SMSes for Monday 18 February 2013
SMS Of The Day *WHATEVER we say about corruption, intolerance, incompetence or even the positive things, one thing is true; the people have the government they deserve. All government officials, or at least those elected ones, come from the people. It’s not from some other planet. If the people have no discipline how can their government have discipline? Impossible!
Food for Thought
*IF pupils and teachers could show the same commitment and determination to school as they show on Valentine’s Day, believe me there won’t be any failures at schools.
*EVERYDAY must be Valentine’s Day in all households and men should apply a mind change as they have done on Valentine’s Day and practice this good behaviour everyday.
*THE so called exemptions given by the Tender Board are unlawful. It can only give two kinds of exemption. First, is an exemption for amounts less than N$10 000. Secondly, exemption may be given in urgent circumstances, not to publish the tender in the Government Gazette. But that does not mean that the Tender Board itself, must still award the tender, even in circumstances where the advertisement has been placed in media other than the Government Gazette.
*IN response to the SMS criticising the Prime Minister for having apparently said “people are paining” – referring to it as Namlish. There is nothing linguistically wrong with putting it like that communicatively. It is like saying “my finger is paining”, saying “people are paining” means just that “people are in pain” or “people are hurting”. English can be classified as either a second, third or even a foreign language in Namibia and hence the communicative language approach is applicable. As we develop English as a lingua franca in the internationalisation of our communicative ability which had been undermined by the two colonial powers that forcefully ruled over Namibians. So let us not be too hard on each other.
*MINISTRY of Health should legalise abortion. Everybody is entitled to make their own health decisions. We, as women have the right to make decisions over our health. What is the point of keeping abortion illegal if people are doing it illegally thus endangering their health even more? Rather have it done safely in hospitals. It is much easier to live with the regret of aborting and an embryo compared to the dumping of a child.
*IT is good that the President is calling for the Executive to be accountable to the voters and general public; and that Parliament monitors or oversees the development projects implemented by the Executive, which includes the President himself and Cabinet. Very interestingly, who is who here because it is the same Cabinet that is sitting in Parliament. So are we saying these same parliamentarians oversees themselves and everything they do? Where is the separation of powers? Are we serious here? Apart from members of opposition parties in Parliament, the other backbenchers from the ruling party become silent because they consider Cabinet Ministers to be their seniors because of party structures and so they should do the talking and dominate everything. I think the backbenchers are the true Parliamentarians and that Cabinet should stay out of Parliament.
*MINISTER of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernard Esau. The ‘so-called’ joint venture companies you have created in terms of the allocation of fishing rights do have any legal right and, or do not exist in terms of the provisions of the Marine Resources Act. The only entities that exist are the individual companies that hold the right to exploit Marine Resources.
Suggestion Box
*NOVEL Motor Company, it is time that you keep up with technology and get a Namibian website. It will make life easier for your employees and clients. Hope to see your website soon!
*NBC please leave us alone, just suspend and your services from non-payers, because our TV is also used to watch better channels like One Africa and DStv.
*PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba, perhaps BIG is not a good idea, I have a proposal, Unemployed Mothers Grant (UMG); invite me to State House. I am not Swapo but I think you believe in my motto, one Namibia, one Nation, one Vision.
*A suggestion to MTC: Why don’t you make a simple service that allows customers to view what number is currently using a particular cellphone. This information is available on your network but one has to make a police statement and come to you to have a chance of recovering their phones. I think such a service will even lessen cellphone theft in the country.
*IS it not time to consider different working hours for different institutions in Windhoek to help with traffic flow? For example, should kids really be in class at 07h15? Should all civil servants really be at work at 08h00? With advanced technology, some people can actually work from home.
*SAARA Kuugongelwa-Amathila, when you compile the annual tender report, please include the names of the companies awarded with tenders because we want to know what our tax money is being used for.
*RICHARD Kamwi, why import registered nurses while enrolled nurses are struggling to further their studies? Please; we want to go study but opportunities are made difficult by managerial staff. Allow more nurses to further their studies because it’s a matter of urgency.
