Botswana Retired Prison Officer’s Association officially launched

Botswana: Botswana Retired Prison Officers have been commended for having served the Government of Botswana and, in particular, the Prison Service diligently for so many years.

Officiating during the launch of the Retired Prison Officers Association (RPOA) in Mahalapye today, the Minister of Defence and Security, Thomas Kagiso Mmusi, said engaging with the Retired Officers presents an opportunity for shared learning, considering the experience and wisdom that they possess.

“𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺,” he said.

The Minister applauded the members for having set a solid foundation and further implored them to continue with the spirit even in their retirement. ‘Continue to motivate and nurture those you left behind, ’ he advised. 

Minister Mmusi noted that the objectives of the Association are very clear and centred around providing support and showing companionship and a spirit of Botho and Tshwaragano with each other.

He expressed confidence that since the Association was born from a genuine need, it will grow and thrive and live up to its ideals as enunciated in its Constitution. He cautioned the Officers to ensure that they jealously guard against anything that might destabilise their good intentions.

“𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘹 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴. “𝘒𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘔𝘰𝘵𝘴𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘭𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘶 𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘢 𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘸𝘢 𝘮𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘰”, he said.   

He implored them to engage in community outreach programmes and use their wisdom and experience to help Bogosi and the Government of Botswana fight social ills such as Gender Violence, rampant drug and substance abuse, and lawlessness as well as encourage moral uprightness. 

The Minister underscored that it was humbling to note that the Government continues to recognise the skills and competencies that the Retired Prison Officers acquired during the period of Service, as evidenced by the inclusion of some in the Boards, Councils and Committees such as the Parole Board, Prison Visiting Committees, Prison Council, National Children’s Council, Land Boards and the Delimitation Commission etc. 

He reiterated that the Retired nurses from the Prison Service have also been employed on a contract basis in Government Hospitals and other health facilities. 

“𝘔𝘺 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴,” he promised them. 

He further commended the Members for embracing the Mindset Change initiative by taking the responsibility to form a supporting structure for themselves. 

The Minister also shared with the members the current developments in the Prison Service, as it constantly review its processes to align with international standards and best practice. 

On proposing a vote of thanks, the Commissioner of Prisons– Commissioner Dinah Marathe extended her gratitude to all members of the Retired Prison Officers Association for their relentless efforts in ensuring that the Association was not only formed but registered and ultimately launched. She highlighted that their undying commitment is a testament to the significance they attach to this Association.

She indicated that the objectives of the Association are reflective of the burning desire to safeguard and improve the quality of life of all retired prison staff. The platform, she said, provides an opportunity for members to appreciate and value their retirement, increased social contacts and opportunities to meet others in similar circumstances and of similar interests and backgrounds.

“𝘐 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘹-𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴,” she said. 

She further urged the members to continue playing an active role in the development of their villages by joining local structures set up for the coordination and implementation of national policies and programmes. 

On giving some welcome remarks and overview earlier on, the Chairperson of the Retired Prison Officer’s Association, Rtd. Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth Masire said the launch marks a very important chapter in the history of the Retired Prison Officer’s Association. 

She pointed out the day will go into the history books as the day in which the ultimate goal was attained after several failed attempts. 

Masire said the idea to form the Association dates back the years but only became fruitful around 2012 when a group of Retired Officers met and agreed to start up the process.

The major reasons for the formation of the Association, according to the Chairperson, were, among others, to promote and safeguard the interests of the members and improve the conditions of their retirement and welfare. She said the Association helps to bring them together and rekindle positive relationships with each other, learn new things and pursue hobbies as well as volunteering and giving back to the community.

“𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺. 𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸,” she said. 

“𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩,” 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙈𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙞.