SMSes for Fri 26 09
* GOOD honest people do exist. I left my wallet in a taxi containing N$950, my ID, my bank cards and to my surprise I got them back the same day. Thanks to the taxi driver and the owner of the taxi. God bless you and keep you safe. – Kapuka SS
Food For Thought
* TO all those who complain about the high interest charged by the banks, or rather the big gap between the deposit rate and the lending rate, just remember the Government charges you 21% on outstanding tax or VAT. This is the highest interest rate in the world, Zimbabwe excluded.
Politics
* FOUNDING Father, if we can’t afford proper schools, hospitals, etc for the two million people in the country now, how are we (you) going to care for more? We have people getting education under trees. Let’s be realistic.
* I DON’T understand why the RDP star rally at Rundu was never reported by any of the media in the country. If this is a strategy to isolate RDP, it is an undemocratic and childish move. – As far as The Namibian goes, we have noted on a number of occasions that it is impossible for us to cover every single rally. Also, the media are often only told very late about rallies, especially in some of the more distant regions. In addition, there have been times when we have pitched for party rallies or meetings and they have been called off, with neither the people nor the media being informed ahead of time. To cite one of the most recent examples: the CoD was scheduled to have a meeting at Rehoboth on Wednesday last week. Our reporter arrived to find it had been cancelled. It was then supposed to be on Saturday, and was again “postponed”. The last we heard was that it was due to take place yesterday. – News Editor
Bouquets And Brickbats
* THANKS President Pohamba for attracting big hits like (Russian President Dmitry) Medvedev, next (US President Barack) Obama.
* THANKS Medi-Clinic for a pleasant stay. Clean facility, professional service, friendly staff. Well done!
* WHAT an embarrassment for the Namibia Investment Centre, Ministry of Trade, Mininistry of Tourism, Nam Tourism Board, for Trustco clinching a deal to promote Nam as a tourism and investment destination. Why couldn’t Government do this?
* SOMETIMES I get frustrated with The Namibian when it stops short with articles. It would seem logical to follow the piece on jatropha (Thursday paper) with a review of what is currently happening in Namibia with jatropha. – Thank you for your suggestion. – News Editor
Running The Show
* PLEASE keep an attendance register and the media must publish it after every session. I’m sick and tired of national leaders that go Awol or sleep in NA.
* COMRADE Auditor General reports that the Guardian Fund could not provide financial statements for the ninth consecutive year. In other words they are nine years behind. But in some cases the good comrade and his office are years behind without any acceptable reason. To whom can we report Comrade Auditor General when he reports nine years late?
* PLEASE Ministry of Defence, come and check on the Otavi Regiment. Everything is going down here. Water pipes are leaking, showers and toilets have broken and no repairs have been done.
And Justice For All
* I HOPE that this judgement against Swapo members will teach Swapo to play the ball and not the man.
City Fathers Please ...
* THERE is a big pothole a few metres before joining Sam Nujoma Drive from the airport. Please can whoever fix this?
* ATTENTION City Police: Why are some churches allowed to operate on residential properties? A church run by Congolese refugees, self-styled prophets, apostles, pastors has been operating on Erf 9019, Andreas Kahuati Street, Katutura, for some time now. Why is this allowed? Not only does the noise worry us but hygiene as well. Imagine about 50 people both male and female using same single outside toilet! How was the additional now church building approved anyway? Please move this church out of our residential area today.
In And From The Regions
* OKAHANDJA State Hospital’s service is poor. Nurses are sitting idle and chatting while we are in queues.
