SMSes Of Friday 9 October 2009
* A CALL to all political parties: stop defence speeches and negative evaluations of each other, start offering hope and a future, constructive comments and development plans. – CTG from the Far South
* NAMIBIA scored high on governance. Praise be to the leaders for their role but mostly the people for keeping them alert through criticisms and contributions. Put more fire. There’s room for improvement, we can be number one.
Food for Thought
* ALLOW me editor to call upon my fellow youth to respect the uniformed Police no matter from the Namibian Police or City Police. Let’s give them enough respect whilst on duty. I have noticed with disappointment to see youth arguing with police officers in public places like bars, even in the streets.
– Baloyi
Election Fever
* OUR Government must listen to the people.
* CAN the right people please take out their calculators and redo their maths. According to the statistics below, the population of Namibian youth have mysteriously diminished. In 2003 World demographic statistics estimated that 0-14 years old comprise 42,5% (818 905) of the Namibian population. With a 0,94% in 2008 growth rate it can be argued that the 2003 figures are more or less the same in 2009. In 2009 our population of 2 million registered 1,14 million voters. This means that (if every over eighteen year old has voted) our population has currently 860 000 Namibians under eighteen years old.
* AT Ongenga, MPLA and Swapo youths marching together! What proof does the ECN have that it didn’t register Angolans? Cross-check the voters’ to see if it’s accurate. Be watchful.
Going AWOL
* ‘LOWER standards feared in the Parliament’, the paper says today [Wednesday]. Huh? Judging by their actions one wouldn’t think there are any standards at all there!
* SO if the NA can’t make a quorum of 37, what stops it not making a quorum of 15 or 25? Just throw those out that don’t turn up without an excuse. They were elected to serve the nation!
Bouquets And Brickbats
* I SUPPORT the BoN governor on reducing the bank spread. It will help the Namibian economy to develop. What benefit is there to have high interest rates with banks having supper profits at the expense of the Namibian public and economy?
– Joyce T Shumba
* THE more we read about health matters in the media, the more is revealed about the leadership of this ministry. Congratulations minister and team!
Minister of Health Richard Kamwi
* I SALUTE the Minister of Health for his positive and straightforward manner in calling upon the lazy and rude nurses and hospital officials to quit if they feel they can’t handle the mandate anymore. My concern however is who will make them to quit, as numerous complaints to the authorities about their attitude and behaviour fall on deaf ears.
– Monica
* JOSEPHINE Sheyadiva is my value star of the Ministry of Fisheries. Thank you for your prompt and professional service, Josephine. Our Government should employ and promote more people like her.
– Satisfied customer, Walvis Bay.
* I USED to follow TBN church programmes and I have spiritually benefited a lot. One thing I’m not happy with is that many Namibians in different churches are busy chewing bubble gum during the preaching. I feel that it can disturb concentration while the Word is being preached. Can our church elders inform and motivate members to end it.
Running The Show
* IS it better to give the Swapo struggle children the millions or fix the elevators at the Katutura State hospital? Madam Finance, first get the hospital fixed.
– Khomob, Windhoek
General
* I WANT to know how did Professor Robert Rotberg find out about Namibia being a democratic country. I totally disagree with him. You cannot tell somebody that you are not hungry as if you are in his or her stomach.
– Ndapewa Elago, human rights defender
* REGARDING the railway with Botswana, what’s in it for Namibia? How much are we receiving in lease permits for the property in Walvis? How will it benefit Namibian interests? Don’t we need the land for our own economic interests? Why are we footing the bill for their advancement especially in light of their stance on the EPA?
* I DON’T think that crime levels are dropping as per the NPC review, I think people just don’t report cases anymore. What’s the point? Criminals are not caught and if they are, the sentence does not always fit the crime. Also, the Police are seen to be apathetic and unsympathetic to the victims.
* WHAT is the purpose of a Medical Aid if one pays all the way from the doctor’s consulting room to the pharmacy? Medical aid schemes are milking us.
