SMSes for April 16 Monday 2012
SMS Of The Day *CONGRATULATIONS to all the artists who won the NAMA awards. But most of you totally forgot to thank the fans who made it possible for you. Just to say 'a big thank you' to the fans who voted via SMS.
Food for Thought
*I READ in The Namibian what Theodore Roosevelt said about patriotism - patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It looks like there is no single Namibian who understands the word patriotism.
Bouquets and Brickbats
*MINISTER Abraham Iyambo welcome back! It's good to see your face in the newspaper again. Take care of your health please.
*BRAVO Ms Lister! Well said in your ‘Political Perspective’ on Friday. I'm so glad someone held in high esteem says all I want to say but who won't be considered important enough to listen to. You are a voice for the voiceless. Gwen for president!
*THE Namibian Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community must unite and be a one voice as the struggle for equality is still denied to us 22 years after freedom. A big thank you to all media houses who support our cause.
– C M, Namibian gay activist
*A FRIDAY Namibian without the Rambler! What a sick joke. Please don’t do it again.
*I USUALLY support Dr Ngurare of the youth league of my party. However, the comments refuting alleged accusations of sexual harassment because of his view regarding the attractiveness (or the lack thereof) of his Deputy Ms Shikomba were sexist, insensitive and shockingly ignorant. As a past victim of sexual abuse in the workplace, the issue behind rape, abuse or harassment is power and control not beauty or attractiveness. As an educated and well-spoken person I would have assumed you knew this. The comments you made imply that sexual harassment is ‘believable’ and ‘understandable’ as long as the target victim is beautiful or of an acceptable ‘calibre.’ This is frightening. Please deal with the issues between you and your deputy on facts and let the evidence settle the matter.
*FOR Minister Nghimtina to blame our parents for the skills shortage is an insult. We want to study but where is the money? We want to study everything but the money is not there and we end up selling kapana. Vision 2030 was a bad dream not a reality.
*THE photographer and the minibus driver were both in serious contravention of the law. The photographer did not only operate a camera while driving but was also driving on solid lines. This is equally irresponsible driving.
*FRIDAY April 13, The Namibian’s front page complaint about overtaking on a restricted stretch of road. Criticise the reader who took the photo. Using handheld devices while driving is also irresponsible. Don’t see the wrong in others when you are doing wrong too.
*IT appears that Air Namibia might be in a much worse state than anyone thought. They are in the habit of scheduling their aircrafts' ‘scheduled routine maintenance’ at the same times that they schedule their actual flights! What kind of management is that for an airline?
NAMAS awards
*THIS is unfair! How could Exit not win any award? Re-vote!
*EXIT you are the best. Never give up, keep on giving us the best of your music and next time it's you brother.
*THUMBS up to the NAMAS organisers. It was the best ever. Congratulations to Mushe, TeQuila, Linda and finally to the Kwaito master (The Dogg) Mshasho. You can't ignore!
– Maggy
Politics in General
*KOFI Annan deserves to become the next president of Ghana because he has extensive knowledge as a diplomat and on humanitarian issues and is also an excellent negotiator. I wish Namibia really had someone with those qualities. In my view he is the second top man in the African history besides Madiba.
– PM
Education
*DEPUTY Minister of Education, since when must teachers not practise politics? Stop harassing teachers, we (teachers) are equal citizens. You came from education when you joined politics. Politics is a constitutional right of all. The Deputy Minister must resign first, then teachers will follow.
*I AGREE with Dr Namwandi that school inspectors, principals and teachers should leave politics to politicians and concentrate on delivering good quality education to Namibian children, because politics has already robbed our children of hardworking teachers who are currently councillors. Can the Minister make it a law to level the playing field?
– Parent.
*DR Namwandi – false medical certificates. Just a request for serious soul searching! I have sympathy for the teachers, the doctors implicated and the Namibian/Southern African Development Community(SADC) region! The health of this population has deteriorated with life expectancy having dropped from 65 years to 35 - 39 years! The population as a whole (not only teachers) is not healthy! So Dr Namwandi – let us show some empathy!
*SCHOOLS want parents to get more involved in the education of their children as teachers are unable to deliver quality education without the children's parents being involved. The involvement of parents in education has a positive impact on educational achievement at all stages such as improved learners' behaviour, reduced absenteeism, respect for school authorities, reduced dropouts and restored confidence in education among parents. In spite of the government's huge share of the budget invested in education to improve delivery schools' performance has remained disappointingly low. Part of the problem is that the majority of parents are barely involved in their children's learning activities. This is a meaningful call to all parents that schools lack parental support when delivering education to the Namibian child.
*WHY bother to advertise Chinese scholarships while you already know who the beneficiaries are? The children of the well-connected will of course get them even if they do not qualify. Can we please stop this corruption and give assistance to kids who really qualify and are in real need?
Law and Order
*CONGRATS Law Reform Development Commission for outlawing polygamy. Please also outlaw witchcraft soonest.
*THIS is my first visit to Windhoek in a year and the driving is terrible! No one seems to care about red lights and the taxi drivers have absolutely no road rules at all. Where are the police?
*IT is high time for the government to ban all bogus doctors and preachers from Namibia.
Labour Issues
*MINISTRY of Health and Social Services, those job categories who could not be regraded during the 2009 regrading process are surely overdue and staff members are expecting information regarding regrading. Unions claiming to represent healthcare workers are equally to blame.
City Fathers
*CITY of Windhoek we are tired of the electricity going off every day. Our children are writing examinations and there is nowhere to study at King Kauluma Street, Okuryangava.
In and From the Regions
*IS Lüderitz turning into a ghost town? The crayfish festival has opened my eyes. I came to visit after 20 years and was shocked! Twenty years of obvious total neglect has led to untarred roads, ruins of government houses that are falling apart and the only secondary school as well as the town council in shambles. And all that in a town where so much wealth is generated for the country.
Service Please
*MINISTRY of Ministry of Mines and Energy please review your solar home system application process. I have been waiting for eight months now and, to my surprise, you are still working on applications for June/July 2011.
*STANDARD Bank is not going forwards as stated in their ads but going backwards. Try and get them to reverse charges and pay back money incorrectly taken out of my account. Still not corrected after more than two weeks. The Bank of Namibia should investigate this.
*I WOULD like to know what the time zones apply for retailers? On Monday, April 9 at 20 minutes to one, major retailers in town started closing their doors. I am referring to Markhams, Foschini etc, Clicks Wernhil closed their doors at 12h45. Doors should remain open until their actual closing time. Who is in charge?
Responses to recent SMSes
*THE Ministry of Mines and Energy must diversify its fuel sources. For example why not import fuel from Angola? Fuel there is very cheap. Even if you only supply northern Namibia with that fuel. The statement that fuel from Angola is not refined to Namibian specifications is sheer propaganda, colonial and nonsensical. Most cars in northern Namibia already use fuel from Angola. We cannot continue to depend on South Africa only for our fuel supply. Angola as a neighbour has abundant oil resources and it will be foolhardy not to have a fuel supply agreement with them.