* EMPLOYEES at the Inland Revenue Office in Oshakati should be serious with their duty. I submitted my return last year on June 25 and up to now it is not yet been processed. The same inefficiency is being observed in the Ministry of Education, Oshana Region, one can claim for S&T, rate 3 but years will pass without one receiving something. But the senior officers who claim rate 1 are getting their money on time. Why should we hand in return forms or claim S&T if it seems difficult to get the results? Is this what we call efficiency? Can we reach Vision 2030 with this attitude and are the supervisors of these offices aware of what is happening or they are just in meetings? – A concerned and frustrated Educator
* WE the community of Rundu are very much in need of a zoo park. Can the Town Council help us please. – Eddy
* AT Oshivelo, Quinas constituency in Oshikoto region. We need radio Channel 7 and Radio Omulunga stations as well as One Africa TV.
* THE Government loaned money to the Lüderitz Town Council, but now they are forcing money out of the people. What is going on here?
* I TRULY do not understand why NBC is still not doing anything about the problem we have at Khorixas. The people in Khorixas haven’t been watching NBC for the past four months. We want answers!
* DOES NBC, Keetmanshoop still have a manager? Thought I’d only ask...!
Service Please
* VEHICLE Registration Officers at Ongwediva Natis Office. Please you are too slow with your service. Please improve.
* ONCE again I find myself in Mugg & Bean and waiting 20 min for someone to help you.
* STANDARD Bank is really absurd. I was disappointed after finding out that by simply changing my old branch to a new branch, I have to start everything from scratch by opening a new bank account because every bank is using different codes. Oh Standard Bank, we hardly understood you. Please change your strategy on this because no one stays at the same place forever, people are being transferred and bank charges are costly!
General
* VALUABLE lessons can be learnt from the Iran crisis. Despite its government’s efforts to clamp down on communication, its citizens ensured the truth got told. – AS
* SINCE traditional healers are recognised, are they paying tax to the government? – Kelola LF
Sporting
* AND you’re saying David Beckham did not “change American soccer”. Sure he did! The Americans were outstanding against the Spanish. Congratulations America. You deserve to be in the final.
* I AM calling all Orlando Pirates fans as well as supporters from all over our beloved regions to come and support the team during the Cell One NFA cup final. We must come in numbers to support the boys because its our cup. Once a pirate, always a pirate. – Diehard fan, Paoli
Lost And Found
* UNAM student Mr Malan Douglas’s documents were found and are as follows Namibian ID, FNB card, Unam access card and student card no: 200920847. Contact 081-263-1871.
* ANYONE who comes across the ID card of C N Ndakola 87062300225 can get hold of me anytime at this number: 085-583-7738. Thanks.
* IDENTITY card of Mr Shadrick Ndeleki Ntema no 840925 1090 7! Contact 081-354-7525
Health Matters
* Minister of Health Dr Kamwi send your team to make an inspection at the Swakopmund Hospital, especially at the maternity section. There is no toilet paper in the toilets and not even hot water for mothers and newborn babies. It’s worse for ladies who have been operated. They’ve got to go and boil water for bathing. It’s really a disaster.
Labour Issues
* WE literacy promoters from the Karas Region have not been paid since April 2009. Can the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance explain to us why?
* MY concern is about community counsellors in all 13 regions, those who are dealing with people living with HIV and AIDS. Why are we still working against the Labour Act? Please Minister (Richard) Kamwi give us feedback. We are doing a great job in the health workplace. Also Paulus Noa investigate because we are suffering a lot.
* WHY should one wait for six months before you get your money from GIPF if you resign or retire? This should at least take one or two months if not one. It is pathetic that the Labour ACT did not put a timeframe on the this payment. Ministry of Education and GIPF must come forth and explain
* SANLAM advertised a vacancy for a medical underwriter. Only needs a Grade 12 to analyse medical information. Why not get the services of a qualified medical doctor. Little wonder the general public is placed at a disadvantage and their policies unduly loaded. Please look into this matter with the urgency it deserves.
Education
* I AM a student at the Polytechnic of Namibia doing a BA in English. I want an explanation from the Ministry of Education as to why they don’t want to give us loans. Please be fair. Are we not students like any others? Or don’t our parents pay tax? You sent back N$7 million yet you don’t want to give us loans. Please we also want to be treated like any other students.
