This diamond slump is exposing our country’s lack of economic Plan B

Dear Ndaba I trust this brief finds you in good health, Nkosinathi – if not, then we could be headed for trouble as a country. We need you to be healthier today and tomorrow than you have ever been before.Akere ke wena o tabogileng mabelo mo, looking to ensure our livelihoods continue to thrive given the prevailing harsh economic realities? The latest I hear ke gore you have been in Europe for some investment-related deals and discussions. I hear you have even succeeded in getting us a loan from China to help us trudge on under this heavy cloud of uncertainties. I am not going to pretend, Nkosinati, I am deeply worried. The tidings reaching my ears nowadays make me wonder if we will survive the imminent economic challenges as a country. Imagine government departments and related agencies failing to honour some payments, including those of their employees and suppliers? Not long ago, I learnt of the University of Botswana choosing to lay off several staff members because there is no money.I have friends and relatives there whose earnings contribute to matshelonyana a rona ko gae, and God knows what will become of us should they be among those axed. Other major private companies and organisations are also doing the same – laying off staff and asking others to accept pay cuts. Now I hear Debswana is also in the mix, gatwe they too are looking to cut a thousand jobs. Heela tlhe... Debswana? Imagine. Anyway, let me get back to Debswana later.... I also hear that things are so bad that the PS in the Education Ministry is even suggesting we privatise public schools - a re go bokete for the government alone to run the schools... Which confuses me. It would appear that the PS herself, the minister, together with your boss Rre Boko, are not on the same wavelength regarding operations at the Education Ministry. Mofokodi maloba was talking about good things coming to schools, gotwe bana baa go ja di avocado le mae, and now the PS ene ka fa says something different?Le gale I am not surprised – I have seen in the past the ministers in your government give different messages, with the memorable one being Assistant Minister Moswaane telling parents at a kgotla meeting gore bana ba shapiwe at home and in schools, while the Minister of Basic Education and Child Welfare was saying the opposite. I think even the President hinted at something similar to what Nono said, gore bana ga ba betswe. Just that ke tshaba go bua ka tautona rra - o bogale rre yoo gaa ka pagama motho fa, ijoo! Just last week, he was saying journalists are a bunch of liars who out of the ten things they write, nine are lies! Can you imagine? A person of his position saying that kana e tsewa as gospel truth, and God knows how many media houses are going to lose business because of his utterances! Kana Batswana baa reetsa and they act. Hearing gore re maaka, they will have a good reason to stop consuming media houses’ products, ba re Tautona o rile di journalist di maaka! So I avoid saying anything about him lest I be labelled a liar or even worse. If he can demean UB lecturers where there are men and women with doctorates, e bile e le bo Professor; if he can label judges incompetent; attack MPs for being mediocre in how they do things; and even disgrace lawyers a ba bitsa di debt collectors, ke tlaa bo ke le mang nna? Gotwe bangwe bone ba shankodisitswe fela? Hee kana boss ya gago o dipuo, ijoo! Kana, when Sisiboy was also speaking so carelessly about others while he was president, his followers would often say: Mo tseeleng mike.There must be something about these microphones used by our state presidents that makes them say the things they say. I hope, as his right-hand man, you sometimes call him out and ask him to cool down. O tlaa re tshabisa ditiro tsa rona or even to mention anything about him. Mme fela rra, as I said, our country looks to be going to the dogs. And because I hear you are an economics guru and an expert in matters of Finance, I feel this urge to turn to you, gore o re golole wena Modisa Yo Molemo. Kana, after hearing about Debswana’s looming retrenchments, I read somewhere gotwe our country is headed for even more trouble because of the slump in diamond sales, with a finger pointing to the rise in popularity of lab diamonds. The layman that I am when it comes to diamond talk, I was left with more questions than answers, wondering how a cheaply made commodity can be responsible for the downfall of our country that boasts the real stuff. As I hinted, I write this not as an expert in the diamond field or economics, but as an ordinary chap watching the shifting tides in this diamond industry. I mean, ga ke tlhaloganye – kana Botswana has long been touted as this beacon of stability and prosperity in Africa, largely thanks to our natural diamond trade. Not only have these gems built our economy, they have also shaped our identity, providing livelihoods for thousands and even funding