SMSes For Fri 27 Feb 09
SMSes Of The Day * THE shallow, materialist culture espoused by the newly rich is going to become the poison in the well that is supposed to water our freedom, as our national anthem tells us. Crony capitalism is a slow but deadly cancer!
* IT’S surprising to see that no newspapers are raising awareness about Earth Hour. Let’s talk less about politicians and more about issues they don’t want to address. If I were President, I would have instructed NamPower to cut electricity supply to all on Saturday, March 28, from 20h30 to 21h30.
– Cleo vd Bucht
Food For Thought
* WHY is there a statement inside Natis offices that says ‘Buying a licence is a crime’? It is supposed to be ‘Selling and buying a licence is a crime’. Because there will be no buyer if there is no seller.
– Bishop Com
Taxing Times
* IF Mr Sam Nujoma is really concerned about the plight of the flood victims in the Kavango and Caprivi regions then he must divert the N$44 million budgeted for his office to the flood victims. This money can be used to buy tents from South Africa and other basic needs.
* N$42,3 million for (President Sam) Nujoma’s new office, what a waste. Namibians should remember that the Ombudsman was told to vacate its office, which was easily accessible to the public, so that Nujoma can us it. Can his office tell the nation when Nujoma will complete his geology degree, as he is a bursary holder. We have the right to know. Nujoma could afford to pay for his ‘studies’ and grant another young Namibian the chance to study.
– Civil servant
* Why N$2,5 billion for defence compared to N$2,4 billion allocated to education? I thought the HIV-AIDS pandemic, unemployment, poverty and illiteracy are the great war we should currently capitalise on in Namibia. The Namibian Defence Force soldiers are seen 24 hours around towns after reporting and then being released every morning, or enjoying prolonged vacation. This does not warrant such a huge allocation. Please review your budget before humiliating us.
* I AM ashamed and shocked that our pensioners have to be satisfied with N$450 per month. How about all GRN staff cutting their salaries to N$450 for one month?
– Almost a pensioner
* THE money allocated to Defence should have been set aside for the Police, to buy advanced equipment to eradicate crime.
* AS far as I know, the money allocated to the MoD is not meant to buy weapons, guns and other military machinery, but to rebuild better infrastructure for our men and women who sleep eat and stay in the colonial-era dilapidated compounds. People of Namibia, lets think first before we just complain on every issue.
– Ndaloloka
* DEFENCE budget: much of it is to renovate army bases! They were built in prefabs. Now they are a health and safety hazard!
* THE high budget allocation to Defence should be used to train and deploy national servicemen in the fight against crime.
Politics in General
* SHAME on both South Africa and China for their despicable behaviour towards the Dalai Lama. China’s genocide in Tibet compares with those of Stalin, Pol Pot, Hitler, etc, and the whole world keeps quiet for fear of offending the butchers because then they might not be able to trade with China. Talk about being morally bankrupt and that from a nation who fought the evil of apartheid. Swak Piketberg, swak!
– Pieter Mostert
Bouquets And Brickbats
* I WOULD like to congratulate the Governor of Erongo for his leadership in the fight against HIV-AIDS. It is encouraging to see that there are leaders who care!
* THANKS to your paper I got my N$100. Keep up the good work!
– We’re thrilled on your behalf! [A petrol attendant who was not paid for fuel pumped and would have had to foot the bill himself if the customer had not returned to make good.] – News Editor
* HATS off to Mr Katenda! Politicians should emulate this way of sending an Independence message. Many times politicians bombard us with too much of the ‘movement’ only.
* HON (Johan) De Waal and McHenry Venaani of DTA, I hope one day you’ll become ministers before you retire. Unfortunately that won’t happen while you’re DTA members. Keep up the good work!
General
* CELL One promotion, l would like to know if you included your customers who used to buy credit from Trustco in your draw?
* DRIVER of white Fortuner N 2235 OR, the solid white line around a bend means don’t overtake. The time was 08h04, Wednesday, March 25 en route to Rehoboth.
* ONGOSHI Security how secure are the lives of more than 15 people loaded on the back of the bakkie at GOP at 17h15?
