The Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) top-brass on Wednesday unveiled a futuristic roadmap under the theme “in pursuit of an integrated and unified sport management and development system”.
The action plan, they said, is the product of several factors, among them, the need to have an executive agenda up to July 2009 when their term of office will be coming to an end, to address issues from past executives, the need for a framework for sub structures for their 2008-09 agenda, which encompasses sports development, a refined human resource management, established audit and finance and tender committees. The BNSC adopted themes to spell out their mandate, which are Corporate Governance, Relationship Management, Sports Development, Resource Mobilisation and Human Capital Development and Monitoring and evaluation.
Under corporate governance issues of improved social responsibility projects, financial allocation, Relationship Management, will largely be shaped to iron out differences between BNSC, Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC), and the Department of Sports and Recreation (DSR). In the past BNSC and BNOC have been at cross purposes with the former seeking to be recognized as a separate entity, which called for direct funding from the government not through the latter.
In making her presentation on Sports Development, the Vice Chairperson, Dr Nomsa Mbere, touched on the youth program, Re Ba Bona Ha. She highlighted that they are currently reviewing the program, and are looking to improve it so that it seizes to operate as a once in a year show but an all year round program that will nurture and monitor young athletes on a daily basis. She also said a technical committee for standing games will be set up.
An all stakeholders meeting is, however, to be held to discuss ways of maximizing benefits of the Sports Volunteer Movement (SVM).
.”We also would retain former athletes and anyone who has been trained in sports to reap from their experience and expertise,” Dr Mbere revealed.
An affiliates-empowerment scheme was also adopted and affiliates are to be empowered through capacity building. To undertake this, a leadership program will be set to bridge the skills gap among affiliates.
“The government is currently strained and as a council we have undertaken the initiative to source for alternative funds, we might even lobby international donors,” Mbere said. For a start, the council said they will raise P3 million and the money will be used to finance the upgrading of Athletes Village in Phase 2, South Ring Courts, Gaborone, Lobatse and Selebe Phikwe Courts and the Bonnington Stables.
A proposal to build an indoor sports hall is due to be handed to the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Culture.
