A lot of progress has been made to increase the number of Batswana who are connected to the internet.
That growth, though magnificent, remains concentrated in the rural areas.
It is largely a result of mobile phones.
Mobile phones have transformed not just the way of doing business, they have also transformed lives.
Mobile phones are not just communication gadgets, they have with time become an indispensable lifestyle instrument.
Mobile phones have also with time morphed to become a way of life by themselves.
They have made life easier for multitudes of people.
As a result of mobile phones, money is now able to change hands quicker and much more safely than ever before. Where it used to take months to communicate through the use of post mail, it now takes seconds. And better, it is cheaper and more efficient.
The problem though is that there are still great swathes of territories in our country that are still to be connected.
Government, through the telecommunications regulator needs to nudge more on mobile phone companies to expand the country’s connectivity.
This would in the long term prove profitable.
We are aware of the ongoing investments by Government to improve internet connectivity in the country.
Our complaint is that such efforts are taking too long to bear any tangible fruits.
At the moment a great number of our people remain outside the loop when it comes to the internet.
The world over, internet connectivity is rated among the most important indicators of development.
It is difficult today to get development into areas that do not have internet.
Where in the past internet was regarded as a luxury, many countries today regard it as an elementary essential like say water or electricity.
Countries that have large numbers of people not connected to the internet grid are regarded as having a long way to go.
We must work in that regard.
More worrying is the fact that almost all government schools do not have access to the internet.
Where internet exists, it is enjoyed exclusively by the school leadership, usual just the headteacher and not other members of staff.
This is abominable.
Another factor is that where it exists, internet in Botswana is too slow. This means that it is not capable to carry and transmit data to where it is needed in requisite speeds and loads.
And that is not all.
Another factor is that internet in Botswana remains very expensive.
We need to make internet cheaper so that even small businesses in the rural areas can begin to appreciate the inherent value of the internet to connect them to their potential clients across the globe.
But then off course the true benefits of the internet can begin to filter into the broader economy if the resource is used by many.
