TODAY'S ORDER PAPER

                     BOTSWANA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

O R D E R P A P E R

(THURSDAY 11TH AUGUST, 2022)

LEADER OF THE HOUSE’S QUESTION TIME HRS/MINS 1400 – 1445

 Minister for State President

THEME: THE RATIONALISATION OF GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO RESPONSIBILITIES: IMPLICATIONS ON SPEDU (Mr. D. L. Keorapetse, MP. – Selebi Phikwe West)

QUESTIONS

1. MR. B. MATHOOTHE, MP. (SEROWE NORTH): To ask the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs to update this Honourable House on future plans regarding the land that was long acquired around the Serowe Old Mall next to Lady Khama Centre. (508) 2. MR. O. REGOENG, MP. (MOLEPOLOLE NORTH): To ask the Minister of Education and Skills Development to state:

(i) the student carrying capacity of Molepolole Brigade, the present enrolment, programmes offered and at what levels;

(ii) if there is any standing arrangement with industry players in the market for student attachment during vacations;

(iii) if he is aware that for a long time the Brigade has been running with no Library and adequate workshop machinery/equipment; and

(iv) why students at Brigades are not paid the same allowance as those at other tertiary institutions. (509)

3. MR. F. T. LEUWE, MP. (TAKATOKWANE): To ask the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs to state:

(i) why it seems that paid public holidays only benefit public sector employees whilst private sector employees are left at the mercy of the employer; (510) 2

(ii) if there are any laws in place to force private sector employers to comply; and (iii) the reason for categorising holidays as paid and unpaid.

4. MR. K. C. HIKUAMA, MP. (NGAMI): To ask the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs to update this Honourable House on the state of the Semolo Water Treatment Plant in the Ngami Constituency and its maintenance plan and to further explain:

(i) the malfunctional parts of the plant that affect its operational efficiency and the projected budget to fix the plant; and (ii) the contingency plan or remedial actions in place. (511)

5. MR. O. RAMOGAPI, MP. (PALAPYE): To ask the Minister for State President to explain the rationale for applying different principles in the payment of allowances relating to travel and lodging for Government employees, in particular:

(i) why leave concession is paid according to scale while perdiem and subsistence allowance are the same/standardised for officers across grades;

(ii) if he is aware that payment of subsistence allowance and perdiem were standardised on the basis that accommodation and transport costs are the same regardless of whether you are a driver or an officer; and

(iii) why the Minister has not standardised leave concession allowance in applying the principle of precedence and if he will consider correcting this anomaly. (512)

6. MR. P. P. P. MOATLHODI, MP. (TONOTA): To ask the Minister of Transport and Public Works if he is aware that the construction of the road from Semotswane through Mandunyane as well as Shashe Mooke villages through four villages in the Shashe West Constituency has been on the cards for a very long time and if so:

(i) to explain to this Honourable House what is causing these tedious delays;

(ii) is the Minister alive to the fact that the more the delays, the higher the costs will be and if so, can the Minister say exactly as to when we can expect the project to begin and finish; and

(iii) can the Minister confirm that originally the road was planned to have an interchange near Engen Filling Station and if so, can we still expect the road to come with such an interchange and if not, why. (513) 3

7. MR. K. K. KAPINGA, MP. (OKAVANGO): To ask the Minister of Agriculture to update this Honourable House on the following:

(i) which government department(s) or institution(s) is/are responsible for inland fish farming;

(ii) is the current arrangement conducive to coordinated efforts in ensuring the success of fish farming;

(iii) how many fish farms have been established with the assistance of the government and how well are they doing; and

(iv) whether the technology used in setting up the fish farms (equipment) is the most ideal and whether there are issues relating to genetics/species being farmed or any environmental challenges that have arisen or impacted the fish farming initiatives. (515)

8. MR. T. LETSHOLO, MP. (KANYE NORTH): To ask the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs to apprise this Honourable House on the water situation in Kanye, Ranaka, Ntlhantlhe, Lekgolobotlo, Magotlhwane and Kgomokasitwa; more particularly update on the:

(i) North South Carrier project and its envisaged benefit for the people of these villages;

(ii) Masima Water project and its envisaged benefit for the people of these villages; and

(iii) plans to remediate and or replace leaking underground water pipes in Kanye and illuminate on the amount of water currently being lost due to the leakages. (517)

9. MR. S. J. BROOKS, MP. (KGALAGADI SOUTH): To ask the Minister of Agriculture whether Government will survey and drill suitable water for farmers in Kgalagadi South and reticulate to their water points or sites under the LIMID programme so that they can improve the growth of their livestock given that the area has a high rate of saline in underground water. (518)

10. MR. G. KEKGONEGILE, MP. (MAUN EAST): To ask the Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology:

(i) if he is aware that radio signals and all networks (cellphone) coverage in the Samedupi catchment area are weak and almost unavailable; and

(ii) to state corrective measures being put in place to address this challenge and when. (519) 

QUESTION WITHOUT NOTICE

11. MR. T. MANGWEGAPE-HEALY, MP. (GABORONE CENTRAL): To ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs to give a brief overview about the discussion between His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi and the President of Ukraine Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky, in particular:

(i) why the statements from the two Presidents following their interaction appear to be different;

(ii) for the Minister to state Botswana’s foreign policy on armed conflicts and what processes the country follows in terms of interventions or engagements with affected states; and

(iii) when will Botswana codify its foreign policy into a comprehensive instrument that will be made public and guide the country on its foreign policy. (536)

 STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF YOUTH, GENDER, SPORT AND CULTURE

NOTICE OF MOTIONS AND ORDERS OF THE DAY

HRS/MINS SECOND READING 1445 – 1800

1. Hypothecation (Repeal) Bill, 2022 (Bill No. 7 of 2022) An Act to repeal the Hypothecation Act.

(Published on 10th June, 2022)

(Minister of Finance)

COMMITTEE STAGE

2. Transfer Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (Bill No. 3 of 2022) An Act to amend the Transfer Duty Act.

(Published on 4th March, 2022)

(Minister of Finance)

5 3. Access and Benefit-Sharing of Biological Diversity Bill, 2022 (Bill No. 12 of 2022) An Act to give effect in Botswana to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation to the Convention on Biological Diversity; to provide for the establishment of administrative structures and processes for access to biological or genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge; to regulate access to biological or genetic resources and associated knowledge; to protect the right of the local communities over biological or genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge; to provide for a fair and equitable sharing of benefits accrued from the utilization of biological or genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge; and to provide for related matters.

(Published on 4th July, 2022)

(Minister of Environment and Tourism)