essential services that uplift our people. We know that a lot of things we pride ourselves in mo Botswana are a direct or indirect benefit from our diamonds. And now today we have to suffer as a nation, gotwe we can no longer make money out of our mineral because of the rise of lab-grown diamonds? A cheap lab-created stone? Ke fong-kong ya mofuta mang that consumers can find identical in composition and splendour to our natural diamonds? Kana the rich love real and finer things tsa quality, and while affordability may seem appealing ka synthetic ‘gems,’ you have to realise gore if we do nothing about it, the consequences for Botswana would be dire. Just because of some cheap, fake plastic, we now have to grapple with declining demand and falling prices? Nnyaa Modisa Yo Molemo.We had better be doing something already. Look at how our country is already feeling the brunt. If we do not act swiftly and strategically, the livelihoods of miners, traders, as well as countless us and others who depend on this industry will be at risk. Kgantele we would be telling you to stop buying luxury cars and furniture jaaka gotwe le nna di sofa tsa bo P600 000 jaana. Neither do we want to start questioning the endless international trips of your boss, yourself and other ministers – re lebile gore madi a fedile. All these worries because of some teemane ya fong kong? Kana mme the appeal of these lab grown diamonds is largely driven by marketing, with claims of ethical sourcing and environmental sustainability. Yet these claims are not as straightforward as they seem.Producing a synthetic diamond surely requires immense energy, often sourced from fossil fuels like coal, which makes the argument ya tikologo questionable. Gape this ethical argument overlooks the fact that Botswana has set global standards for responsible mining, ensuring that our diamonds benefit our people rather than exploit them. Do you also push such an argument to diamond consumers Nkosinathi? Ya gore unlike conflict-ridden regions, our diamond industry has been a force for everything good, funding education, healthcare, and infrastructure? This too should be appealing to bahumi ba dinaledi who should really not find anything attractive ka di plastiki tsa boChina le India. We surely must take a proactive stance go lwela our diamonds, among which is to reinforce the unique value of natural diamonds through smart marketing. Yes, I know of a body called Natural Diamond Council who have already advanced the argument on the value of natural stones.We must amplify this message as a country, showcasing how our diamonds are not just stones but symbols of heritage, craftsmanship, and authenticity. Dirisang bo Motsetserepa aka William Last with other global influencers and embark on storytelling campaigns and immersive experiences that connect consumers to the journey of a Botswana diamond; re bue bone bo ‘From Mine to Masterpiece,’ re ipoke ka go supa boleng jwa setswammung rra! Maybe, just maybe – if we do it right, we can reignite demand. Additionally, we must act on previous plans to explore innovative ways to enhance the value of our diamonds beyond raw exports.Continue the investment drive in local beneficiation like cutting, polishing, and designing high-end jewellery within our borders; making sure to create jobs and ensure that more of the wealth generated by diamonds stays within our economy. Gape push for policies that encourage transparency in the diamond trade, to make sure consumers understand the long-term value of natural diamonds compared to di fongkong tsa synthetic. Let’s fully embrace the recent decision by De Beers to shut down its lab-grown diamond jewellery business, Lightbox, taking it as a renewed hope for natural diamonds. As some say, this presents an opportunity for Botswana to strengthen its position as a global leader in ethical diamond mining. Mme fela, we should not rely solely on industry giants to safeguard our future.Goromente le ene must take decisive action, working with stakeholders to craft policies that protect our diamond sector while fostering economic diversification. Nkosinathi, Botswana has always been a nation that rises to challenges with resilience and foresight. This moment calls for bold leadership and strategic vision. Our diamonds are more than just commodities morena, they are the lifeblood of our economy and the legacy of letsomane la gago. I urge you to champion initiatives that preserve the integrity of our industry, ensuring that future generations continue to benefit from the brilliance of Botswana’s natural treasures. Re ka se jesiwe ke diplastiki morena. Kana without diamond sales, this country will crumble. We are far from mastering the alternative. Ntwa e bolotse rra, mme nna ke belaela re bolawa ke ba re jang nabo. Open your eyes gentlemen, and don’t let our children inherit a broken Botswana. Fight back!

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This diamond slump is exposing our country’s lack of economic Plan B