta. A key tool in understanding in predicting water flows is the HOORC hydrological model developed by HOORC hydrologist Piotr Wolski.
This model was used recently to provide planning information to the National Disaster Management Office in anticipation of the flood's arrival at southern settlements along the Delta's out flowing river channels. The rapid rise of waters in the geologically constrained panhandle caused flooding in some northern settlements. However, the flood pulse was not sustained and, after spreading through the permanent swamps, it appears that water levels reaching settlements at the end will not be significantly greater than those experienced in recent years. Large wetlands like the Okavango, because their flooding have many effects on for instance fish, wildlife and people's livelihood, are ideal for studying the multitude of effects caused by the flood.
In February next year leading wetlands scientists from all over the world will be in Maun to debate the significance of the Okavango's latest floods.
An international symposium, Wetlands in a Flood Pulsing Environment: effects on Biodiversity, Ecosystem Function and Human Society, will find ecologists, water engineers, historians, public health and livelihoods specialists talking about these patterns and how they affect the people who depend on these environments.
HOORC and the BIOKAVANGO project are hosting the meeting which will also look at other large wetlands such as the Pantanal in Brazil, the Everglades in the United States and the marshes of Mesopotamia in Iraq and Iran.
Major shake up for Botswana civil aviation
Participants who attended a recent stake holder's workshop on civil aviation regulations have been told of the government's intention to empower the Civil Aviation Authority Botswana (CAAB) with millions of pula after being convinced that the industry was doing exceptionally well, and after recognizing the tremendous economic potential played by civil aviation.
This was said by CAAB chief executive secretary Meshesha Belayneh who also spoke about the government's plan to liberalise scheduled flights on domestic and regional routes that will enable many operators to join existing service providers and which will result in more passenger traffic. He added that the new development will not only be beneficial but also worthwhile to those who will be in a position to comply with international safety and security standards.
In order to keep up with international standards, we will have to review some parts of the existing regulations as well as the new ones. It is also for this reason that CAAB wishes to set in place new aviation safety and security management systems to ensure that Botswana skies are safer.
The regulations will also help us to guarantee the safety and security of passengers and aircrafts, he said. The Director of Air Transport, Bernard Labrosse, said it is also intended to provide a statutory body whose main objective will be to address the issue of scheduled services, both domestic and international, and that there will be need for the authority to be equipped with regulatory tools which will control and monitor carrier activities in a completely different environment.
He said that new carriers will be from the private sector and not from parastatals.
Botswana is Africa's most peaceful country'
Botswana has been ranked as one of the world's most peaceful countries.
The newly released 2009 Global Peace Index (GPI) says it is also the most peaceful country in Africa.
Botswana's 34 out of the 144 countries measured in the survey, up six places from last year placing it just ahead of the United Kingdom. According to the survey's authors, Botswana high position was a result of minimal militarisation, an absence of external or internal conflicts and relatively low scores for most measures of safety and security, although they further note that the homicide rate remains relatively high.
Botswana stands in sharp contrast to South Africa and Zimbabwe, which were both singled out as numbering among the world's least peaceful societies. New Zealand was ranked as the world's most peaceful nation, followed by Denmark and Norway. The world's least peaceful nations were reported to be Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.
Botswana's standing is also consistent with recent Afrobarometer findings, which showed 72% of Batswana expressing trust in both the courts and police service and 76% agreeing that people were rarely or never treated unequally under the law.
The Global Peace Index is maintained by the Institute for Economics and Peace and developed in consultation with an international panel of experts with data collected and analysed by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Refugee practices medicines unlawfully
By Keagisitswe Dioka
A 45 year old Angolan refugee at Dukwi has appeared before Maun principal magistrate Clifford Foroma for unlawfully practicing medicine.
Augustine Mande is alleged to have unlawfully assisted people as a medical practitioner and practiced without a licence between January and June 2009 at Phanga ward in Shakawe. He was not a registered medical practitioner.
Mande pleaded guilty to the offence.
The prosecutor was Luanda Antonio, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, who told the court that investigations are still ongoing, adding that drugs have been taken to the forensic laboratory for further testing. He asked for the accused to be remanded in custody as he said Mande is a refugee from Angola. Mande told the court that a Pharmacy Assistant was called by the police and identified the medicines and their use. He added the pharmacy assistant said the medicines are used in all hospitals.
