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12:11Last update on: 13 Aug 2013
The Namibian
Tue 13 Aug 2013
SMS Of The Day * THIS nation is in dire need of a massive conference on housing. When we experienced a crisis in the education sector a crisis-control brain-storming conference was organised which resulted in the best deal ever for the Namibian child, nam Food For Thought * BOURGEOISIE has become a daily occupation if not the order of the day of the upper-echelons, President Hifikepunye Pohamba we urge you to revisit this unpatriotic geocentricism among your staff and the well-connected, for everybody to r Bouquets And Brickbats * COMMISSIONER of Prisons, can you please explain the strategies you use to appoint officers to certain positions? It is my observation that you are being fed with wrong information then you just promote individuals without making p SMS Of The Day * I THINK Paulus ‘The Rock’ Ambunda lost his belt because of this promoter and trainer. How can a world champion still be training at the Katutura Youth Complex where there is not enough equipment. I think they must follow the example of Ha Food For Thought * NAMIBIA Dairies are unable to match low prices of imported milk and this ultimately means the consumer will have to pay more for local milk. Look at the prices of the local chicken. All these profits are going in the pockets of a few in Bouquets And Brickbats * I AM pleased to hear that Cabinet has responded positively to the proposal of Namibia Dairies to support the industry. The restrictions which support the industry by reducing competition to ensure the survival of the industry is a SMS Of The Day * CEO’s golden handshakes. Somewhere on our statute books there must be a provision that if a board of directors suspends/dismisses a CEO without due regard to legal provision (substantive/procedural law) such board must carry the costs for Food For Thought * JACKY Asheeke was so right with her last column- why are the fathers of the dead children not being prosecuted? (Reference to the children who died in shack fires last week) Our justice system still protects men over women. In this cont Bouquets And Brickbats * ALEXACTUS Kaure, your column in Friday’s newspaper opened my eyes. One hardly finds impartial case study analysers in Namibia. Let’s not destroy the Polytechnic’s strong foundation (Tjivikua) as yet. At least wait until the transf SMS Of The Day * WHY doesn’t NBC listen when they are criticised? The little red chairs on Good Morning Namibia have done their part and are dirty especially at the arm rests. Please listen for once. You interview professionals and internationals on those Food For Thought * MINISTRY of Education, in order to address the shortages of teachers at primary schools why don’t you consider employing us who hold a diploma in lifelong learning and community education for teaching posts? We also did health education Bouquets And Brickbats * MY fellow Namibians, I am not a Swapo member but a third term for President Hifikepuye Pohamba will be a step closer towards attainment of Vision 2030. Believe me His Excellency has made crucial bold decisions, and I don’t regret
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NEWS - INTERNATIONAL
| 2013-08-13
Chilly reception for Kerry?
WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State John Kerry’s trip to Colombia and Brazil this week builds on efforts to deepen relations with Latin America, but he can expect a curt reception from the two US allies after reports that an American spy programme widely targeted data in emails and telephone calls across the region.
On Kerry’s first visit to South America as the Obama administration’s chief diplomat, the disclosures by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden could chill talks on trade and energy, and even discussions about the 23 October state dinner that President Barack Obama is hosting for Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff.
“I don’t think this is going to be a warm ‘abrazo’,” said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, using the Spanish word for “hug”. ‘’I think it will be businesslike.”
Kerry arrived late on Sunday in Bogota, the Colombian capital. The country is holding peace talks to end a half century-old conflict with the Western Hemisphere’s most potent rebel army, a rebel force diminished in strength thanks in considerable measure to US military and intelligence support.
The US wants to show its support for the peace talks between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc, which are taking place in Cuba.
Colombia is one of the United States’ closest allies in the region, but the reports about the spying programme have rankled Colombian officials.
Brazil’s O Globo newspaper reported last month that citizens of Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and other countries were among the targets of a massive NSA operation to secretly gather information about phone calls and Internet communications worldwide. The reports were based on information provided by Snowden.
Colombia’s president, Juan Manuel Santos, said on Thursday that he wanted clarification from Washington on whether US intelligence-gathering in Colombia had overstepped the countries’ joint operations against drug traffickers and illegal armed groups. The US has supplied Colombia with eavesdropping equipment, technicians and aerial surveillance.
