SMSes for Tue 10 Mar 09
* TO all political parties in Namibia, we the electorate demand a live broadcast on One Africa or Swapo-NBC TV of all party presidents to tell us why we should vote for them and their party during the coming elections later this year. We really need to vote for a leader and a party which will bring an end to corruption. We are really fed up with leaders who are just in enriching themselves while the nation is sinking into poverty.
Food For Thought
* NBC debt problem? No problem! The GRN taxes citizens, hands money to NBC which in turn does not pay tax! No problem! Just start the process again. ‘Money for Nothing’. – A Smit
Messages Of Condolence
* WE thank you Susan Tsvangirai. Your quiet resolute way will continue. Your early leaving is a loss for us in SADC. Comfort to [Zimbabwean] Prime Minster [Morgan] Tsvangirai and their six children as well as to all Zimbabwe people. – Kamati
* MY condolences to the brave PM Tsvangirai on the loss of his wife. We hope that the aged dictator is going to allow an independent investigation. All eyes are on President Robert Mugabe.
Running The Show
* SHAME on our Parliamentarians! They are dodging NA sessions without valid reasons. They are failing the nation.
* HOW dare Local Authority Councillors ask for salary hikes as most are teachers, doctors or lawyers?
Politics
* OUR Swapo councillors of Windhoek City please stick to your guns. Don’t just accept reinstatement on that condition of agreeing the renewal of the (Niilo) Taapopi contract. The post must be advertised and he must apply. If you agree then you are traitors and that decision is tantamount to corruption. Remember President Pohamba said zero tolerance of corruption. – Sheyanee
* TO think that you acting loyally by axing other party members from positions, you are favouring relative conspirators. It does not guarantee your loyalty but rather more or less has you acting in favour of RDP indirectly! These cheap politics shows how dangerous you are, destroying party through working within!
* I AGREE that Mathew Shikongo should leave office (to give others a chance) but not because he is an alleged RDP member. Swapo leaders grant us our right of association please and concentrate on much more important issues affecting this country. Today I can campaign openly for Swapo for everyone to see but when I enter the ballot box I’ll be free to vote for whoever I please.
* TIME for change! President Pohamba, this year marks our 19th anniversary and still 95% or more of your Cabinet is made up of people who have been there since Independence. Mr President, a nation that does not embrace change and introduce new blood is a dying nation and the Land of the Brave cannot afford to die. Please Mr President prove to us that you mean what you say and that there is a future and opportunity for every Namibian by introducing new blood into your Cabinet. Mr President this time around the nation is waiting and we hope that you will take up the challenge and not disappoint. – Upeuatjike
Bouquets And Brickbats
* MY thanks to MTC for their service. I was driving alone and the car got stuck in the mud deep in the bush. I called 120 for credit which I got within 15 minutes. – Happy customer
* HURLING beer bottles at a musician. I wonder what kind of a nation we are? I will not be surprised to hear one day Namibia being declared by the international community ‘A drunkard nation’. Please parents, leaders be they political or traditional, teachers and lecturers, and every proud citizen of the land, let us fight drunkenness.
* CAN Madam (Gwen) Lister tell the nation why The Namibian newspaper appears late on the website and in some instances some SMSes do not appear. I am a crazy fan of the SMS column. Please do something about it Ms Lister. – Pelvin, Walvis Bay – Technical issues with the Internet sometimes cause delays with the website. Also, remember to use the refresh button when you go in to read The Namibian. As we have mentioned before we receive many more messages than we can use and are looking at ways of increasing the pages.–- Newsdesk
* HANDS up to Chrispin Inambao on your article in New Era of Friday March 6, you shoot at the right spot there. Eewa.
