Food for Thought

* IT'S a heavy irony that athletes from southern Africa are performing so poorly at the Olympics after having attained their 'freedom' and 'equal opportunity'. The only exception is a 'previously advantaged' Zimbabwean who probably doesn't live there anyway. The message should be loud and clear that something fatally flawed with the administration of sport in the region and leadership in general. - Edwin B

* TO the 'hungry and angry' reader that complains of foreigners employed as nurses and pharmacists at State hospitals, you ask if no Namibian can do that. Of course any Namibian can do that, with a degree in the said professions of course. Namibia doesn't train pharmacists locally, and as a result there is a shortage of pharmacists and the foreigners in this field are an asset to us as Namibians. Xenophobia and ignorance can be a dangerous combination.

Rest in Peace

* LIFE is so unfair that many a time only the best sons of Africa are taken out while useless pantaloons are spared to continue tormenting peaceful souls of Africans. I am talking about the death of Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa. What a loss, not only to Zimbabwe's talks, but to the entire Africa. God failed Africa again! Wandja Kau Lema.

* (PRESIDENT Levy) Mwanawasa's death is a great loss to Africa. We have lost a voice of reason. While other leaders admired the emperor's new clothes, he had the guts to say that the emperor was naked. As the rest of the world marches on, African leaders are still hunkered down in outdated liberation rhetoric and mindset.

* ZAMBIAN President Mwanawasa will be remembered as a really great African. We have lost a champion in diplomacy, democracy, justice and economic policy. Namibians in all walks of life will mourn the loss of this great man with Zambia. - Stefan

* AS usual all good leaders go and the wicked thrive. The AU summit saw the stroke of President (Levy) Mwanawasa and SADC summit witnessed the death. The voice for the Zimbabwe people is gone. RIP comrade president. Your legacy shall reign

* IT'S over (kwasila ayenda). May your soul rest in peace President Levy Mwanawasa. You departed so early, your missions were not yet completed especially on bringing democracy in Zimbabwe. Thank you for the bread and butter we now enjoy in Zambia. Maureen and family, we share the pain. God has done His will. - PDS

Bouquets and Brickbats

* THE Namibian's Oshiwambo pages: You don't tell us countries where photos in your pages were taken most of the time, only regions and provinces. The pictures show chatting while a speaker was delivering a speech. It carries a picture of disrespect! Please show pictures of people listening. We go there for serious matters please not for jokes. - Thank you for pointing this out - Newsdesk

* NBC when are you going to show us comedy or action movies? One Africa Television entertains us.

Politics

* GRN where are we heading? N$38 million for political pensions and N$8 million for a museum while civil servants get a N$198 per month taxable transport allowance. Rather call it bicycle allowance!

* NAMIBIA let's sing one song: It's not political flags we need, but education and bread to eat! Stop taking us for a ride!

In and From the Regions

* MUNICIPALITY of Oshakati please don't sleep. The flood risks need to be improved, the roads in the location are in a bad condition. Please rebuild them.

* OSHAKATI Hospital lacks proper planning regarding pharmacy supplies, because we are dying while queuing. They need to organise themselves. Diabetic and elderly patients are treated on the same level as patients who don't have life-threatening ailments. My proposal is that we need, as diabetics, at least one pharmacist to cater specially for our needs on a daily basis to avoid collapse and blackouts in a health facility queue, as diabetics are to eat at least three to four light meals a day! But spending the whole day at the hospital leaves too much to be desired. - Inamushininga Panduleni, Ongwethiya

* THANK you to the Karas Regional Council for coming to their senses and terminating the contract of the CRO. That is probably the best decision ever.

General

* IT'S 14h30 Wednesday afternoon and our wheelie bins still haven't been emptied. What's up with municipal workers? * WE really need a production date on eggs! A small sticker on the box will do.

Then there is mouldy butter and cheese! And even worse: Almost all the mince in Windhoek is not even edible. It's either off, smells strange, tastes like liver, is watery or sticky as glue, and/or full of soya gunk and/or chemical reddening agent. And one can forget about the City Health Department! They will not tackle big fish. Only a newspaper investigation can help here!

