We Can't Slow Down

PLEASE allow me some space in your paper to air some views on the Budget that was presented recently by Finance Minister Saara Kuugongelwa Amadhila.

I am certain that the budget is a conservative one, but I do not

agree with the Minister of Finance who forecast the budget deficit

going down within the next three years.

Namibia as a developing country has to consolidate on past

achievements and therefore I am convinced that more investment is

necessary to provide the needed infrastructure in education,

health, communication (roads, telecommunications, etc.), trade and

industry especially in manufacturing industries, technology, human

resources development, etc.

 

I am not convinced that we have invested enough to be able to

scale down on the levels of expenditure as such.

 

If we still have to invest then it becomes essential to increase

the deficit.

 

Obviously, I do agree that we have to reduce the deficit soon,

but not now.

 

How can Namibia afford to slow down in terms of investing in

education, health, etc. when we have children taught under trees,

in some constituencies we do not have a single clinic, etc.

 

We also need to make comparisons with other countries in the

world.

 

In Europe developed countries have gone beyond their set deficit

levels, because there is a need for satisfying certain needs and

that should also give us a reason not to reduce our deficit until

sufficient investment has been recorded.

 

I therefore do not foresee the reduction in budget deficit

within the next four to five years, given the huge backlog in all

aspects of socio-economic development of our country.

 

It is therefore against this background that I am pleading with

the Minister of Finance to be very careful in her approach to the

budgetary deficit of this country.

 

Shanghai

Via e-mail

 

Note: Real name and address provided - Ed

 

Namibia as a developing country has to consolidate on past

achievements and therefore I am convinced that more investment is

necessary to provide the needed infrastructure in education,

health, communication (roads, telecommunications, etc.), trade and

industry especially in manufacturing industries, technology, human

resources development, etc.I am not convinced that we have invested

enough to be able to scale down on the levels of expenditure as

such.If we still have to invest then it becomes essential to

increase the deficit.Obviously, I do agree that we have to reduce

the deficit soon, but not now.How can Namibia afford to slow down

in terms of investing in education, health, etc. when we have

children taught under trees, in some constituencies we do not have

a single clinic, etc.We also need to make comparisons with other

countries in the world.In Europe developed countries have gone

beyond their set deficit levels, because there is a need for

satisfying certain needs and that should also give us a reason not

to reduce our deficit until sufficient investment has been

recorded.I therefore do not foresee the reduction in budget deficit

within the next four to five years, given the huge backlog in all

aspects of socio-economic development of our country.It is

therefore against this background that I am pleading with the

Minister of Finance to be very careful in her approach to the

budgetary deficit of this country.Shanghai

Via e-mailNote: Real name and address provided - Ed

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