Billboards litter coastal highway

TWO large billboards that advertised the Erongo International Investors’ Conference and Exhibition that was supposed to be held in April can still be seen on either side of the road between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.

But they’re not upright any more. Nobody is sure whether the billboards were toppled by vandals or blown over by the strong south-westerly winds at the coast.Wind seems to be the most likely culprit, because both boards fell in a northerly direction.They have been lying in this position for several months now.The Namibian contacted Tonata Shimi of AZ Conferences, who organised the event, and he said the Roads Authority would remove the billboards this week.The Roads Authority has in the past said that the billboards were put up without its permission.The expo the billboards was advertising was called off only days before its official launch.It was supposed to attract hundreds of potential investors and introduce them to the investment opportunities in the Erongo Region, particularly in the mining, fishing and tourism sectors.No official reason was given for the cancellation, although it is believed that, due to a similar conference being held in Windhoek later this year, it would have been unfair to ask participants to take part in two similar expos in the same year.Shimi told The Namibian that the Erongo expo would definitely take place next year, during the weekend before Easter, and that advertising was in full swing already.Nobody is sure whether the billboards were toppled by vandals or blown over by the strong south-westerly winds at the coast.Wind seems to be the most likely culprit, because both boards fell in a northerly direction.They have been lying in this position for several months now.The Namibian contacted Tonata Shimi of AZ Conferences, who organised the event, and he said the Roads Authority would remove the billboards this week.The Roads Authority has in the past said that the billboards were put up without its permission.The expo the billboards was advertising was called off only days before its official launch.It was supposed to attract hundreds of potential investors and introduce them to the investment opportunities in the Erongo Region, particularly in the mining, fishing and tourism sectors.No official reason was given for the cancellation, although it is believed that, due to a similar conference being held in Windhoek later this year, it would have been unfair to ask participants to take part in two similar expos in the same year.Shimi told The Namibian that the Erongo expo would definitely take place next year, during the weekend before Easter, and that advertising was in full swing already.