In And From the Regions
* CALLING Katima Mulilo Hospital or clinic, is there nobody to pick up the phones? Are they on holiday? It is really frustrating.
* I’M an Opuwo resident. My concern is the dirt at Opuwo. There are no dustbins in the street and we don’t know where to dump? Opuwo Council do something, this is your home town.
* WHAT is it with the town council of Lüderitz and municipality of Walvis Bay wanting to place high-rise buildings in prime spots?
* CAN the GRN act on the issue of the man arrested by the Zambian government for human trafficking. The entire Caprivi Region is in pain. Please Governor Mwilima, do something.
And Justice for All
* THE Namibian’s Luqman Cloete gave negative publicity to Governor Hanse-Himarwa, acting as ‘prosecutor and judge’ but her acquittal by Court did not get justifiable coverage. Proves point by Founding Father that your newspaper has a hidden agenda against Swapo.
– Of course you are welcome to believe what you want. No problem with that. However, The Namibian reported on the Governor’s acquittal prominently, and even used a rather nice photograph of her with the article. – News Editor
Labour Issues
* NAMPOL I want to know from the commanding officer SOCU how long does it take to appoint your members from Lieutenant Detective to full Detective after completing a course in 2006.
* WE are still waiting for answers from the Ministry of Finance concerning our pension money. Mrs Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila [Minister of Finance], please give us an answer. As old employees for the then TCL, we are in the dark as to whether we are going to get any thing.
Education
* PARENTS please pay your school fees. School funds are there to maintain the school. Invest in your child!
Lost And Found
* I LOST my Standard Bank card holder containing my ID, Smartcard and cash card. I find it please contact Imataa on 081-430-5294.
* I HAVE lost my car number plate N17346W around Ondangwa, Ongwediva and Oshakati. Please if you find it call me at 081-289-0795.
Please Help
* PLEASE tell me, does a woman have to change her surname to that of her husband when they get married in community of property?
* CAN someone tell me where does the money that the Police seize from criminals go? (If no owner’s found.) Like the recent thousands of US dollar notes and other notes stolen from banks using fake ATM cards. If it goes to the Government, how much has been recovered since Independence and has there been proof that it goes to the correct accounts?
* PUBLIC relations officer of NEKA please give your contact number in the newspaper or contact me on my number 081-278-2056 or 061-236168 please. I need your help.
Service Please
* POOR customer service experienced at Spar Ongwediva. I am very upset with the service delivered to me lately. Staff should be sent for training. Imagine you bought your goods and the cashier throws you the change. What message are they trying to deliver to the customers? We’re both helping each other. She forgets that if customers were not there to buy, there would be nobody to pay their wages? Again in business language, we don’t count who are you and whose child you, but we only expect good and professional customer service from you.
– Angry customer, Ongwediva
* NQA your service is too slow! I wonder how long it takes for you to reply for a request especially for those Namibian students at Zimbabwe colleges?
– Ndalulilwa
* CAN MTC withdraw the 22h00 – 07h00 promotion. It really annoys me when I want to make important calls but can’t get through. Think of a situation like there is an accident or any other emergency! Or otherwise, pay extra attention to your network.
* MTC must reconsider its policy of network coverage in the Erongo Region. Places like Uis with weak network towers hardly cover a 20-km radius surrounding villages. Mind you these are tourist areas next to the Brandberg.
Politics
* PEOPLE who were in Namibia during the liberation struggle also played an important part towards the independence of the country and should also be looked after. We heard the plight of war veterans and now for the so-called struggle kids, what about kids born in the country to parents who did not go outside but played and important part in the struggle while in the country? If it was not because of our parents who remained behind, Swapo could not have won the freedom which we are all enjoying today. Or is it because our parents do not have documents to prove their roles they played? Some of these kids were given opportunities to study just like others and they did not perform and now they want to be given bread on a silver plate! It not fair at all, it is a sign of disunity leading to confusion among the Namibian nation. Please Namibian government, let’s share the cake of freedom in equal shares for the benefit of the entire nation.