Santos said in an interview with The Associated Press that Vice President Joe Biden called him about the issue following revelations by Snowden that US digital snooping has targeted allies as well as foes. Santos said Biden offered a series of technical explanations. Asked if he was satisfied with them, Santos replied, “We are in that process.”
Biden also called Rousseff to express what Brazil’s communications minister, Helena Chagas, said was “his regret over the negative repercussions caused by the disclosures”. Biden invited Brazilian officials to Washington to get details about the spy programme.
Rousseff told Biden that the privacy of Brazilian citizens and the country’s sovereignty cannot be infringed upon in the name of security, and that Brazil wanted the US to change its security policies and practices.
Last week, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota was at the United Nations with counterparts from other South American nations to express their indignation about the spy programme to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The Obama administration has worked to forge stronger ties with Latin America. In May, Obama took a three-day trip to Mexico and Costa Rica. Biden has visited Colombia and Brazil, where he said stronger trade ties and closer cooperation in education, science and other fields should usher in a new era of US-Brazil relations this year.
Brazil has received much attention in recent months because of Pope Francis’ visit and preparations for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro.
Thousands of demonstrators have staged anti-government protests since June demanding better public services in return for high taxes they pay. Under considerable domestic pressure, Rousseff announced a U$4bn programme to improve transportation, sewage and public housing in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city.
The protests have weakened her domestic support, but she can bolster her poll numbers with a strong stand against the US over the spying allegations, said Carl Meacham, former Latin America adviser on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and director of the Americas Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. – Nampa-AP
On Kerry’s first visit to South America as the Obama administration’s chief diplomat, the disclosures by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden could chill talks on trade and energy, and even discussions about the 23 October state dinner that President Barack Obama is hosting for Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff.
“I don’t think this is going to be a warm ‘abrazo’,” said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, using the Spanish word for “hug”. ‘’I think it will be businesslike.”
Kerry arrived late on Sunday in Bogota, the Colombian capital. The country is holding peace talks to end a half century-old conflict with the Western Hemisphere’s most potent rebel army, a rebel force diminished in strength thanks in considerable measure to US military and intelligence support.
The US wants to show its support for the peace talks between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc, which are taking place in Cuba.
Colombia is one of the United States’ closest allies in the region, but the reports about the spying programme have rankled Colombian officials.
Brazil’s O Globo newspaper reported last month that citizens of Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and other countries were among the targets of a massive NSA operation to secretly gather information about phone calls and Internet communications worldwide. The reports were based on information provided by Snowden.
Colombia’s president, Juan Manuel Santos, said on Thursday that he wanted clarification from Washington on whether US intelligence-gathering in Colombia had overstepped the countries’ joint operations against drug traffickers and illegal armed groups. The US has supplied Colombia with eavesdropping equipment, technicians and aerial surveillance.
Santos said in an interview with The Associated Press that Vice President Joe Biden called him about the issue following revelations by Snowden that US digital snooping has targeted allies as well as foes. Santos said Biden offered a series of technical explanations. Asked if he was satisfied with them, Santos replied, “We are in that process.”
Biden also called Rousseff to express what Brazil’s communications minister, Helena Chagas, said was “his regret over the negative repercussions caused by the disclosures”. Biden invited Brazilian officials to Washington to get details about the spy programme.
Rousseff told Biden that the privacy of Brazilian citizens and the country’s sovereignty cannot be infringed upon in the name of security, and that Brazil wanted the US to change its security policies and practices.
Last week, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota was at the United Nations with counterparts from other South American nations to express their indignation about the spy programme to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The Obama administration has worked to forge stronger ties with Latin America. In May, Obama took a three-day trip to Mexico and Costa Rica. Biden has visited Colombia and Brazil, where he said stronger trade ties and closer cooperation in education, science and other fields should usher in a new era of US-Brazil relations this year.
Brazil has received much attention in recent months because of Pope Francis’ visit and preparations for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro.
Thousands of demonstrators have staged anti-government protests since June demanding better public services in return for high taxes they pay. Under considerable domestic pressure, Rousseff announced a U$4bn programme to improve transportation, sewage and public housing in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city.
The protests have weakened her domestic support, but she can bolster her poll numbers with a strong stand against the US over the spying allegations, said Carl Meacham, former Latin America adviser on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and director of the Americas Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. – Nampa-AP
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