an appeal with the Appeals Committee in writing, which appeal shall be filed within 30 days after the decision was made. With regards to offences and penalties, the law notes that a prosecution for an offence under this Act shall not be instituted except with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Such offences as noted in Clause 60 include a failure or refusal to comply with a decision made in terms of the Act; obstruction or hindering any person in the exercise of their powers in terms of the Act and also furnishing information or making a statement to the Complaints Committee or the Appeals Committee knowing it to be false which a person knows to be false or misleading. The Minister may, in consultation with the Association also make provisions or regulations related to any other matter intended to safeguard the interests of the public and promote professional standards in the media or any other issue necessary for facilitating the enforcement of the Act. CONCLUSION From the above analysis, it can be noted that there are progressive elements in this proposed piece of legislation. There are also gaps to be addressed for example with regards to membership fees, required qualifications for a person to be an Executive Director of the Association, the development of a Code of Ethics, the timelines and percentage of contribution to the Media Fund and also procedures for the determination of disputes. It is prudent to flag that any fees for registration should not act as a deterrent for media practitioners and institutions to undertake their constitutional duties. Further, decentralisation of the Association will also be key to facilitate the ease of registration by media practitioners throughout the different parts of the country including rural and marginalised communities. Where efforts will be made to address some of the noted gaps, it will be critical for the Association to consult with its members. Analysis of the Botswana Media Practitioners’ Association Bill, 2022 6