My assignment has ended and I have now left Botswana after three years that have flown by which is always the sign of an enjoyable posting. So this is my final and reflective blog, written from a freezing London. Never again will I complain about the heat.
For my over-arching impression, I will stick with my 5 Cs as reported by the media here. They were not meant to usurp the President’s 5 Ds, but they were inspired by them. I see them as constructive comment rather than anything critical. It is more that Botswana could and should be better. I think it will get there and it does not need fundamental change to do so. Rather it needs a change of approach and direction and perhaps a cultural shift. Culture is not god given but man-made and should evolve and adapt to remain relevant. The culture of state provision and the expectancy of it needs to change. Success needs to be rewarded and failure punished.
You can learn a lot from a country by its driving, which is generally pretty good in Botswana. But the disregard for the traffic laws concerns me and I have a particular issue with those who drive blatantly through red lights. I think people do this because there is no consequence and no punishment (traffic cameras would soon put a stop to that and generate a lot of revenue). But I have a sense that people don’t care about the rules and that the lights are red – they are simply not going to stop. This is also a culture that needs to change before it becomes invasive and spreads.
My focus certainly over the last year has been on trying to improve the business environment and increase trade between our two countries. The government, with its Economic Stimulus Package and Reform of the Ease of Doing Business, has made a start, but more needs to be done. For example, Botswana needs to adapt to the challenges of the 21st century global economy and open itself up more to Foreign Direct Investment. This will help grow the economy and increase employment opportunities. In my opinion, there are some restrictive, protectionist and outdated working practices that are stifling investment and innovation. Botswana urgently needs civil service and union reform, much along the lines of those introduced by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s which transformed the UK.
Botswana needs to tackle the growing corruption, which one senior government official told me was the greatest threat to Botswana’s continued development. And the quickest way to tackle corruption is through transparency. If a process is transparent, it is hard for corruption to take hold. Botswana can make a start on this by signing up to Global Principles such as the Open Government Partnership.
But I believe Botswana’s future to be bright and I have no doubt it will be. I’ve been inspired by the talent and skills of Botswana’s youth. But at the moment, Botswana, just like the UK, has some tough decisions to make if it wants to continue its development. In this, I hope Botswana does what Margaret Thatcher did which, in her own words, was “what was right, not what was popular”.
I’ve been asked what achievements am I most proud of? There are four that immediately spring to mind. The first is in helping Botswana take the lead on combating the Illegal Wildlife Trade. The second was launching the Duke of Edinburgh Golf Charity and establishing the Botswana Foundation Trust. Spending the money raised (over 800,000 Pula) and seeing those less fortunate than us benefit has been both humbling and inspiring. This was also, however, the most stressful thing I have ever done. I am also very proud of my team at the High Commission, not least for our decorating efforts.
My fourth is leaving the same weight I arrived which given the amount of food always on offer is no mean feat!
We’ve also brought Shakespeare to a new audience through the Shakespeare Lives campaign; we’ve funded seminars and workshops on issues as diverse as Renewable Energy and Women in Politics. We put on the first ever UK Trade Mission to Botswana and the number of our Chevening Scholarship Awards has increased from 2 to 11. This work will continue so the Botswana/UK future also looks bright.
I’ve been asked what my regrets are? First and foremost is not being here in person to help Botswana celebrate its 50th Anniversary of Independence, though we will certainly help Botswana celebrate. And there are also a couple of issues I have not made as much progress on as I would have liked. But like any good friend, we can agree to disagree in a mature manner and keep them between ourselves.
There has been plenty to smile about, not least getting lost in Francistown and hearing of my daughter queue up for lunch at a Kentucky Fried Chicken only to be told they had run out of chicken! I’ve taken 15 minutes to buy an ice cream at a deserted and remote petrol station. I’ve experienced queuing up at a bank. I’ve dealt with the police directly and obtained (eventually) a local driving licence. All were interesting experiences. I’m sure the First Lady Detective series of books are fact and not fiction. Patience certainly is a virtue.
Finally, my litmus test on how I view a posting has always been how I have slept and how my conscience is. I asked myself these questions as we took our last (for now) flight from SSKIA to Johannesburg. I’ve slept pretty well, often until the sound of a low-flying helicopter, and my conscience is clear. I have tried my best though whether it was good enough is not for me to determine. So I have left with predominantly happy memories and good friendships that, despite some challenges, I’m sure will endure.
Stay Well Everyone
