19 December 2008
editorial
We commend the Ministry of Education for undertaking a fact finding mission to Malaysia where three Batswana students perished under very tragic circumstances.
One of the students apparently threw himself from a high rise building and died.
For a young student to take his life in this fashion and far away from home is a matter of serious concern. There have been some opinion pieces written in the Malaysian media and some found their way here where there are suspicions that students there could be involved in drug abuse.
The ministry's fact finding mission has assisted in finding out what the cause of all these problems could be. With the numbers of students that we have sent out it was always important for the ministry to ensure that they provide some regular pastoral care to these students who have been removed from their usual support system.
They do not have friends, relatives, a familiar environment, food, different weather and they are exposed to a completely different culture. This is without doubt a condition that dictated the provision of regular counselling.
We should, however, be gratified the ministry is thinking of relocating an educational attache' to Malaysia.
On another note, we have been shocked to learn that the Diamond Trading Company's aggregation centre might not transfer its services to Botswana as it was planned.
Information filtered to the media has it that this transfer might be delayed. It appears even the government officials are in the dark about this development.
Most Batswana have been singing praises of the benefits that would accrue to locals once the diamond beneficiation is in full swing. The diamond park and its attendant industries in Botswana were bound to create thousands of jobs in the country.
'Aggregation involves the blending of categories of diamonds like-for-like, regardless of their country of origin. These are then split into appropriate types and quantities to be sold to clients or sight holders".
These are the type of activities that were expected to relocate from London to Botswana.
Whatever the cause of this postponement, it will definitely scupper our national development plans. We should now question the sincerity of De Beers to relocate this activity to Botswana. We should urge government not to bend in ensuring that De Beers lives up to its promise which is long overdue anyway.
This is the time when the transfer should be effected.
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