SMSes of Wed 04 Feb 09
* CAN The Namibian please publish a full list of all those whose municipal debts are being written off so they can be publicly humiliated and possibly we can assist the municipality in tracing them. For those who pay their municipal bills regularly each month this is a slap in the face. – Robin Tyson
Food For Thought
* SHEBEENS. A household of less than 10 people benefits from say 100 ‘loyal’ customers. In the process 1 000 are directly ruined while another 1 000 lives are indirectly affected through criminal activities. These all by one shebeen only! Only 33 shebeens in Keetmanshoop negatively affect the lives of 66 000 people. The effects of the unlicensed ones are excluded from this figure. Close all of them and turn them into small gardens.
Democracy Rules
* KANANA Hishoono should condemn a growing intolerance in Swapo which makes peace-loving citizens angry and use unusual language against those we thought would direct this country into peace and prosperity. But instead they call other children’s parents Judas Iscariot or homosexuals and yet demand respect.
* WE have freedom of speech, don’t we? And isn’t the media a source for the Government on their people’s voices, opinions and views? When answers are given by the government concerning overall problems and unanswered questions then only will there be ‘peace and harmony’ in our beloved country. – Citizen
* THE little inconvenience that some leaders suffer in the daily SMS pages by being criticised or their policies (or lack thereof) is called democracy. – Norman Tjombe, Windhoek
* WHY can’t we accept our mistakes and take the blame? Our Constitution gave us the right of expression but now when we are expressing ourselves it’s an offence. The question is who is wrong? Is it the people of Namibia or Namibia’s Constitution?
* IF politicians feel defamed, it is their right to approach the courts. But anybody who stands for public office must know they are not immune from public criticism as that is also our right. In any case we will meet politicians at the ballot box. Maybe it’s better to be informed throughout a term about your weaknesses then to be removed at the end. Of course we all should respect each other and that should not be based on age or position in society.
* I DON’T know why Namibians or Africans in general ‘worship’ their leaders? So what if some Namibians are writing about Nujoma or Pohamba? I must admit, some of the writings are below the belt, but that’s democracy. If you don’t want to be criticised stay away from politics! The Namibian should compile a list of all the nasty stuff written about Presidents (George W) Bush, (Bill) Clinton, (British Prime Minister Margaret) Thatcher, etc. so that these people complaining about Nujoma and Pohamba being insulted can read how badly these leaders got insulted and no one cared, because that’s normal in politics!
* TATE (Kakana) Hishoono, you are barking up the wrong tree. Kindly redirect your request to Swapo whose government representatives and members verbally as well as physically abuse non-Swapo Namibians on a daily basis.
* I’M sorry but I have to say that the elders involved in Swapo are going too far. I’m young but one human right I am granted is freedom of speech. The reason for this page is for us to speak our minds and if whoever doesn’t like it then they can get over it themselves. Truth hurts, that’s why they keep complaining about petty issues and they must look and rectify their faults because we can’t be held responsible for our thoughts, opinions or feelings.
* SWAPO Elders’ Council must know that President Hifikepunye Pohamba and ex-President Sam Nujoma are not ‘holy cows’ in this country! They are not immune from criticism (here we don’t throw shoes at them). They are vulnerable to criticism because they accepted to be democratically elected leaders. If some elders in our society choose to demonise democracy, then this nation is cursed to hell. The freedom of expression platforms – the chat shows and SMS page – are not dangerous or destructive. What can ‘create chaos and anarchy’ in the country is the muzzling of the nation.
Bye Bye Bob
* KANDETU gone! Watch this space, Asser Ntinda must be brushing his shoes. He is itching to transfer to the NBC.
* TODAY it is (Former NBC Director General Bob) Kandetu, tomorrow it is (Prime Minister) Nahas (Angula) and (Deputy Prime Minister) Dr (Libertina) Amathila followed by all the old Swapo guard from the struggle because the Swapo moderates do not like them.
GTV Gone
* WHEN will we start watching GTV, and are we going to pay full payment to the end of the month?
* GTV managers please tell us when are you going to bring back our TV. If not, please pay back our money. We paid for your decoders.
* IT never rains but pours for consumers now that GTV has been liquidated. Not that I really give a hoot about their financial predicament but my beef is what I am supposed to do with their equipment which has become a white elephant. Is this another Ramatex dose? These guys should not blame anyone but themselves. It’s not the price of the service but the quality that pulls clients. It’s the quality which sealed their fate. It’s back to the DStv monopoly. Lord have mercy!