Bouquets and Brickbats
* IT’S time that we as Namibians start being grateful for what our government is doing rather than blaming it. How many countries implemented the policy of free education? And yet some people want refunds for having paid school fees in the past, others want jobs while they do not have qualifications and some people want pensions to increase. I believe we should try to provide for ourselves before asking the government for help, it’s trying its best.
*PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba’s Parliamentary opening remarks were very encouraging and exactly what people wanted to hear from their Head of State. Whilst being fully aware that all government plans take a while to implement, the challenge for our President is to ensure that the nation is at least moving in the right direction every day and that all government officials’ actions walk the talk of government.
*HOW is it possible that a lot of people do not pay tax but have privatised number plates, flashy new cars and mansions being built? It’s time that the Receiver of Revenue starts to open their eyes to tax dodgers.
*ANOTHER small fish is caught by the Anti-Corruption Commission officials for N$700. As usual they act at high speed to catch these small fish. When will they catch those big fat sharks who ate our GIPF money? Or should we call in the FBI to assist?
*POLYTECH wanting to become a university is such a joke! Never in my life have I come across such an indecisive institution that increases fees, changes curriculums and adds and removes subjects to courses every semester. Worst of all, their fees don’t match their service delivery. Trying to get basic information can be a painful process. Please get your house in order before embarking on that journey!
*ANDREW Ndishishi, are you telling us that in Namibia, there is no one who can do needle work, sew or even seam. It’s unbelievable how many women do that that for a living. Or maybe you already know that you will give the tender to foreign people. We sew uniforms for nurses and sell it to them. Sewing is a very easy task if you know it. Come on sir!
*THANKS for employing competent board members, managers and staff at Windhoek Country Club. The result is there for everyone to see. They paid back their GIPF loan. Please do the same with Air Namibia and TransNamib and profits will soon be realised.
*DOG fights! Ever wondered what horrible deaths these dogs die? What is happening to our world?
n INVESTIGATIVE reporting in Namibia is dying out. This decreases our good standing as a country where press freedom is high.
Service Please
*MTC service is pathetic! For 10 years now on renewal of my contract out of a choice of six phones, nothing is in stock! If they find a phone and you sign the contract, they will phone you after two days to collect the phone. It’s been three days now and am still waiting!
*WHAT a joke! PSEMAS is calling itself a service provider but is rather operating like a profit-hungry company using delay tactics and lack of communication to reject its client’s justified claims. If any of the claim papers are incomplete, they should co-operate and assist, ie give feedback on time. Wake up! PSEMAS, improve your services or lose the government tender.
– A frustrated public servant
*STANDARD Bank’s Keetmanshoop branch is a total failure. No one can give you a definite explanation if one seeks clarity about what is going on with the transactions one experiences. No one can be trusted when promising to do a follow-up and revert back to you. They have made so many promises that they failed to honour and are now simply looking down hoping you do not see them or disappearing to the back when you come into the bank. It is even worse forwarding your problem to the head office in Windhoek because all you get from them is nothing, nor does it seem they reprimand their subordinates. This bank and branch is a disgrace! For five months and another for seven months I am still waiting for a miracle to happen from the head office in heaven because only then will I possibly get an answer even if it’s unsatisfactory. Suffering from chronic disease must be a better experience than being a client of Standard Bank!
– Stanley
*DOES city traffic police have a system where car owners can log in to check if they have traffic tickets? Some drivers are not informed of their traffic fines.
*THIS is to all the police officers out there with friendly invitations to appear in court or pay a fine. Traffic control is a joke. All the drivers are laughing behind your backs. Nobody respects your traffic rules and neither do I, but this is seriously causing friction on the road: I mention shooting robots, jumping lanes, speeding, u-turns anywhere, disregarding traffic signs, overloading, vehicles not roadworthy, faulty car lights, blocking intersections, blocking loading and bus zones, no number plates, etc. Policing does not have to be vindictive work; run educational campaigns, show presence, give verbal warnings, show empathy, do your job and enforce fines consistently.
City Fathers
*THERE was no need to interfere with Florence Nightingale Road in Khomasdal. The road had no disrepair. The project started in December and I even approached one of the managers to ask them why they were digging up a road that had a good, smooth, solid surface. I said I would raise the matter with the city because it just seems like sheer corrupt self-enrichment for people who needed Christmas holiday money at our expense. There was no need to dig up the road.