We are already in that season of the year.
It is impossible to miss the mood. Already many companies have closed and are due to open only in the New Year.
Scores of people have taken leave. And in less than a wee many more companies will close, resulting in even larger number of people taking leave.
Inevitably this is a time of the year when most people travel; to join families and friends, and or to go on holiday. Because of the large number of people that travel, there often are many accidents in our roads due mainly to congestion. But we have to honest and point out that too often accidents are a result of excitement, speed, drunken-driving, impatience and general discourtesy in our roads.
As a result of drunkenness and indeed excitement, too often we have drivers who do not want to obey road signs.
In the last month or two, we have witnessed growing incidents of accidents in our roads, some unfortunately involving public transport carriers, which we have over the years grown to regard as the safest on the road.
The pain and misery occasioned by these tragic accidents cannot be overemphasized.
We urge Batswana to be extra careful as they embark on the roads to visit their loved ones or even go on holiday. We urge drivers in our roads to follow and obey road sins.
We also urge them to be courteous to authorities in the roads who are trying to make our journeys as safe, pleasurable and enjoyable as possible.
As a newspaper we also call on all drivers in our roads to assess and inspect conditions of their vehicles so as to ensure that they are roadworthy before embarking on the roads in what are often long and tiresome distances.
While we are all out for people going out and enjoying themselves, we insist that such joy should be done through the confines of the law. We also insist that such festivities should be held with all the caution in mind.
Too many Batswana have succumbed to HIV/AIDS.
Many of our people are today infected and affected.
It is our duty as a newspaper to keep reminding people that safe sex is the most effective way of protecting oneself from HIV.
As we celebrate and get excited, let us not throw caution away.
As a nation we have suffered enough as a result of HIV/AIDS.
Our ambition as a nation is to reach an era where there will be no more new infections.
That can only happen if as a people we continue to be mindful of the fact that unprotected sex is dangerous as it is a leading way through which HIV spreads.
This is the last edition of The Telegraph this year. We hope to see you all in the New Year.
May we use this time to celebrate that which we have achieved as a nation, but more importantly use it also remember our country men and women whom we have lost along the way as they fell and could not make it this far.
May God Bless Botswana.
