Therefore, freedom of expression may be guaranteed in the Constitution but specific legislation takes away that freedom from the media. For example, in terms of the Public Service Act, public officers are prohibited from releasing public information - though, admittedly, leaks do happen. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 1.4 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1 1.3 Entry into and practice of the journalistic profession is legally unrestricted ANALYSIS: It is generally easy for anyone to enter the profession and practice as a journalist in the country. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 1.5 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 5.0 Protection of confidential sources of information is guaranteed by law. ANALYSIS: This is not the case in Botswana. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 1.6 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 1.1 Public information is easily accessible, guaranteed by law, to all citizens, including journalists. ANALYSIS: Although according to the Vision 2016 document Botswana should have a Freedom of Information Act (FIOA) in place by 2016, government has publicly stated that the country is not yet ready for this type of legislation and that, therefore, nothing is being done towards promulgating such legislation. It was noted that civil society should probably start cultivating and pushing for a culture of openness in the civil service so that by the time the FIOA gets considered by government, the situation on the ground would already be conducive for such legislation to be applied easily. A younger democracy, the one in South Africa, seems to have overtaken the older Botswana version of democracy since it promulgated a Freedom of Information Act in 1998. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: So This Is Democracy? 2005 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 1.0 -192- Media Institute of Southern Africa