Budget debate drags on in parliament

WHAT has turned out to be a rather shallow Budget debate in the National Assembly gained some momentum ahead of the Easter weekend break, when parliamentarians virtually queued to deliver their contributions.

Members on the Swapo side of the House had little new or innovative to contribute: they mostly parroted each other in praising the Finance Ministry for the small Budget surplus and for increasing the tax threshold. In his contribution, Michael Goreseb of UDF said the risk that the Namibian public was becoming less willing to support a free-market system was becoming more pronounced, “as economic equalities have a tribal, racial and regional tinge about them.”The only way to obtain a level playing field and let all Namibians share the benefits of economic growth was through even higher investments in education.He called on Government to improve the quality of State schools if a society was to be created where every child had an equal opportunity to succeed in life.”Recommended schools for urgent attention in the Omaheke Region like at Epukiro, Otjinene, Mutsomi and schools in the Daures Constituency again do not figure in plans for renovation,” Goreseb criticised.”We cannot expect effective learning to take place under such harsh conditions,” he noted.Many Namibians have been free since 1990, but still powerless.”A person may be free to own property but lacks the power – or resources – to buy it,” Goreseb said.”Let the Development Bank of Namibia run support programmes for the small and medium enterprise sector itself and not delegate this very important function to commercial banks which charge high interest rates,” he recommended.He urged Government to downsize the public service, which currently has about 78 000 civil servants.Deputy Labour Minister Petrus Ilonga demanded that Government should expropriate farms from absentee landlords.”The Swapo Party resolution of 2002 should be implemented without delay (…) we must make sure that the sovereignty of the State is secured, which is land, water and natural resources.Land must not be owned by individuals, long-term leases are to be the answer.”Former Prime Minister Dr Hage Geingob accused the opposition parties of always criticising Government and not appreciating the achievements made since Independence.”Your continuous criticism breaks down all the positive things, I don’t know why you constantly criticise the country you love,” Geingob lashed out.”Some newspapers and some opposition leaders have been painting a very dark picture of Namibia, claiming that nothing was achieved in the past 17 years.I can understand whites lamenting, because they lost some of the old privileges, but I fail to understand why black people join in that chorus,” Geingob added.Arnold Tjihuiko of Nudo pleaded for more support for small and medium enterprises, while Henk Mudge of the Republican Party (RP) criticised that when the National Budget was tabled in the National Assembly it was already a finished product and parliamentarians could only rubberstamp it.”This is unacceptable.We should follow the example of the Windhoek municipality, which has started this year with a system whereby every department has to appear before the City Council where they have to motivate their budgets for the new financial year and give explanations for any over- or under-spending,” Mudge proposed.”Such a duty should be bestowed to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts in order to involve Members of Parliament,” he added.Speaking on the high employment rate of 40 per cent, Mudge suggested that Government should start “profitable and sustainable projects” in each town and villages that would create jobs.”This should have been done many years ago,” he criticised.Wealth distribution after Independence had become skewed and hardly reached the poor, but was about self-enrichment and capitalism “as only a small group of the elite in the ruling party benefit.”It is time for Government to tell this nation what is going on regarding the high influx of Asian citizens into Namibia, particularly Chinese and (North) Koreans, as they had no problems receiving entry visas and work permits, while South African professionals struggled to obtain such documents,” Mudge added, causing a lot of grumbling and interjections among the Swapo benches.Mudge only got through half of his speech when his allocated time was up.Swapo MP Chief Ankama was one of the few ruling party members who dared to criticise.In his view, the Regional Electricity Distributors (REDs) charged very high prices for electricity connections, making it unaffordable for many Namibians.”They are middlemen between NamPower and customers, their general service of continued power supply and customer service is pathetic and unreliable, They do not deserve to be there at all,” Ankama opined.Deputy Youth, Sport and Culture Minister Pohamba Shifeta said often funds allocated to development projects in the Budget are not used.”Sometimes over 50 per cent of the money appropriated for this purpose returns to Treasury unspent.We should find an ultimate solution for this,” he requested.Swapo backbencher Peya Mushelenga appealed to the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication (MWTC) to regularly maintain public buildings in the country.”Most of the Government institutions, like hospitals and clinics, have broken facilities and fingers were pointed at the MWTC when I was part of Parliamentary committees visiting various Government institutions in various regions.I hope that the N$ 26,6 million in the new budget will be put to good