Food for Thought

* TO the SMS on nurses not getting more money after postgraduate studies, I say it's a great pity that further studies are only viewed through the lens of dollars! If that was the sole motive there would be so few PhDs and professors at universities and colleges. They don't really make so much compared to their qualifications. Better to look at it from a perspective of knowledge, service and development. - S Lole

* SOMETIMES justice is unfair. How can you get arrested if you kill someone who you caught red-handedly breaking into your property or when defending yourself? Please Ministry of Justice and the lawmakers do something about it, because you tend to let tsotsis go free and let innocent ones suffer behind bars.

* The issue of housing (New Era of Friday, August 8). The true fact is that our people are suffering. The interest rate is not only too high but also the timeframe to pay off the loan is too long. By the time our people finish paying off the loan, they would have covered the actual amount three to four times. In this case our people become bonded by the bank for 20 years, paying for something that was already covered in the initial five years, for the next 15 years. By the time our people retire, they will not have saved for something else but have been working for the bank for half of their employment life. In my opinion this is one of the major contributors to poverty in our country as our people are being forced to work and pay to the bank at a rate more than it honestly required.

General

* ARE you 'still telling it as it is'? Why don't we see some SMSes sent? - We receive many more SMSes than we can publish each day. We try to be as fair as possible and to reflect as many views as possible. We are looking at increasing the space for SMSes. - Newsdesk

* NOW that the fuel price is down, what about the taxi fares? Are we going to pay less now? - Rodger, Swakop

* GIPF: We are struggling to build houses and paying for our kids' education. We are in debt because of loans we are taking. Please give us benefits of cash withdrawal after five to 10 years! I need a house when I'm young, not when I'm 60.

* NAMPOL, MTC, Cell One and other service providers are to blame for cellphone thefts. If all phones and SIM cards were registered with owners' full details and traceable then there will be zero cellphone thefts in Namibia.

A-loota Continua

* IF the GRN is able to pay out N$38 million to former MPs, then they should also pay ex-combatants the amount of money that they demanded. Otherwise there is no fairness at all.

Politics

* THE GRN must treat both Mafwe and Masubia equally. They should respect the borders between the two, but now the GRN is supporting one side.

Follow our history.

* THE Caprivi Governor should be held responsible for the current infighting taking place between the Masubia and Mafwe tribes. He is the one who instigated and instructed Mafwe people to destroy the tribal Khuta which was erected by Masubia people in their own land, because he [Mwilima] too is claiming the land to be for the Mafwe, to which he also belongs. This infighting has been quiet for some time now, why tension once he took over the governorship? He must come out straight to clear the mess he has caused. We know very well what he is capable of. - From a legitimate son of the soil

* WHEN will the inherently biased presenters be 'blacklisted' from the national broadcaster? The 'midnight meetings' project that is attempting to silence and sabotage our democracy, freedom of speech and expression in the interest of the powers that be should stop. We pay tax for the maintenance of NBC.

Enough is enough!

* THE NBC should rather remove those presenters on chat shows. Some are clearly showing strong ties with the Swapo Party. It's not good for our democracy.

Education

* CAN the Ministry of Education do something to loan holders who are not paying back? Are they not aware that some people have been working for seven years without paying back a blue cent?

* CAN you help? I was a student at Anvil Training College in 2005 but that college disappeared. Now I don't know what to do. I completed my studies, but I didn't receive anything. Please you can phone me on 081-218-1717

* THE silence of the Ministry of Education about literacy promoters not paid from April till August, especially those at Omusati region, Outapi circuit and Anamulenge. We need an urgent response. - Concerned Promoter

* MINISTRY of Education, could you please be so kind and explain the difference in salaries while the qualification is the same. I am talking about high school and primary school teachers. - Mr Poor

Smithie

* THE family of Smithie finally got a taste of his own medicine. I wish the Informanté not only published the picture of a senile old man but also one taken at the mortuary for his family to see for years to come. That is what Smithie had exposed other families to and the daughter has the audacity to refer to it as sensationalism and disrespect. What your beloved father did to others was utterly repulsive and deserves the strongest condemnation. Imagine the horror and shock when you see a post mortem picture of relative or friend in the Observer. What goes around does indeed come around. Adios Smithie.

Bouquets And Brickbats

* CONGRATULATIONS to Matt Williams, the first Namibian to climb Mount Everest! Shame on Namibians who didn't congratulate the proud son of the soil! I am so proud of you Matt!

* CONGRATULATIONS to The Dogg and Sunny Boy on their nominations in the Channel O Best Kwaito Video Category. You guys rock! - HHF

Service Please!

* IMAGINE the Ministry of Home Affairs in Khomas has run out of books for issuing birth certificates for almost a week! Where Namibia is heading? - Tomas

* SENIOR accountant at Eenhana Hospital! Please send your salary staff on a customer care course or workshop.

We The People

* CHINA is supplying weapons to Sudan and Zimbabwe who brutalise innocent civilians. In our country Chinese contractors exploit workers. Is China the true friend of Africans?

* WHAT happened to the Parliament Online bus which was equipped with computers to take Parliament to the people? Shouldn't that bus go to all the regions annually or is it just gathering dust at parliament premises?

In And From the Regions

* A WORRIED parent from Keetmanshoop wants to know if the Drug Enforcement Unit is still alive because it seems to me that drugs in Keetmans are legal to use and so much info was given to them but nothing happens. I think the ACC must look into this.

Water Woes

* NamWater, last year we enjoyed Christmas without water at farm Driehoek, now this year we want to enjoy borehole water not rainwater like last year. Please do something relevant. We are Namibia's concerned farmers.

Disconnections

* TO the NBC: What happened to the 'Reach for the Top' quiz competition? I think that was a very good competition that kept our learners on their toes as far as world affairs were concerned. Can it be re introduced please? - Makbright

Sporting

* CAN somebody tell me what is going on at the Olympics? The refereeing is a total disaster especially in boxing and soccer.

Letters Of The Last 48 Hours

•  SMS Of The Day : Wednesday
•  SMS Of The Day : Tuesday