* PLEASE don’t be surprised that you wait for more than a year for your pension to be paid out. It took five years to get mine from the Ministry of Education.
* CAN the Ministry of Health create a course of study e.g. diploma in health care to expand our skills base.
* POLYTECHNIC of Namibia, please offer a Bachelor of Marketing Degree on distance as from 2010. – Former Student, Karas
* WHY is it allowed to study Khoe Khoe gowab at the Polytechnic of Namibia as well Unam but not at Namcol? – Else Araes
* PLEASE tell me is the ACE course from IOL recognised? Everywhere you go people say it is not. Why can’t the Ministry of Education clarify this for once in the media before the August exam? We are wasting time. – Sir KK
A Response On Natis
IN response to the SMS on 24-06-09, about Natis being a gold digger, if any member of the public comes there and has not properly studied for a learners’ licence or not done enough practical training for a drivers’ licence, and or brings unroadworthy vehicles, then we will indeed continue to dig your gold. Because we (staff) did not call anyone to come there insufficiently prepared for any of the above. Natis is not a jackpot or lucky dip, period.
Response On Yellow ‘Commas’
IN response to an SMS in yesterday’s newspaper titled ‘City Fathers Please’, the yellow comma-shaped road marks in Windhoek point out water access points for fire trucks.
Response from TransNamib
Herewith find response to the SMS published in The Namibian dated Friday, June 19 2009.
I am shocked to read that the current acting CEO or Board of TransNamib has advertised an expression of interest for a ‘strategic plan’ in newspapers. Why not wait for whoever is coming as CEO, because he might change that. Did you consult your workers? Don’t waste the taxpayer’s money. What have you been doing for the whole year?
THE management and Board of TransNamib has a full mandate to manage strategic and operational issues. All along there has been a framework of strategic plans, which started in February 2008. Strategic planning and implementation are processes that involve various stakeholders at various stages of the processes. The strategic planning processes cannot be put on hold due to the absence of any member of management. In addition, taxpayer’s money will be wasted if we do not fulfil our mandate.
This is some of what management did during the year:
- Refurbishment programme of ageing locomotives, which saw the improvement of TransNamib’s pulling capacity.
- TransNamib embarked upon an extensive program to address its capacity constraints and infrastructure challenges. Significant progress was made with the refurbishment of locomotives. Customers’ needs and future business growth receive high priority, attention and these form the basis of the company’s strategic direction.
- We initiated an asset re-evaluation program where for the first time, we will know the real value of our assets.
- We resolved many legal cases
- We are currently busy with a turn-around strategy
Management has also obtained approval from the Board to initiate culture change interventions, and a performance management system.
Ritha Nghiitwikw
Public Relations Officer
Corporate & Public Affairs, Trans-Namib Holdings
Huge turnout for testing
Response from the Ministry of Health
Response on the SMS in The Namibian of 24 June 2009
WE took part in the National HIV Testing Day, worked from 08h00 to 20h00 and we were promised payment but up to now we have not got anything! MoHSS please reply (24 June 2009).
The Ministry of Health and Social Services would like to thank the author and all participants for their excellent contribution to the National HIV Testing Day Campaign. In total more than 80 thousand Namibians were tested, which is a resounding success. As the author is aware, during the National HIV Testing Day event each site staff signed a register of attendance every day.
After the completion of the event, the district compiled a list of all the names of the participating staff which was then forwarded to the Regional Office. Since thousands of people were involved in the exercise, finance officers have to verify the information within their regions before sending it to the National Level for processing. These are important accounting procedures that need to be complied with in the terms of the State Finance Act.
We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause. For now most of the staff involved have already received their allowances. We want to assure all personnel involved in the campaign that they will receive their remuneration.
Please would you publish our response in your esteemed newspaper?
Yours in Health,
Ms. Gladys Kamboo
Public Relations Officer