The court heard that some of the medicines were not identified as they do not have names. The accused was remanded in custody and will appear for mention on June 25.
Council driver in court for defilement
By Keagisitswe Dioka
A 36 year old North West District Council driver, Oiphemetse Sekao, has appeared before Maun principal magistrate Clifford Foroma on a count of defilement. According to the charge sheet, the accused had sometime between 2002 and 2004 at Kareng defiled a 15 year old girl. The accused person has pleaded not guilty to the offence. Ogomoditse Soonyana, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, told the court that investigations were complete, adding that the State would call four witnesses. He then asked for a trial date to be set.
Sekao was earlier charged for the offence of threat to kill which was then changed to that of defilement. He appears for mention on August 4, and the trial will be on October 5.
Expensive camera found in muddy pool
Gift Ashley Nkubu with the camera he found along with fellow worker Galejewe Chacks Keleofile.
American tourists who were bumping over Maun's uneven dirt roads during the height of the rainstorms last week discovered when they reached their lodge that an expensive camera was missing.
They searched high and low for the Canon model EOS, but could not find it.
What they didn't know was that the camera, in its casing, had fallen off their safari vehicle and into a pool of water opposite the Fridge Air company near Maun airport.
This is when the story gets really interesting.
Two of the company's employees Gift Ashley Nkubu and Galejewe Chacks Keleofile - were gingerly stepping over water and mud in a futile bid to keep their footwear clean when they spied a bag lying in the water. Inside was the camera, a very expensive model. They took the camera to Fridge Air director Kamal Pullitikurthi who checked with surrounding restaurants and the airport to see if anyone had reported a camera as missing. No one could offer any assistance so he turned to this newspaper for help.
At The Ngami Times offices on Tuesday, it was decided to feature the missing item in a news story.
By coincidence, while in conversation with an employee of a luxury lodge in Maun, a staff member casually mentioned the camera and its obvious value. The employee reacted immediately, saying clients had told the lodge management about the matter. In an attempt to find the owners, who had by then left for a luxury lodge in the Okavango delta, a decision was taken to download any images which could help in identifying the owners. One was a picture of a Maun pilot known to Pullitikurthi. He immediately telephoned the pilot who said he had met briefly with the tourists at the luxury lodge only that day - and that they would be returning to Maun on Wednesday. It is a miracle that my employees saw the bag. Their honesty is highly commended and shows that there are very honest people in Maun, said Pullitikurthi.
Local lodge under new management
By Basadi Morokotso
The Kesmo Lodge in Maun has come under new management. It has been taken over by experienced hoteliers Isaac Seredile and Kenneth and Eddie Karanga, who are also directors of a hospitality and tourism training institute in Maun.
The three have worked for well known hotel chains as well as being independent operators in African.
According to Kenneth Karanja, the running of the lodge came as a blessing in disguise for them and an ideal opportunity as they already had in place plans to utilise it for training students, especially those in the catering field so as to help improve their knowledge while at the same time empowering them.
They also intend to build on Kesmo's reputation by offering new menus as well as developing extensive leisure facilities.
Our experience and drive will also help develop the business, maximizing its potential and creating new opportunities for growth, Karanga said.
The lodge has a state of the art conference hall, a bar, a garden overlooking the popular Big Tree recreation area, 10 accommodation suites and other facilities.
Burglar sentenced to prison
By Amantle Rebaone
Thato Makhao, 21, has appeared before Maun chief magistrate Mmopa Baakile for burglary and was sentenced to 3 and half years imprisonment of which 2 years was suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence. He was also sentenced to 18 months for the second count of theft, and the sentences are to run concurrently. The accused pleaded guilty to both counts. A second accused, Mojaboswa Mologasegwe, pleaded not guilty.
According to the facts, the two accused broke into the house of Violet Morris in Botshabelo on May 12, 2007 using a screwdriver to open the door. They stole goods valued at P17 656.95.
Among the stolen items were a DSTV decoder, a camera, a keyboard, and two radios. Some of the items where found at the second accused's house by the police.
