Dear Editor,
We must never take our economy, the resources we have, the infrastructure and other privileges for granted. We need to take good care of our resources because diamonds are not forever.
After watching a few snippets from BTV these past months, it has dawned on me that we need to do something about our seemingly institutionalized culture of waste, extravagance and lavishness.
Mr. Editor, even if the diamonds were forever, as a nation we must demonstrate good custodianship of our resources.
We have a lot of projects which cost millions of tax payers’ money. Many were never completed, some were completed after several additions to the initial budget, some were long completed but never utilized except by illegal immigrants enjoying free accommodation and vandalizing.
Some develop cracks and other major structural problems even before completion.
Our failure to maintain our projects, in some instances we don’t even know what we have, or if we do, nobody really cares, is very worrisome indeed.
How can a relatively new building which cost millions be abandoned for over eight years? How does a high cost house situated on very prime land in the centre of Francistown remain un-occupied for six years?
How are government offices which were vacated three years ago still vacant today, yet still have water and electricity available in them very much to the delight of illegal immigrants?
How many equipment bought at great cost is lying idle in some office, in some passage or storeroom, not being utilized or underutilized? Surely this advanced culture of waste Mr. Editor cannot be allowed to go on like this.
In this day and age when many of our young people are unemployed, there is an urgent need for us to change our attitudes.
Radical change towards eliminating waste.
Surely the days of decorating our roads with petrol guzzlers and other very complex but costly toys when some of our citizens do not know where their next meal will come from are over.
We can build bigger jails, and increase the sentences, but the real solution is perhaps, sharing what we have with the have not, or better still ensuring that we do not swim in untold lavishness when the person next door has no shelter over their head.
Mr. editor, in South Africa, it is a fact that some unscrupulous landlords are cashing in on our complacency and looting our money, bogus lease agreements with ghost landlords, fake medical claims, etc. One student asked “Tell me, do you people in Botswana have a shortage of breweries”?
The very unusually high rate of drinking and love for nice time by our students is well known in Mafeking, Cape town, Durban and other cities in South Africa, Australia to name a few where our students are training in large numbers.
Mr. Editor this situation cannot be allowed to go on unchecked. Cost saving and living a modest life has not killed anyone.
Lights which are left on 24 hours, leaking taps and ablutions pouring water 24 hours, endless beer festivals and parties where the unholy liquid is consumed without rationing, too much wining and dining, all these are contrary to the spirit of cost saving and cost cutting.
Our children especially those who grow up in Cities, do not know the definition of hunger.
Most are very choosey and without appetite, after all they can survive on ice cream and takeaways daily, very spoiled indeed. Some would be offended if you persuaded them to eat malatsa (leftovers).
They would take you to Childline or to the children’s court for abuse. They see nothing in throwing away food.
Mr. Editor enough is enough, we must stop the bad culture of waste, extravagance and nice time.
Botswana needs more and more sober, hardworking and responsible millionaires. Nobody would die or develop horns if we encompassed a culture of cost saving and cost cutting, leading modest but decent life styles.
A Wiseman once said “What you give away, will leave your hand to somebody else’s life, but what you withhold, will remain in your jurisdiction, its value and purpose limited, so give.” Even the Holy Book reminds us that Blessed is the hand that giveth, than the one that taketh.
At personal level, we need to audit what we have and see if we cannot share with a needy person, a friend, relative, beggar, marginalized, unfortunate, destitute etc. I rest my case.
Attorney Chuchuchu Nchunga Nchunga
P Bag 009, Gaborone 71467812  3939197 Home
Leave a mark before you die. Let Honesty,integrity and efficiency be standard practice. Live a Holy life,you will have no regrets both now and after you die.Jesus is my best friend and Lord.
