The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Kenneth Matambo, is tomorrow expected to deliver a budget that will usher in a new dispensation with the capacity to solve the country’s persistent economic problems.
The budget also marks the beginning of the second phase of National Development Plan 10 which ends in 2016 with 50 years of the country’s independence.
2016 is a historic year in which Batswana would be looking forward to the attainment of the seven pillars of Vision 2016.
As Matambo takes to the parliament podium, a myriad of issues, such as unemployment, poverty alleviation, economic diversification and others, should no doubt occupy his mind.
In his 2013/14 budget, the minister should first and foremost outline the achievements that were made in the first phase of NDP 10.  He should equally outline the challenges that were
encountered in the plan period.
The minister should unequivocally tell the nation what he is doing to cushion the economy from external shocks, especially those that are of a global dimension. It is compelling for the minister to outline the measures given that the country is yet to recover from a global recession that characterized the first four years of the plan period with its vast budget deficits and postponement of projects of national importance.
Matambo is undoubtedly faced with a great task of delivering a budget surplus which he predicted in his last budget. Coupled with the surplus should be an increase in the country’s foreign reserves, which could be drawn down to cushion the economy against any unforeseeable shocks.
The budget also comes at a time when the civil service has not received any meaningful salary increase despite escalating living costs. It, however, remains to be seen whether the minister, in his intricate balancing act, will afford to award the civil service a salary increase.
To the unemployed, anything falling short by the minister of outlining tangible job creation initiatives will be mostly devastating. The 18 percent labour force that is currently unemployed will be waiting with bated breath for a budget that can put bread on their table.
The nation will be further yearning for Matambo to announce economic diversification initiatives with the capacity to withstand the current weak global demand for diamonds which have in the past been the major driver of the economy.
The minister should be able to select high economic impact projects that have high economic returns which are self-liquidating so as to keep the economy afloat.
For the multitudes of the homeless, they will be looking at the minister to unveil a land servicing budget that will facilitate the delivery of serviced land for residential, commercial and industrial activities. The minister should be aware of the huge waiting lists for land applications, especially in urban and peri-urban areas. The issue needs his immediate intervention.
The other issue on the minister’s budget should be his ability to reduce the dominance of government spending in the economy with a view to creating sufficient leverage for the private sector to fill the vacuum without undue dependence on government spending.
In line with NDP 10 mid-term review objectives, the 2013/14 budget should emphasize the need for the stimulation of an increased domestic and private investment geared towards the enhancement of competitiveness in both goods and services markets.
The budget should ensure improved citizen welfare that is not reliant on social safety nets and social programmes like Ipelegeng, which have proved to be unsustainable and expensive to administer.
Matambo will be further expected to take cognizance of the fact that the economy might have out grown government’s implementation capacity and thus necessitate an increased role of the private sector.
Infrastructure development is another key area that the minister should point his focus on as it provides a platform in which other sectors like tourism, mining, agriculture and others can grow and develop. Trade facilitation is possible in the presence of good transport and communications system.
It will equally be important for the minister to address the issues of health and education with the utmost urgency.
Botswana is still faced with a serious shortage of skilled manpower. So a sizeable budget should go towards education and skills development. The budget should also be devoted to solving the current education crisis which has seen declining performance in standards and quality.
Health infrastructure development should┬áas well┬átop the budget priority agenda. Gains made against HIV/AIDS in the areas of reduction and prevention should be maintained. A big budget for HIV/AIDS is, therefore, an imperative that should not escape the minister’s budget.
Last but not least will be for the minister to address issues concerning the plight of rural dwellers and, to that extent, he should unveil a huge share for rural development and agriculture which forms the backbone of source of income for the majority of people in the rural areas.
