The Economic Committee of Cabinet (ECC) convened in Gaborone yesterday to review key proposed laws set to be presented to Parliament, aiming to enhance outcomes and service delivery for Batswana.

The ECC, comprising the national cabinet, permanent secret

The Economic Committee of Cabinet (ECC) convened in Gaborone yesterday to review key proposed laws set to be presented to Parliament, aiming to enhance outcomes and service delivery for Batswana.

The ECC, comprising the national cabinet, permanent secretaries, and selected heads of government departments and advisory groups, reviewed four proposed legislations: the Public Service Bill, Employment and Labour Relations Bill, the Re-Enactment of the Electronic Services and Transactions Bill, and the Medical Aid Funds Bill.

Addressing the ECC meeting, President Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi emphasized the importance of such gatherings in boosting confidence and ensuring the effective delivery of responsibilities to Batswana. He stated, "Our confidence in the outcomes of meetings like this will energize us to confidently fulfill our obligations to Batswana. We must ensure that what we present to Parliament meets our expectations."

President Masisi highlighted that the Public Service Bill, to be tabled by the Minister for State President, aims to revise the existing Public Service Act, initially passed in 2008 and effective from May 2010. He noted that challenges in implementing the current law across various public service sectors necessitated a review to better serve the interests of both the Government as an employer and public service workers.

The Employment and Labour Relations Bill, overseen by the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, seeks to consolidate the existing Employment Act, Trade Unions and Employers Organisations Act, and Trade Dispute Act into a single comprehensive law. President Masisi explained that the new law aims to update the country's labour regulations to align with international norms and support the National Employment Policy adopted in 2022. He added that the revised Public Service Act and the new Employment and Labour Relations law are expected to create governance structures facilitating effective collective bargaining between employees, unions, employers, and employer organizations.

Dr. Masisi underscored the need to balance workers� welfare with performance improvement, stating that the proposed laws aim to align public service conditions with those in the private sector to enhance work ethic and productivity.

The Services and Transactions Bill, under the Minister of Communications, Knowledge, and Technology, intends to enhance public data security and privacy, improve citizen engagement and participation, increase transparency and accountability among public sector employees, and open up data sources to support the transition to a knowledge-based economy.

A new bill, the Medical Aid Funds Bill, was also discussed by the ECC. Under the Minister of Finance's jurisdiction, this bill addresses the absence of a specific law regulating non-profit medical aid funds like BOMAID and BPOMAS. President Masisi mentioned that the bill includes transition arrangements for these funds, while a separate bill for for-profit medical aid funds like Botsogo is being drafted. He stated that the proposed bill aims to ensure the sustainability, good governance, and sound management of resources for the benefit of members.