When passing sentence, Baakile said one of the factors he had to consider was the accused is young and a first offender, and he had pleaded guilty. Also taken into account were the interests of society and the seriousness of the offence.
The prosecutor was Nkaelang Lekgowa, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
Parents urged to take responsibility
By Basadi Morokotso
MABABE - Chobe MP Duncan Mlazie has called on parents to take ownership and be accountable for the upbringing of their children while at the same time seeing to it that their rights are not being violated in a way.
He said this in here on Tuesday during the commemorations of The Day of the African Child attended by pupils from Shorobe, Mababe, Sankuyo and Matsaudi primary schools.
The day is celebrated annually in remembarance of the 1976 Soweto protests by South African students, many of whom were shot dead after they had demanded that government improve the quality of education in their country, as well as the demand to be taught in their own ethnic languages
The United Nations was prompted to make rules and regulations that governed the welfare and rights of children, also giving priority to their health status, right to privacy, right to know their biological parents, right to national security, and right to speak openly.
Mlazie said the government of Botswana also went a step forward at the last parliament sitting by passing the Children's Act which explains the role of both parents in dealing with matters pertaining to the livelihood of their children.
He criticised parents who distance themselves from their children, adding that in such incidents, children are always made to live under harsh conditions which have changed their lives for the bad because parents have neglected them and failed to guide them while growing up.
Gofaone Gakena, a student at Mababe Primary who was also crowned Miss June 16 said children need to be placed in a position where they also enjoy life, let alone their youth, by those who are charged with such a responsibility, adding that this can only be achieved if their rights are taken heed of.
The event ended with the handing over of 75 blankets by Mlazie. He said the blankets should be distributed among children in need at Sankuyo, Khwai and Mababe primary schools. He promised to donate the same to Shorobe Primary School soon.
Big Brother is watching YOU and listening to what you say
Special Correspondent
Few people are aware of the existence of a massive, clandestine spy network (or signals intelligence collection system)shared by mostly Western nations that is capable of intercepting and inspecting the content of all telephone calls, fax transmissions, text messages (SMS transmissions), emails, and other forms of electronic communications sent across the world.
Known as the Echelon system, it is capable of intercepting satellite transmissions, transmissions on the public switched telephone network (PSTN) (which carries most Internet traffic), and transmissions carried by microwave links.
The PSTN is the network of the world's public circuit-switched telephone networks (in much the same way that the Internet is the network of the world's public IP-based packet-switched networks). The PSTN is now almost entirely digital, and includes both mobile and landline telephones.
The system shared by and operated on behalf of five signatory states to what is known as the UKUSA Security Agreement of 1948 United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It is widely presumed that other nations, particularly in southern Africa, have links to the system.
The stated purpose of the UKUSA treaty was to create a single vast global intelligence organization sharing a common agenda and common goals.
Each of the five signatory nations has its own signals intelligence agency and Echelon allows these agencies to function as one integrated unit for the collection and analysis of signals intelligence information from all over the world. The computers located at stations all over the world are referred to as echelon dictionaries. These computers are loaded with files containing key words. Messages in the data stream (or intercept) are scanned for the occurrence of these key words, and those messages which are flagged by the system are diverted for further processing. An echelon dictionary for a given nation does not only contain key words pertaining to that nation's intelligence-gathering efforts but also contains lists of key words pertaining to the intelligence-gathering efforts of the other nations. An incoming message is therefore scanned for occurrences of any of the key words on any of the lists for the different nations.
If a message contains a key word on the list provided by a given nation's agency, the message is automatically flagged and sent directly to the headquarters of the agency in question.
When a message is selected, the Dictionary computer automatically notes technical details such as the time and place of intercept, and writes the four-digit code associated with that category of intercept at the bottom of the message's text. This is very important after the messages have been intercepted, all of the messages pertaining to a particular subject can be retrieved from the database simply by searching the database for all messages tagged with the four-digit code associated with that subject. Voice recognition software now makes it possible for key words to be recognized in a stream of conversation. Applying the methodology described above, it is possible to intercept and read hundreds of millions of telephone conversations on a daily basis, and to flag those which match key words. Improvements in computer processing speeds and storage capacity make it possible to store massive quantities of information with very low overheads.
