"The Government's declared zero tolerance for corruption has remained a pipe dream, as major cases involving the misappropriation of public funds, such as Avid's N$30 million 'investment' and the ODC's 'lost' N$100 million remained unresolved, and those guilty still free," CoD President Ben Ulenga said in his party's year-end message yesterday.

He said corruption and other financial and economic crimes remain real obstacles to economic development in Namibia.

"While many people are poor and unemployed, corruption and greed continue to characterise the behaviour of an unacceptable number of public servants.

Without determined, accountable action from the Government, all anti-corruption talk, however good, remains just that: empty talk," he said.

He said the CoD was determined to push more concertedly against corruption and the theft or abuse of public funds during 2007.

Ulenga commended the Ministry of Health for the swift action against the polio threat earlier in the year and called on the Government to act with similar resolve in all health emergencies.

"However, the generally dilapidated conditions of our hospitals and health centres are a cause for great concern to us," he said.

The CoD leader said his party was also concerned about the dispute between some sections of nurses and the Ministry of Health over the payment of overtime and its impact on the health sector.

"We would wish to urge greater maturity and mutual respect on both sides during the resolution of public disagreements," he said.

He said some of the pressing national issues that CoD took up this year were the shebeens issue, the grazing dispute in western Kavango, the genocide and reparations debate, and the demands of ex-combatants.

"Regrettably, however, most of these urgent and rankling issues have not received the due attention which they deserve from Government.

With great concern, we refer specifically in this regard to the festering grazing dispute in western Kavango, and urge Government to take immediate action to resolve this issue to everyone's satisfaction," he said.

Ulenga warned that time and patience were running out in the affected communities, and failure to find a quick and lasting solution may only lead to more misunderstanding and bitterness.

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