* WHEN will the Namibian Government introduce the customary marriages act? Traditional authority leaders should initiate the act. We are tired of living European style. Not everyone is a Christian in Namibia. We can get examples from Hereros and our neighbour South Africa. Please. Put the discussion on the table.
* POLICE officers driving Ministers are allocated GRN cars for use from home to work or work to home. Why not Police cars since they are Police? That way we can feel more presence of the Police in town.
City Fathers Please ...
* WE live in Vela Street, Dorado Park. There is a drain that was reported to the municipality but is not fixed yet. The stench and the flies are unbearable. The drain is flowing like a river. The municipality, however, always expects payment for services on time.
Grave Affairs
* IN my culture the relatives of a deceased prepare the grave and we close it afterward as a sign of respect and in that way we say goodbye to that person. I can’t imagine reopening the grave of a loved one. This is not acceptable. Let those who can afford to do so reserve a grave next to their loved ones.
* IT’S not acceptable that people at the City of Windhoek get to decide how I must be buried. Why must the residents of Windhoek adapt to this foreign custom? This decision should be left to the family members as one of their options to consider. I can’t imagine having to open a grave of a loved one again to lay to rest another, can you?
* CAN someone advise about cremation versus burial?
* IF graves are to be shared then prices should be reduced.
Old Soldiers
* I STARTED shedding tears when I was watching a documentary about ex-combatants on NBC on Friday. NBC interviewed two ex-combatants one of them was one of the first commanders of Plan, Tate Mbulunganga. According to the narrator he is suffering from a health condition. The truth is he was bitten by a tsetse fly while fighting for this land and the GRN forgot about him and many others. If one goes to villages there many of them still suffering while they are busy building buildings worth millions for one man rather than looking after the people who really fought for this country. Shame on Swapo.
Children Of The Struggle
* WHO are those “struggle kids” and who hindered them from schooling? Those in charge should know about those who want to appear as heroes while they were chased from schools as troublemakers, lazy or intellectually challenged. They want jobs without any qualifications! Where do they want to lead Namibia? Since they are on the Swapo farm, let us see how they make it productive.
ACC Alert
* AS a worker at Outapi Town Council who is anti-corruption, I request Mr Noa to investigate the sale of plots here. How much money was paid to council and where did that money go?
* SOMEONE is benefiting from this tender of N$1,7 million at Natis Valley. Mr Noa please investigate.
Health Matters
* PLEASE General Shalli for the sake of reducing HIV-AIDS, control your transfers of married couples within the force, like the recent deployment of 12 Brigade.
Labour Issues
* CAN the Ministry of Education please tell us the quickest way of processing our Medical Aid Membership Application? I have been teaching for six years now but have no medical aid. I sent a lot of applications to Otjiwarongo Education office but up to now nothing. Can I go straight to Windhoek offices or wait until retirement?
– Sick teacher
* NWR, please tell us what happened to the positions we applied for last year in October. There were 150 vacancies or where you trying to impress the nation and companies like MTC. Do you really advertise looking for people or do you advertise when you have your people in.
* CAN somebody please tell me when the NDF will start with its next intake. Please I desperately need a job.
– Brian
* ABOUT the wide corridors in GRN buildings – there is no danger of a collision between those who come late and those who leave early. They are the very same people!
* POLICE salaries: I have been a member of the Police for more than 12 years but so far my monthly income is less than N$5 000 before deductions. Is that fair? Our leaders must know that we also want nice house and to have vehicles too. After more than 12 years your payslip will never be accepted by the bank in order to buy a cheap car through the bank. We are not considered but if we decide to leave offices even for one day, what will happen to everybody in our country? Let’s open our eyes
MVA
* I WAS in a car accident and broke my collarbone and had stitches in my head. MVA told me that they do not pay out for tyre bursts. I didn’t ask for the tyre to burst and so didn’t receive a cent from MVA.
* HARRY Simon was not the only person who was involved in an accident whereby Government was obliged to fork out money. Why vilify the guy? He has been sentenced and serves his prison term. Give him a break please, he has been rehabilitated and we are waiting for him to pursue his boxing career.
* WHY must the MVA Fund and thereby the taxpayer pay for the reckless driving of an individual convicted. The money should come from the guilty party’s assets.