The widespread usage of fibre optic cables such as that now being completed in countries such as Botswana - changed the face of international communications entirely. Satellites were used for almost all point-to-point applications (telephone networks, Internet networks) but there has been a marked shift away from satellites to fibre optic transmission.
A ring of international telecommunications satellites used by the telephone companies of most nations circles the world. The satellites in this ring are all geostationary (each satellite remains directly above the same point on the surface of the planet at all times, day and night), and each satellite serves as a relay station for hundreds of thousands of simultaneous telephone calls, fax transmissions, text messages, teletypes, and emails. Through intelligence sharing, it is possible for a government to spy on its own citizens and to read the private correspondence of individuals, businesses, and government entities. A report published by the European Parliament in February 2000 alleged that the system helped American companies gain a commercial advantage over European firms.
It is reasonable to assume that ECHELON intercepts and listens to every telephone call, email, fax transmission, video transmission, teletype transmission, etc. and that the power of this system will only increase (and increase dramatically) with the passage of time. We now live in a surveillance society in which a government is able to track every move made by its citizens.
Hearing to decide the remainder of the league
Nhabe regional league has almost come to an end with most of the teams having completed their games, and Maun Tigers crowned as league champions.
However, it is not yet clear or decided who will occupy second spot but for now Gunners of Khwai have finished all their games and are right behind Tigers with 33 points. BMC follows on 3 rd place with 36 points from 21 games and they are waiting for the decision on their match against North West United which was abandoned after they scored a late winner which infuriated the Elephants players when they were denied the goal. BMC will be looking forward to a fair judgment from the league committee and any decision that favours them will mean that they have to play against Gunners of Khwai for 2 nd spot and also to decide who will play in the Coca Cola Cup next year.
According to the play rules and regulations, no team can proceed or win a league or avoid relegation on forfeited points, and that obviously means that the team has to play against the disadvantaged side to decide the winner. Delta Winds are still up there with a chance to occupy second spot as they have played 20 games, and have 35 points, but they are also waiting for a decision on their two games - against Maun United, who failed to show up for the fixture, and the Sankoyo match which was called off by referee Jack Casalis after Delta Winds submitted their match sheet too late. On the other hand, Sankoyo are also in with a chance and their chances are similar to BMC and Delta Winds.
At the bottom of the log, CTO and Maun United seem destined for the second division next season. CTO's dreams were shattered over the weekend when they were sent packing to the second division after a 5-1 drubbing by Gunners of Khwai. Maun United also lost by 5-2 to Gunners of Khwai and they are grounded at the bottom of the table with 17 points from 20 games.
After failing to report for their fixtures against Makgabisanaga and Delta Winds, they are waiting for the hearing and report of why they failed to fulfill their fixture. Meanwhile the league match between Delta Winds and Sankoyo Bush Bucks was called off after Delta Winds submitted their match sheet late to the match commissioner. According to match commissioner Kebonyethebe Dikgathatso, all the teams were at the ground on time but Delta Winds handed in their match sheet late.
A decision on this matter will be called for a hearing.
Tigers step up preparations for play-offs
Nhabe regional league giants Maun Tigers are in full swing preparing for the relegation plays offs to be played in Selebi Phikwe next month.
The team has been playing friendly games all around the region trying to build a very strong squad. The dates the play-offs has still to be finalised as the organising committee is still awaiting other regions which have not yet finished their league seasons.
According to sources, Francistown is the only region which the committee is now waiting for to complete their league. Tigers are getting all the necessary support to prepare and make themselves ready and are using Maun Sports Complex for their training purposes.
On Wednesday night, the local teams formed a selection of players around the region to play against Tigers. The select was organised to give Tigers a competitive training session as well as to test the teams' strength.
Coaching for conservation and not conversation!'
Coaching for Conservation will be hosting the 6 th annual conservation and football camp at Maun Sports Complex from July 6 to 10. Over 600 children from Maun primary schools will take part. Coaching for Conservation is the primary social development program of the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, which is a globally recognised wildlife conservation research program. In last week's edition it was erroneously stated that Coaching for Conversation would be taking place. The error is regretted.
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