29 April 2009
editorial
When the intensive labour programme was launched, it was easy to dismiss it as yet another pre-election populist stunt by the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
In the early days of the programme, we were sceptical, although we did appreciate the importance of such initiatives in the creation of employment. Programmes such as Namola Leuba have often been credited for creating short-term employment at a time when this was needed in rural areas. But many critics have warned that the projects under the programme were often not up to standard. So when the labour intensive programme commenced, we feared it might fall into the same trap that of being a costly exercise steeped in employment creation, but ultimately having no major impact in the provision of infrastructure to our people.
However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the current programme is having a positive impact on the environment. A walk around Gaborone reveals a change in the landscape, and the difference is a clean environment. We all know that in the 1990s to the early 2000s, Gaborone was not one of the cleanest cities in the world. Plastic bags decorated trees. Pavement chocked in dried mud. Bushes outgrew signposts around the city and its environs. There were potholes on every road. Road maintenance was held-hostage by the endless tendering processes.
What the labour intensive project has revealed is that public works can be made efficient with a very simple initiative and at a fraction of the cost. A walk around Gaborone's historically overlooked areas such as Old Naledi and New Stance reveals a much-improved environment. Rubbish is collected on time. Outgrowths of bush are cleared long before they become a nuisance. We also note that since locals are engaged in these projects, they have an improved understanding and care for the environment. We therefore, take this opportunity to pay tribute to the workers engaged in this project and the patriot who came up with the idea. Bravo to the labour intensive project!
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