* THE ‘Old Man’ is an old man, with a remarkable history of struggling and fighting. It is understandable that he sometimes falls back in old categories when he gets access to a microphone and diverts from his written speech. Although his racist hate speech does sincere damage to the country, we should not become too personal about it. Old people are often stubborn and live in the past, that’s normal. Justice Minister Iivula-Ithana seems to blow in the same trumpet in order to forward her career. That is embarrassing! The most embarrassing however is that my party does not have the guts to rectify these positions but lets unconstitutional dangerous hate speech pass unchallenged. Why are we all as obedient as small children (should be)? Why did we not develop a culture of debate and critical dialogue to enhance our abilities to lead this country in the right direction? Why must parliaments in Europe debate the unopposed point of view that the Namibian political elite condones the idea of shooting Germans in the head, hitting Britons with a hammer and “dealing with” Gwen Lister because she is white? Why is there not a new camp in Swapo that takes on such controversies and does the effort to develop a constitutional, constructive, future oriented and sustainable political position? Maybe we need to be forced into opposition first before this can happen?
* VIVA Comrade Pendukeni Ithana with your speech at Omungwelume. Those who don’t want to be criticised by the Swapo government must pack and go. We lost our blood for this country, Viva Ithana.
– Desmond
* I’M disgusted by irresponsible SMSes reacting to Madam Ithana’s speech, delivered at Omungwelume. All the 16 SMSes are regrettable, unconstructive and hate speech at its best. That’s not the way. Be responsible guys and know that meme has the right to express her opinion. Even worse, Gwen gave more space to SMSes in her favour. Will you refuse to publish my SMS too, since is not in your favour? Where is justice? Hmm, cry justice. I feel betrayed. Viva Minister Ithana, you are one of few effective female leaders we have.
– All views are welcome in The Namibian. If you read this page regularly, you should be well aware that we run SMSes that are critical of us, whether we agree with them or not. In this particular case, the majority of messages in response to the Minister’s speech were in support of The Namibian. – News Editor
* TO anti-Swapo people, remember that freedom of speech is not for you only. It is for all Namibian people including the Swapo leaders. Please leave our Swapo leaders alone.
* MINISTER of Justice, shame on you for attacking Gwen Lister. Well allow me to inform you that those you are calling white also fought for our liberation struggle. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Leave her alone and try to get to your corruption files gathering dust in your office. Stop picking on the whites. We Namibians are past that era.
– Helena
* TO Gwen Lister: When you see them making a noise, you are doing your job. Pendukeni Ithana is reminding us exactly of the same colonisers who had an agenda of “shut up or die”. But we won’t shut up. Viva The Namibian for telling it like it is and letting us see the true colours of our liberators
* I AM a Swapo supporter. I am calling for my party to come up with a no-hate-speech policy so that the popularity of the party goes on!
– TIA, Windhoek
* HATE speech and war against whites are not helping Swapo. But I want to know: is the war against whites a Swapo thing or an individual thing? Because I am a Swapo member but I don’t agree with the sentiments. We live in an era where we can see right or wrong not in the times where people would simply be brainwashed. And please this SMS is not from Gwen.
* I JUST want to remind Minister Ithana that we as Namibians are not ready for revenge on whites. We have peace in Namibia. Thank you Dr Sam (Nujoma) for that.
* NAMIBIA scores on Governance: Performed worse in categories for participation and human rights. Could it be blamed on people like Honourable Pendukeni Ithana who are anti-human rights? Trying to dictate what The Namibian editor should publish has affected our scores on Governance immensely Honourable. Gwen, continue telling it like it is!
– Kastar, Oshakati
* FELLOW Namibians, I have read various comments on Dr Nujoma’s hate speech and judging the content, I can see that the majority of Namibians are against this hatred and racism. As a white Namibian, that is like ointment on a sore. Let us tolerate each other and learn to work together to develop and take care of this beautiful land.
* MINISTER Pendukeni Iivula please stop blaming The Namibian and others. The SMS page comes from the people.
* THE SMS pages in The Namibian are a means of practising grassroots democracy by the people, for the people.