VETERANS’ Affairs Minister Nickey Iyambo on Wednesday tabled a bill in the National Assembly for the establishment of a Namibian honours system.
Iyambo said, since Independence, the Namibian President had conferred national status, honours and awards on heroes and heroines or veterans and great achievers as provided for in the Constitution.
Iyambo said that on March 21 1995 the Namibian honours system was instituted and inaugurated by former President Sam Nujoma.The Veterans Affairs’ Minister said there remains a need to ‘amplify and elaborate the procedure through an Act of Parliament’.The Conferment of National Honours Bill contains principles and policies which are aimed at establishing an ‘all-embracing’ Namibian honours system, Iyambo said. Four basic principles underlie the bill, namely that the President should consult with, and be advised on, awarding national honours by a national or regional advisory committee.Secondly, there should be established heroes’ acres at regional level for burying national heroes, and thirdly the President should consult and be advised by national or regional advisory committees on the conferment of the national honour at a State funeral.In terms of the bill, national honours should be the prerogative and responsibility of the President, and would ultimately be at his discretion.Debate on the bill was adjourned to next Tuesday by the Deputy Speaker, Loide Kasingo.
