The Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) continues to bring a number of high profile personalities for its Opening Bell Ceremony and this time around the local bourse is bringing on board Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science & Technology, Thapelo Olopeng. The minister was an active businessman and a sportsman before becoming a Member of Parliament for Tonota Constituency in 2014.
“We are pleased to announce that the Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science & Technology, Honourable Thapelo Olopeng, is set to officiate at the BSE June 2019 Opening Bell Ceremony to be held on 07th June, 2019 at the BSE offices in Fairgrounds starting at 0930hrs,” stated BSE.
According to the BSE, during the event, the Exchange will be officially launching the rollout of the 2019 BSE Annual Senior Secondary Schools Finance & Investment Competition which is to be held in Gaborone on 17th August, 2019.
“This competition was established in 2013 in a bid to sensitise and educate the student community about capital markets, with the strategic aim to increase financial literacy and to promote a culture of investing from a young age,” said the Exchange headed by Thapelo Tsheole.
“In addition, this on-going initiative assists in providing a platform for students to gain an in-depth insight into the importance of future financial planning and to harness knowledge on how the stock market can be utilised as an investment avenue. The competition is open to all Government & Private Senior Secondary Schools in Botswana.”
The BSE bell ringing ceremony was launched last year by Finance minister Kenneth Matambo in a bid to bring the local bourse at par with global exchanges. The current practice of ringing the bell at the start and close of each day’s trading dates back to 1895.
The Opening Bell Ceremony is a globally-recognised event involving stock exchanges around the world. It serves as a platform to signify the beginning of trading at the start of each day. Over and above the aforementioned, the opening bell avails an opportunity for the Exchange or listed entities to make news announcements or celebrate corporate milestones. This ceremonious event will also aim to create awareness about the development of our local capital markets as we strive to become a world-class securities exchange.
Already, key figures like Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane, Bank of Botswana governor, Moses Pelaelo and Trade minister Bogolo Kenewendo have officiated at previous Opening Bell Ceremonies.