SUSPICIOUS: Allen Sokwe
Plans by the government to provide elderly people with radios have received mixed reactions from the North West District Councillors.
A recent memo from the office of the president directed the council to assess all the beneficiaries of Old Age Pension Scheme, World War II and destitute persons who are vulnerable and living on their own with the aim of purchasing small radios for them to ease their boredom.
It further requested all council secretaries, town clerks and district commissioners to ensure that their offices conduct house to house visits so that no one is left out.
But this did not go down well with majority of the councilors who complained that they did not budget for the assessment exercise and will not exhaust the little that is in their coffers to do that.
They complained of initiatives that come without notice saying it disrupts their plans adding that while they are consulting their communities regarding provision of food for Ipelegeng workers another directive has comes through.
“ We wasted lot of energy last time trying to educate people about backyard gardening but there was never a follow up and now we are told to go and assess who should benefit on radios, it is a waste of resources,” said Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD)Councilor Lekopanye Ledimo of Kareng Ward.
He wondered why the initiative was so immediate and being given a lot of priority while other projects were still pending.
Another BMD councilor Allen Sokwe of Tsau sent other councillors into a fit of laughter when he asked how the radios were going to operate.
“I want to know if those radios will not be programmed to broadcast certain people only. I suspect that the radios will be used as a campaign tool because of its timing and the people who are benefiting. And I do hope they bring normal radios which can broadcast all the stations,’’ he said.
However Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Councilor for Nxaunxau/Xauduma Samson Mauano welcomed the idea saying it will benefit those who don’t have any other means of accessing news.
Councilor Obonya Morapedi of Boyeyi echoed his sentiments saying that it was a welcome idea that will not educate but provide entertainment to elders.
The radios will be purchased with initial batteries but once they are flat the beneficiaries will buy for themselves.
Councilor-Sokwe
Ke lengwe la mananeo aa suleng. Mme kea itse gore ka leano laga Tautona go tlaa diragatswa fela go sa dumalanwe. Tota gatwe DEMOCRACY e kae?
a great idea if well planned
It will provide those with
1. information- what is happenning around them
2. Entertainment – e.g. music
If the radios are portable , they would be able to take it while they are out and about e.g. attending to their garden in their backyard etc. or while in the house
I know an 83 year old lady who was tired of watching television and wanted a radio so for christmas she got one
The best thing before it is rolled out is to try and assess it with a group of pensioners and see how they take to it
One could even create a database of recipients with their name and address and the serial number of the radio just in case they lose the radios or in case of theft
Another idea would be to get the recipients to sign for the radio so the Office that has disbursed them is rest assured that the radios have been given to the rightful recipients
And Finally!!!
The way to initiate the idea is to have the person/people who came up with this to present a Senior person with a radio!!!
Make sure my favourite Granny who is taking care of 24 children is not left out!
Owaii @ Cheerful. O bo o ratile! Batho ba ipapaletsa ditlhopho ka makgetho a rona so that it looks like Government takes care whereas its BDP. This does not make sense at all.
Brainwashing and dictatorship is on the way. They are buying radios for the elderly now and by the way who said these elderly can’t afford radios on their own? Next they are going to be told when to switch them on and when not to. It will be when H.E is addressing BDP rallies, during radio Botswana news where H.E has a speech to make. People will be told to switch their BDP radios off when the opposition is on the air. Our only salvation from all this gabbage is if the opposition can take over and normalize the lives of Batswana. Domkrag e dira bothaswa le lenyatso le le thabisang dithong. Ba duela babereki ka magwinya, merogo e e sa butswang(backyard gardens) le kool aid. How low can they get? Why are Batswana not seeing this satanic medling?
If this government had been doing its job for the last 45 years, we would not be having destitutes and there would be any need to budget such huge amounts of money to buy senseless radios. The so called vulnerable elderly would be able to afford their own radio or even TV. So the poverty of our people is a gain for BDP and it is sad to see how a bad situation our elderly are in, is being shamelessly exploited by the president and his party.