ACC Alert
* OUTSTANDING S+T payments. The Ministry of Lands and Resettlement has outstanding payments on subsistence and travelling allowance that were supposed to have been paid to its travelling employees dating back to 2004. These workshops or meetings attended by such employees are budgeted for during each financial year, where does this money set aside for such activities go since they are not utilised for the purpose they are intended for? Can somebody, maybe the Anti-Corruption Commission or the Office of the Ombudsman take a closer look into this matter. This is just a tip of the iceberg, there is a lot to this matter, overtime too is not being paid, especially for employees who work in regions outside Windhoek. Now my question is how long can this situation be allowed to continue hampering progress in carrying out planned and budgeted for government activities, what measures are being put in place to prevent the recurring of this unhealthy situation? There is a saying that goes, ‘If the engine is not performing because of one or two pistons, replace the top gasket, that’s the cause of poor performance’. I would not be surprised if the top management of this ministry is reshuffled or totally removed in the next cabinet reshuffle! – From a concerned ministry employee
Labour Issues
* Can Police chiefs tell the nation if it is right for Police officers going on duty at night to board a taxi or walk more than 500m to the station as it is case at Walvis Bay? We all know that Police officers are the enemy to criminals. Police chief do something before criminals finish off our officers. – Nahenda
* GIANT Rio Tinto Rössing Uranium: Please give us our Pension Fund Surplus.
Health Matters
* PRIMARY health care. Why are the outreach team nurses not driving their outreach vehicles to be independent? Many nurses have a valid driving licence and are driving their private vehicles. I know there is a test done before you get the approved authorisation. Many times we have outreach cancelled because there is no driver for outreach services. I think the authority must consider those who are ready especially male nurses.
General
* CAN the two departments (customs and inland revenue) in the Ministry of Finance sit and discuss the relationship between the Customs Act and the VAT Act with regard to treatment of goods in customs storage warehouses? According to IRD, as from March 1 goods from customs warehouses sold to a foreigner for export are subject to VAT which the exporter has to claim back after export. If so what is the purpose of guaranteed warehouses than? How about duty free shops and supplying foreign-going ships and aircraft? If bonded goods are to be regarded as local supply when sold to a foreigner for export, why is only VAT to be paid, what about other taxes? (customs duties etc). There seems to be a serious misunderstanding about how the two laws relate to each other.
* THE Government is doing a lot in taking care of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) but little is being done in tracing their parents. Some of the parents don’t care about their responsibility. Such parents must be brought to justice.
In And From The Regions
* GOVERNOR of the Oshana Region, Hon Kashuupulwa, are you sure that Engela bridge in the Ohangwena Region has been washed away by flood water? Verify with locals. Water is still rising. – Pengela
* COMRADE Pohamba declare a state of emergency in northern Namibia and call for international help. We are not coping with imminent diseases, starvation and the destruction of properties. – Kamati
* I AM shocked and disturbed learn that half of the towns in Namibia use bucket-toilet systems! – Kamati
* WE, the community of Bergsig are unhappy with Regional Education Office at Khorixas. It appoints teachers not recommended by the school board, who don’t stay long at school. This situation affects innocent learners, particularly Grade 10s, negatively as they are left without some teachers to help prepare for critical exams. Our kids don’t have to suffer like this. No wonder many learners fail.
Sport
* DO we owe the recent poor performance and the high number of goals against us to the arrival of David Snewe? What is going on with our team, could management explain to us loyal supporters? We demand answers. We need a rapid change of performance. Once a Pirate, always a Pirate. – Luthy Amweenje
* THE game of football is arguably the best supported sports code in Namibia. The game is called ‘the beautiful game’ by sporting journalists, however referring to last weekend’s game between Santos and Stars all the beauty of the game was undone by the referee’s poor decisions. The irony of the matter is that the referee’s poor decisions occurred multiple times. The worst amongst them was disallowing a legitimately scored goal and putting the blame on the linesman. The particular referee is the one on the so-called referees panel of Fifa. As long as match officials are not held accountable for their actions this will continue until football is totally down the drain. – HF Shilomboleni
Service Please
* I AM a loyal customer of Afrox Okuryangava. I am concerned about your opening time every Thursday, which is late. But you offer perfect service. Just change Thursday’s time.
* TALKING of Switch telephones. Yes they are cheaper, but what about the restriction? It’s been three years now and I can’t use it in other towns because it’s been restricted. We want to know. – Concerned Member, BK
* PLEASE we need service at Komsberg Farming. NBC and MTC we want your connection this year.
* MULTICHOICE you are forcing your customers to subscribe to the full bouquet, you cut off channel SS7A from the mini bouquet, why? Not all of us can afford the full bouquet. That’s not a good strategy to nail sports lovers.
* WHAT happened with MTC live soccer matches?