FMD throws North East into life-or-death fight

JAKALAS NO. 1: The economy here is already feeling the effects of the government’s implementation of FMD control measures, such as monitoring and quarantine procedures, to contain the disease. In addition, butchery business owners and employees are concerned about how these will affect their incomes, as the government has not yet disclosed whether or not there will be any subsidies.

These are not ordinary times. Yet, history reminds us that this nation has navigated difficult waters before and did so by clinging firmly to the principles of prudence and macroeconomic stability. From independence in 1966, Botswana chose a path few resource-rich countries managed to sustain.

Diamond revenues were not treated as windfalls for reckless expansion, but as capital to be managed with caution. The establishment of fiscal rules,…