Petition to Remove 'Proof of Loss of Income' As a Requirement for MYSC Relief Application

On the 22nd of May 2020, Botswana's Ministry of Youth Development, Sports & Culture invited Batswana athletes, creatives, crafts(wo)men & other Youth-In-Business (YIB) to submit applications for a relief fund intended to abate the negative economic impacts on the aforementioned citizens, which were brought by 1. the novel COVID19 pandemic & 2. the restrictions that the Botswana government has since April put on such industries, to try control the COVID19 outbreak, However, as reported by the Ministry on the 10th of July 2020 via social media public release, only a shocking 954 applications & citizens have been approved & assisted. This is a fraction of the number of people that applied for financial assistance, of which many livelihoods have been adversely affected by the prevailing government restrictions, whilst a vast number of these applicants were rejected, merely on the basis that they did not provide "Proof of Loss of Income". Whether individual or business, it is impossible to ACCURATELY predict future earning or business engagements, let along during the current global crisis we are all facing. No one knew that we would be faced with a pandemic - an unprecedented force of nature; an act of God as quoted by some. Therefore, it cannot be expected for any one - individual or business to accurately prove that they are or were going to earn any income in such a future. Furthermore, on the 2nd of April, the President of Botswana, His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi & his administration, by their powers authorized through His Excellency's declaration of State of Public Emergency, imposed a nationwide lockdown that went on for 50+ days. This put the entire economy, it's sectors, businesses & individuals, except those deemed as “essential” by His Excellency & the COVID19 Presidential Task Force, to a complete standstill. No personal-interactive business or social trading was permitted whatsoever. This fact alone, should be enough to prove beyond reasonable doubt that not only young citizens, but ALL economically active citizens who were not working during that period (many of which are still not), lost ALL the potential or future income that they would’ve earned doing business, during that time, due the nationwide lockdown & restrictions imposed by government, especially in the creative, crafts & sports industries. Therefore, through this petition, we move that the Ministry of Youth Development Sports & Culture, its Minister, the Chairperson of the Relief Fund Assessment Board & it's members, dismiss, remove & (or) strike out the requirement/criteria for applicants to provide “Proof of Loss of Income” during this period, from the all applications for the Ministry's COVID19 relief fund, as it is quite evident & obvious that such individuals & businesses lost any & all potential income, whether contractual or otherwise, since they were prohibited from trading during the nationwide lockdown, and consequently, suffered great economic, financial & psychological losses. Further that, all rejected applications be re-evaluated based on this resolution.