* WINDHOEK Public Library must be closed for a while and cleaned please. Director do us users a favour and visit that place

* AH dear editor, what's wrong with you at The Namibian office? Yesterday I sent two SMSes but eish! not one is printed, can you tell me what's the problem. So sad! - Rudy - We have scrolled through all the messages for the time period you mention and there are none from that number - Newsdesk

* I'D like to point out that the youth are not exactly school-going children who are being taken care of by their parents. Youth suffer unemployment, poverty, increased interest rates, bad employment conditions, etc, but schoolchildren are made to represent us, for example in the Youth Parliament and the Bank of Namibia. That's not right.

* ARE senior police officers above the law? How is it possible that a bus belonging to the Namibian police is stopped at a roadblock, elephant and hippo meat is found in the bus and yet the police chief for the Caprivi region Tylvis Kampolo instructs them to be let go! Er, did I miss something here? The clear message coming from this is that if you would like to break the law and remain untouchable, join the Namibian police force! The article also mentions that the meat was impounded, which more likely means that there will be a Friday braai. Someone needs to sort this mess out.

* WHAT happened to the dog that gave birth to a cat? Update please! Probably also dead by now! - The dog, Katiti, who did NOT give birth to a kitten but just stole one, is now fat and happy and emigrating to Canada with her new owners - Newsdesk

* IT seems when it comes to parastatals the less money you generate the more you earn.

Education

* I DON'T understand why the national debating team doesn't receive national colours or sponsorship from Government to take part in an international competition.

* THE Ministry did not forget the free scholarships. They just did not have enough of the preferred candidates to send!

* WE need an explanation from Omuhama Combined School. What is the need of buying DStv for a primary school without a hostel and they lost computers several times.

* WHY do the NSSC Biology, Physical Science and Mathematics modules contain so many errors? Will the learners sitting for the end of year exams be credited for writing these wrong answers they obtain from these modules? There is more confusion than education! - Concerned learner.

Sporting

* WHAT'S going on with my beloved Orlando Pirates? Harry carried us through thick and thin. Chepele how on earth? Who made these blunders? Costa was here but didn't dream of playing for us. For Mohammed it's an honour. How good are the Brazilians now that they have opted for Namibia? Make it right before we act.

* PLEASE let those lower leagues know that they also part of Namibian sport (soccer) please! * SELECTORS please let's give the likes of Riaan Cloete, Klaas Blom, Ivan Makina a chance because they are the league winners.

Labour Issues

* AS a former NBC employee, I cannot understand the very slow pace of the judicial system in resolving labour disputes in Namibia. Why should labour cases take ages and ages to be resolved? While the Executive is doing its best to address poverty, it seems the judicial arm of Government is exactly doing the opposite by dragging its feet in handling labour cases. As a result of protracted labour cases, former employees are forced pay more and more legal costs. The former employees vs NBC case has been dragging on since mid-2003. The case was heard on 9 June 2004, with judgement delivered only in 2006 in favour of former employees. The NBC then appealed against the judgement. Having already heard the appeal case in October 2007, judgement is 10 months down the line still pending! What is going? Please dear Editor, follow up. - Very concerned.

Greetings From The People

* THE Okakarara Swapo Party District Executive Committee wishes Comrade President of our people's Swapo Party and our beloved Namibia a happy and blessed birthday.

Service Please

* ACC please investigate the GIPF office in Oshakati. People sit there for about three hours without being served while staff just walk about aimlessly.

* PLEASE Namfisa can you something here in Ondangwa, cash loan companies keep our IDs and bank cards. We can't travel out because we have no documents to pass the road block.

Ministry of Education responds

* THE Ministry of Education has taken time out to respond to a number of the complaints about the Education Sector, which have been SMSed to The Namibian:

* The Ministry of Education should find a way of informing parents as to when school holidays will end. There is always confusion with regard to the actual date of school commencement. These are the issues the public talks about they appear small but can create a very negative impression about the Ministry. For God's sake the ministry should invite opinions from the public on how to improve if it is not able to generate such from within. - The Ministry of Education produces annual school calendars every year. The public should make use of the calendars to avoid any confusion with regard to school days and school holidays. Instead of listening to public rumours, the Public should use the school calendars to get the correct dates. The calendars can be obtained at a school near you or at any regional educational office in your respective region. Alternatively, you can call the PR Office to obtain the correct school dates. Yours in Education Public Relations Office

Letters Of The Last 48 Hours

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