Bouquets And Brickbats
* COMPLIMENTS to Ward 6B at Katutura Hospital. Please keep up the hard work. You feed the patients who can’t feed themselves. You bathe the patient that can’t bathe themselves. May God bless you for your kindness. Keep up the hard work.
* I FOUND a teenager heavily intoxicated and lying in the bush. Merely two minutes later the Police were at the scene after a phone call. Thumbs up for the Eenhana Police!
In And From the Regions
* SWAKOPMUND Municipality, when are you going to hold a ‘dogs clean-up campaign’. We are being terrorised on the streets. Do something for ratepayers’ safety.
* WHY is the roadblock between Ondangwa and Oshakati used only for December? Why is it not permanent?
* WE teachers at Epembe Combined School have been waiting for our Government houses to be electrified for the past nine years despite the availability of electricity. Nored has done its job by erecting the poles and laying lines into the houses. Apparently they cannot make the final connection before the GRN tests the wiring. Other GRN buildings built recently are electrified so what are we being punished for? Our water is leaking and sewerage reservoirs are full. Yet we are expected to pay for living in such unserviced houses!
* OSHAKATI Town Council. When will you rectify the everyday power cuts when rain is in the air? Our electrical equipment cannot handle this!
* TELECOM officials claim they have only two technicians to fix 400 broken telephone lines in the Tsumeb area. How’s this possible with the big profit they make every year?
* THE RCC must put that white stripe on the road from Oshakati to Ruacana because I see many accidents happen sometimes because of that.
Taxi Talk
* CAN the City Police chief tell us if they only target taxis?
* I THINK the taxis in the North look great with the unique colour lines and numbers. Let’s leave politics aside, the colours on the taxis are red, blue and yellow, not the RDP flag.
* MORE than 140 registered taxis are colour-branded, paid for by ourselves as agreed with Nabta leadership in the North. For Muunda and his group to claim that our taxis were branded without our consent is not true. We are happy that legal taxis are branded for the safety of our customers and we are requesting the traffic police to stop all taxis without permits from operating without permits as they operate illegally.
Health Matters
* (HEALTH) Minister (Richard) Kamwi do you know that a red sticker is being put up on top of the beds of HIV-positive patients at the Keetmanshoop State Hospital?
* NURSES’ Council of Namibia. Does the registration process of nurses take months? We’re fellow Namibians, the only difference is we obtained our training abroad. Registrar, please. We’re tired of staying home.
General
* I WAS informed by Roads Authority recently when I enquired to use a Damara/Nama name with our symbols (e.g // or !) on my personalised number plate that it is not allowed. This was confirmed by their manager as being against the policy. Can the people who swore to uphold and protect the Constitution intervene as we are also Namibians (and this was gladly recognised by Home Affairs long time ago).
* ON the SMS of the Day, Jan 28 issue: If you have shares in these mines, it’s vital that you use GRN status to push for a bailout.
Ministry of Education responds
* I’M a student at the Polytechnic of Namibia. I just don’t understand about the study loans we get from the Ministry of Education. Those people think we makes jokes when we say our parents don’t work and don’t have money. Each time they give us little money for our school fees and we always have to add more than N$4 000. Where do they expect us to get this big amount of money if we told them our parents don’t work or some are already dead? Please we need an answer.
According to the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) Policy, the financial assistance is granted to cover tuition, textbooks, registration fees for current loan holders and other educational expenses of which the NSFAF board may determine the rates. However the Loan amount is not 100 percent, students are supposed to add the remaining amount.
MY concern is this: Does the Government give study loans to students studying at private institutions and what process do we have to take to get those loans or bursaries?
The Ministry of Education through the NSFAF currently provides study loans to UNAM, Polytechnic, Educational and Agricultural colleges and IUM students. Private colleges whose qualifications are recognised and accredited by the Namibia Qualification Authority (NQA) may approach the Ministry of Education for the possibility of funding to their students. Every year the closing date to apply for financial assistance is 31 October.
Why are bursaries advertised to students who are willing to further their studies at Unam and they have to study engineering, maths and science. All of them need not be Unam students only. Most grade 12s who completed school are staying home due to financial problems. We have a need of many professionals. All people must have access to scholarships.
Scholarships advertised through the Ministry of Education by various governments and organisations have different and specific requirements. Those meeting the requirements are encouraged to apply regardless of their current status or institution unless specified.