Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Duncan Mlazie, has dismissed as unfounded fears and allegations that Botswana’s economic data could be two years out of date.
Answering a question in parliament from Member of Parliament for Mmadinare, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, who had wanted to know how the ministry assists investors to make correct business decisions under the circumstances, Mlazie said the Central Statistics Office, which produces such data, publishes it within a lag of less than twelve months after the reference period.
Assistant Minister said the CPI (Consumer Price Index) data are produced every month as is other trade data like inflation.
Regarding attracting FDI inflows, the minister said, “I wish to mention that a conducive macroeconomic and fiscal environment is critical. This is in place as has been confirmed by international commentators on the Botswana economy such as international sovereign credit rating agencies.”
Recently the ministry of Finance has been coming under pressure from some committees of parliament on the integrity of the data they rely on for national budgeting.
