SMSes for Tuesday 22 January 2013
SMS Of The Day *WHILE it must be difficult to run a business like Air Namibia, the state of affairs has now become embarrassingly ridiculous. It might be too late, but the appointment of competent, independent management to replace the lot who are now in charge might be the last hope for our carrier. The bad publicity it has received in the past and the fruitless bail-outs makes one thing clear: we will save millions by shutting Air Namibia down, money desperately needed in the education sector, another headache rapidly developing into a migraine.
Food for Thought
*OUR leaders, please listen to track 12 on the new Ndilimani CD. That is your message. We don’t want one person to occupy so many positions in public offices.
*WHY does the African Union take so long to solve problems in Africa? France got fed up with the militant Islamist insurgents in Mali and deployed 1 400 French troops to Mali. That is no-nonsense action.
*A 369 SQUARE plot in Cimbebasia for N$700 000! Are these people serious? Who can help us regulate these exorbitant prices? Please somebody, anybody!
*DAVID Nuyoma of GIPF and his board of trustees must think again. Increasing my funeral benefits to the tune of N$8 000 or N$1 000 000 does not help me to buy bread today. I need money and a means to live while I am alive, not when I am dead.
*NEITHER the Minister of Works and Transport nor The Namibian’s editorial of January 18 are well informed when they call for Air Namibia to no longer be ‘bailed out’. Namibians, please understand that with each and every plane full of overseas tourists, roughly N$7,5 million flows into the country, excluding air fare! Income from overseas tourists is much higher than from neighbouring countries, so don’t compare Namibia with Botswana. The minister should realise that Air Namibia is too important to fail, especially with tourism being one of the major focus points of NDP4.
Bouquets and Brickbats
*RECENTLY I read in the newspapers about people who find lost cellphones and return it to the owners. Thanks for your honesty.
*ONLY N$4,5 million forfeited through POCA? That amounts to only four Range Rovers. There are too many of them and Mercedes MLs and 6.3s that could be accounted for.
*NAMIBIANS, we are crying out for affordable housing. Let’s rally behind Milton Louw, he seems to have a point. If all fails, let’s petition and sue the government for violation of our rights or neglecting its citizens of the basic right to shelter as provided in the constitution.
*ARE Namibian women (especially those on medical aid) not able to give birth naturally any more? There are medical reasons for caesarean sections, but in this country we have way too many of them. Do you believe everything your doctor tells you to make money (eg the baby is too big)? God made us women to give birth and a natural birth is the healthiest for baby and mother. Just think twice!
*POLYTECHNIC admin staff have a terrible attitudes. The hassle one needs to go through is unbelievable and then they want to become a university. Flexible service delivery is needed, so shape up, it’s a new year.
*EMPLOYEES at Home Affairs in Windhoek in town, there are people who are dying to have your jobs and who are willing to work! You go to lunch early, come back late and are still angry. Try standing in the line while the person behind the counter disappears inside to go and get a birth certificate but returns more than half an hour later. I’ve been trying to correct my birth certificate since September of last year and every time they correct one error, they add another.
*YOUR lead story on Friday January 18’s front page ‘Police accused of aiding crime’ is not news, it is general knowledge.
*WELL done Rundu police for arresting girls in mini skirts! Now, please proceed to Opuwo and Ruacana to arrest all the Himba girls who dress in their cultural attire.
*I DON’T believe it! The Ministry of Education spells ‘pursue’ incorrectly (see advert in The Namibian Sun on January 18. And this after they spelt ‘scarce’ wrong just the other day. This scarcity of spelling ability from our Ministry of Education is just plain scary.
Service Please
*ANDRE Compion, I liked your letter about medical care in Namibia! But please explain to me why private GPs and medical services in general are triple the normal price for Angolans?
*STER Kinekor, please fix the speakers in cinema three. The quality is awful.
*SUBURBS of Windhoek like Okahandja Park are supposed to have nice houses, not kambashus. This isn’t what we deserve. It is shameful, we don’t even have electricity. The government will only think of us during election time. We are tired of living in poor conditions, we want change. How long should we continue living in kambashus? Think about the people who are suffering.
*CITY of Windhoek needs to improve its service. The big yellow garbage containers are not emptied on time and cause a terrible stench in the community.
*PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba, when can we expect the findings of the commission of enquiry you appointed to look at problems within the health sector? People are still dying while waiting to be attended to at hospitals and clinics. Why do we need a commission while there is a minister, his deputy, directors etc? We are tired of empty promises every year.
Education
*I FAIL to understand the ill-minded mentality of some academics calling for compulsory Maths. Note some facts: Not everyone is Maths minded; not all can be mathematicians; not every career/job requires Maths. It is absurd and unfair to make a learner fail for failing Maths.
*ST BONIFACE top performers say reading is the key. Teachers, why can’t we follow that model? It seems to be working. Minister Iyambo, make that a directive please!
*IT is that time of the year where we get bombarded by endless adverts from bogus colleges trying to lure ill-informed prospective students into enrolling. It baffles me how many aspiring students still fall for these scams, despite all the warnings in the media. These ‘colleges’ thrive on their vulnerability, desperation and ignorance! Due to unsatisfactory results, many aspiring students will settle for anything without checking the institution’s standings.
*MINISTER of Education, it is disappointing to learn that vision schools are earmarked to be constructed mostly in the northern regions. Rethink that decision. It should be opened in all 13 regions or spread fairly.
Labour
*WHY is the OPM delaying appointments? Imagine interviews held in June 2012, but up to now, no one was appointed. Prime Minister, we want to render quality service in Namibia but of course, with sufficient staff.
*I AM humbly requesting the Minister of Defence to look at the plight of your members with academic qualifications. They are not recognised at all.
*ADVICE to Andre Compion who has to pay N$120 000 medical costs in 24 hours, please submit an employer’s accident report form at your nearest social security office since the employee died as a result of injuries sustained on duty. The company will refund your expenses.
*THE Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary indicated that: “I move around all the time. If you work in the public service, you do not own an office.” Sir, your “move” did not take you out of one region to another, it didn’t affect your household and/or family. Not to mention the financial burden of travelling to see family and/or maintaining two households. Transfer is not the solution to service improvement. What will happen then to the region where you deploy the “non-performing” staff? It will be spoiled too. At the end of the day, you spread “rotten apples” to the respective regions. Identify the cause of poor performance, take corrective measures, train them, if need be and demote if necessary.
*OHORONGO Cement wants the government to stop the Chinese selling cement but they don’t give us, their employees, benefits.
*MY son, employed by the Ministry of Defence for almost three years had his salary terminated in May 2012 for seemingly no apparent reason. It also appears that apart from empty promises by his command, nobody seems to be able to fix the problem or they simply don’t care. I hope it is not a matter of discrimination or victimisation. Please Nahas Angula, will you try and save my son and others like him from further humiliation? I do hope that the admin and logistics of the nation’s defence force is not a matter of concern.
Lost and Found
*I FOUND the documents, IDs and driver’s licences of the following people: Nghimbwasha Simon Nameyo, Maendo Julius, Shilimukweni Stefanus FBG Kaposiao and Ngoungou Onneile Gabaolaole. Call me at 081-420 9782. No missed calls please!
*I, KAUNOMBILI F Hamutenya lost my ID in Walvis Bay. If found, please SMS me at 081-422 7326.
*I FOUND the ID, cards and documents of Sem Ndeshimona Katanga. Please contact me at 081-294 4678.
*I FOUND IDs belonging to Paulus Groria Ndinelao Tuwilika. Please call 081-315 8293.
*LEON van Niekerk, your identity card is at The Namibian’s offices. Please come and collect it.
*I, PANDU Shipena lost my wallet containing an ID and other documents in Oshakati. If found, contact me: 081-739 6378 or 081-288 6512.
*I FOUND the ID of Thomas Shidute Leonard, ID number 83050310855. Contact me to get your ID 081-441 0486 in Grootfontein.
*I, FARAYI Mutoda, lost my passport. If found, please contact me at 081-351 8912 or 081-711 1841.
*I, KANDJIBI Petrus Helao, lost my wallet with all my documents. If found, please contact me on 081-333 3851.
*I, MATRIDE N Shafooli, lost my bag containing my Grade 12 certificate, my full birth certificate, and my baby’s full birth certificate (Imene Sakaria Nangolo Lucky). If found, please call 081-320 8035.