Ryder Gabathuse
14 November 2007
Francistown — The Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) will hold its annual fund-raising northern gala dinner at the Tati River Lodge here on Saturday next week.
The federation of employers is a non-profit making organisation that relies on membership subscriptions and calendar events like the November 24 gala dinner to run its affairs.
The organisation's Regional Manager (North) says "member subscriptions were not sufficient to keep BOCCIM running, that is why we venture into fundraising activities."
Eileen Van der est says besides fundraising, the annual gala dinner brings together BOCCIM members at the end of the year from many areas in the northern half of Botswana - from Mahalapye in the central region to Maun in the north-west.
The theme for this year's dinner is "Mining as a Catalyst for Diversified Business opportunities."
The General Manager of Tati Nickel Mine, Peet Kotze, will set the tone for the evening as guest speaker.
Van der est is calling on BOCCIM members and non-members to come to the dinner so as to benefit from the deliberations as experts share their experiences.
"We need the business community to gain some new insights into the business front so that they may prepare themselves for opportunities that continue to avail themselves," says Van der est.
This year's gala dinner is coming at a time of unparalleled activity in the mining sector - which BOCCIM is keenly aware of - in and around Francistown.
Van der est is inviting non-members to take out BOCCIM membership so as to enjoy benefits exclusive to members.
These include job proficiency training and general business advocacy.
"We even approach newly registered companies," she says. "As we survive on membership subscriptions, it is our duty to follow the business community for our survival."The support of our members has been great in the previous gala dinners. Issues raised by previous guest speakers have been very pertinent."
BOCCIM is a key member of the High Level Consultative Council, an elite annual forum chaired by the President at which various sectors of the economy and NGOs present highlights of the previous year and their future projections.
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