Why Botswana Fares Better Than Namibia
TOURISTS who have made a tour through southern Africa often ask why it is that people living in Botswana have a higher living standard, better education standards, a better health system, and so on, than those in Namibia, although both countries have a similar socio-cultural background with a large part of the population living the way of semi-nomads.
They have the same sources of natural wealth, the same population
number and the same problems in general.
Both have a democratic constitution with a ruling party
re-elected and in power since independence.
In both countries the opposition parties are just a heap of
broken pieces.
The answer could be that in Botswana the ruling elite and their
bureaucrats have been chosen mainly according to their proven
record of experience and qualification.
The number of civil servants is about half the size of
Namibia's.
The country is not owned by a centralised Soviet-style party,
which was formatted during the time of a more or less
self-inflicted exile with the help of alien ideologues of the
Soviet bloc in the Cold War times and the affiliated lunatic left
of the West.
The ruling South West African Peoples Organisation of Namibia is
still trying to solve tomorrow's problems with ideas from
yesterday.
They propagate still that they are the only political
representatives of the Namibian people.
They are still fighting against the imaginary enemies inside and
outside Namibia.
There is still a hostility against any intellectual
confrontation.
In true Stalinist fashion the history of Namibia is rewritten by
selecting and bending the truth accordingly.
They are avoiding facts and responsibilities of their own deeds
of the recent past in government or done in the times of exile.
In Botswana the system is more moderate.
They learn from mistakes.
They act in a responsible manner.
Their policy is tested by evaluating the measures for a positive
effect on the society.
Ideology is vague.
But they have nearly the same goals that the government of
Namibia is propagating.
Their main goal is to uplift the living conditions in all fields
for all their citizens.
However, in Namibia, the implementation of a positive
development is distorted by the facts that skin colour and, most
importantly, servility to the ruling party plays a major role.
Comrades who emerge to be simple-minded crooks or act in a
childish manner by buying golden fountain pens on the expenses of
the taxpayer are protected against the consequences of their
misbehaviour by the ruling authorities.
The culture of non-accountability for anything is deeply
entrenched in Namibia.
Repeated talking nonsense or the uninterrupted delivery of
half-truths is admired as wisdom, as can be heard in the daily Chat
Shows and other programmes of the NBC.
Wishful thinking is often the only motive for the announcement
of unfeasible projects, which will never be realised.
Limited resources are lavishly wasted again and again by paying
the debts of comrades who grounded their parasitical Mickey Mouse
companies.
In Botswana the government is now at the forefront in the combat
against AIDS.
The president has given an example by telling the nation about
his test result and is encouraging everybody to be tested.
Only then a scientific way to combat the disease can be
followed.
In Namibia the government has no consistent AIDS policy.
They leave it to the churches and the NGOs, who are following
their own goals with money and programmes coming mainly from
somewhere beyond the borders.
Maybe, the government should hand over the rest of their
responsibilities to the NGOs.
Or, maybe they should learn from their neighbour Botswana.
- Japie Van Wyk - Walvis Bay
Both have a democratic constitution with a ruling party re-elected
and in power since independence. In both countries the opposition
parties are just a heap of broken pieces. The answer could be that
in Botswana the ruling elite and their bureaucrats have been chosen
mainly according to their proven record of experience and
qualification. The number of civil servants is about half the size
of Namibia's. The country is not owned by a centralised
Soviet-style party, which was formatted during the time of a more
or less self-inflicted exile with the help of alien ideologues of
the Soviet bloc in the Cold War times and the affiliated lunatic
left of the West. The ruling South West African Peoples
Organisation of Namibia is still trying to solve tomorrow's
problems with ideas from yesterday. They propagate still that they
are the only political representatives of the Namibian people. They
are still fighting against the imaginary enemies inside and outside
Namibia. There is still a hostility against any intellectual
confrontation. In true Stalinist fashion the history of Namibia is
rewritten by selecting and bending the truth accordingly. They are
avoiding facts and responsibilities of their own deeds of the
recent past in government or done in the times of exile. In
Botswana the system is more moderate. They learn from mistakes.
They act in a responsible manner. Their policy is tested by
evaluating the measures for a positive effect on the society.
Ideology is vague. But they have nearly the same goals that the
government of Namibia is propagating. Their main goal is to uplift
the living conditions in all fields for all their citizens.
However, in Namibia, the implementation of a positive development
is distorted by the facts that skin colour and, most importantly,
servility to the ruling party plays a major role. Comrades who
emerge to be simple-minded crooks or act in a childish manner by
buying golden fountain pens on the expenses of the taxpayer are
protected against the consequences of their misbehaviour by the
ruling authorities. The culture of non-accountability for anything
is deeply entrenched in Namibia. Repeated talking nonsense or the
uninterrupted delivery of half-truths is admired as wisdom, as can
be heard in the daily Chat Shows and other programmes of the NBC.
Wishful thinking is often the only motive for the announcement of
unfeasible projects, which will never be realised. Limited
resources are lavishly wasted again and again by paying the debts
of comrades who grounded their parasitical Mickey Mouse companies.
In Botswana the government is now at the forefront in the combat
against AIDS. The president has given an example by telling the
nation about his test result and is encouraging everybody to be
tested. Only then a scientific way to combat the disease can be
followed. In Namibia the government has no consistent AIDS policy.
They leave it to the churches and the NGOs, who are following their
own goals with money and programmes coming mainly from somewhere
beyond the borders. Maybe, the government should hand over the rest
of their responsibilities to the NGOs. Or, maybe they should learn
from their neighbour Botswana.- Japie Van Wyk - Walvis Bay