Monday, March 22, 2010

Response by the Deputy Senior Private Secretary and Media Liaison to H.E. The President to Botswana Guardian Media Enquiry - Asset Declaration

source: Republic of Botswana (14/3/10) TAUTONA TIMES no 4 of 2010
The Electronic Press Circular of the Office of the President
"Democracy, Development, Dignity, Discipline and Delivery"


C13) RESPONSE BY THE DEPUTY SENIOR PRIVATE SECRETARY AND MEDIA LIAISON TO H.E. THE PRESIDENT TO BOTSWANA GUARDIAN MEDIA ENQUIRY - ASSET DECLARATION

1. As in the past, current Cabinet Members have indeed declared their assets to His Excellency.

2. Botswana continues to be among the world's as well as Africa's most transparent and open societies. In this respect it may be noted that there are other mechanisms and institutions in existence for assuring our status including the Registrar of Companies, PPADB, Auditor General's Office and DCEC, to name but a few.

3. His Excellency the President in on record as describing corruption as being "like a cancer that, if not detected and uprooted at the earliest opportunity, can spread throughout our society. Our efforts to fight this crime will therefore be geared to effectively prevent corruption from taking root." In this respect His Excellency has further pledged to re-double anti-corruption efforts so as to maintain Botswana's status as Africa's least corrupt country, as well as further enhance our global reputation for zero-tolerance towards such crimes. This includes, among other things, cooperation and benchmarking with those countries that have the most effective and well resourced anti-corruption institutions to enhance the capability of the DCEC.

4. As you are aware the Hon. Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration is to make a submission to Parliament on the [asset declaration] issue. In this respect it would not be appropriate to preclude what she might say.

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