Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
DWNP (2000, p4) noted there had been a misappropriation of funds amounting
to P12,500 by some members of the Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community
Trust (OKMCT) in the Okavango Delta. Another example is that of the Khwai
Development Trust (KDT), where the Board of Trustees misappropriated about
P400,000 between 2002 and 2003.This money was unaccounted for following an
audit conducted by Meyer and Associates (Potts, 2003). Potts (2003, p4) notes
that the KDT board members were not following proper financial or accounting
procedures. He notes, 'the KDT does not have a business or annual work plan -
no proper budgeting was done and hence no control over trust finances. Money
was just spent in a willy-nilly and haphazard fashion resulting in there being no
receipts, supporting documents or paper to follow'. The misuse and poor
management of trust funds by the KDT board is a reflection of what happens in
most of the Trusts in the Okavango Delta.
Lack of fair distribution of benefits from ecotourism
Trusts generally lack a mechanism for the equitable or fair distribution of benefits
derived from ecotourism (Mbaiwa, 2007).This problem threatens the sustainabil-
ity of ecotourism projects in Botswana. Poor distribution of benefits is a result of
factors such as ineffective coordination between those in Trust leadership and the
rest of the general membership (Mbaiwa, 2004b). For example, the Okavango
Community Trust has been cited for poor communication between trusts board
members and the wider community members (DWNP, 2000). The Board of
Trustees has been accused by general members of running the trust with little
participation by other community members leading to disparities in benefit
sharing (Rozemeijer and van der Jagt, 2000). This indicates that only the emerg-
ing elite, who are at the helm of trust management teams, benefit from ecotourism
while the majority of the community members derive little or no benefit. The
distribution of benefits is probably the most crucial component of ecotourism
development in Botswana. As such, if it is not worked out in sufficient detail, it
becomes a potential stumbling block for the success of ecotourism in Botswana.
This, however, does not suggest that all ecotourism projects are not performing
well, some - particularly that of Sankoyo - are reported to be doing far better than
other projects in achieving the goal of rural development in remote areas of
Botswana (Arntzen et al, 2003). Table 9.7 shows the progress made by some of
the ecotourism enterprises in the Okavango Delta.
Response to mismanagement of funds in
ecotourism projects
In order to address problems of financial mismanagement in ecotourism projects,
most of the projects have resorted to employing qualified people in management
and financial accounting positions. For example, some of the ecotourism projects
have employed Trust Managers who are charged with the responsibility to
manage ecotourism projects as executive officers and report to the Board of
Trustees. The Trust Manager is responsible for the day-to-day business operation
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