use,” Mushelenga said.DTA Chairman Philemon Moongo in his speech supported the envisaged budget allocation of N$1,68 billion for defence, since barracks inherited from the South African regime were dilapidated.UDF Member Gustafine Tjombe requested more hostel accommodation for schoolchildren in Sesfontein and Kamanjab.”Hostels there are overcrowded and dilapidated and school principles in these settlements tell the communities that it is Government policy not to build additional accommodation,” she criticised.She also urged the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to increase the hunting quota for elephants in the former Damaraland, since their numbers had increased and communities needed to benefit from such natural resources.UDF party president Chief Justus Garoeb was more outspoken.”If only this new Budget was put to good use and all Namibians were destined to benefit from it, Namibia would be a most gifted nation in Africa,” he said, “but if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.””The Swapo Government in 1990 promised free education for all but what happened to that promise?” Chief Garoeb continued.In a similar vein, Kala Gertze, Secretary General of the main opposition party CoD, said economic growth should not be measured by viewing “beautiful bank buildings”, but banks should render services in even the remotest corners of Namibia at affordable bank rates.Gertze also asked that more staff should be appointed to the Secretariat of the National Assembly, so that backbenchers of Parliament could do their work in the Standing Committees more effectively.The debate is to end today.Finance Minster Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila is expected to give her reply to the debate tomorrow.In his contribution, Michael Goreseb of UDF said the risk that the Namibian public was becoming less willing to support a free-market system was becoming more pronounced, “as economic equalities have a tribal, racial and regional tinge about them.”The only way to obtain a level playing field and let all Namibians share the benefits of economic growth was through even higher investments in education.He called on Government to improve the quality of State schools if a society was to be created where every child had an equal opportunity to succeed in life.”Recommended schools for urgent attention in the Omaheke Region like at Epukiro, Otjinene, Mutsomi and schools in the Daures Constituency again do not figure in plans for renovation,” Goreseb criticised.”We cannot expect effective learning to take place under such harsh conditions,” he noted.Many Namibians have been free since 1990, but still powerless.”A person may be free to own property but lacks the power – or resources – to buy it,” Goreseb said.”Let the Development Bank of Namibia run support programmes for the small and medium enterprise sector itself and not delegate this very important function to commercial banks which charge high interest rates,” he recommended.He urged Government to downsize the public service, which currently has about 78 000 civil servants.Deputy Labour Minister Petrus Ilonga demanded that Government should expropriate farms from absentee landlords.”The Swapo Party resolution of 2002 should be implemented without delay (…) we must make sure that the sovereignty of the State is secured, which is land, water and natural resources.Land must not be owned by individuals, long-term leases are to be the answer.”Former Prime Minister Dr Hage Geingob accused the opposition parties of always criticising Government and not appreciating the achievements made since Independence.”Your continuous criticism breaks down all the positive things, I don’t know why you constantly criticise the country you love,” Geingob lashed out.”Some newspapers and some opposition leaders have been painting a very dark picture of Namibia, claiming that nothing was achieved in the past 17 years.I can understand whites lamenting, because they lost some of the old privileges, but I fail to understand why black people join in that chorus,” Geingob added.Arnold Tjihuiko of Nudo pleaded for more support for small and medium enterprises, while Henk Mudge of the Republican Party (RP) criticised that when the National Budget was tabled in the National Assembly it was already a finished product and parliamentarians could only rubberstamp it.”This is unacceptable.We should follow the example of the Windhoek municipality, which has started this year with a system whereby every department has to appear before the City Council where they have to motivate their budgets for the new financial year and give explanations for any over- or under-spending,” Mudge proposed.”Such a duty should be bestowed to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts in order to involve Members of Parliament,” he added.Speaking on the high employment rate of 40 per cent, Mudge suggested that Government should start “profitable and sustainable projects” in each town and villages that would create jobs.”This should have been done many years ago,” he criticised.Wealth distribution after Independence had become skewed and hardly reached the poor, but was about self-enrichment and capitalism “as only a small group of the elite in the ruling party benefit.”It is time for Government to tell this nation what is going on regarding the high influx of Asian citizens into Namibia, particularly Chinese and (North) Koreans, as they had no problems receiving entry visas and work permits, while South African professionals struggled to obtain such documents,” Mudge added, causing a lot of grumbling and interjections among the Swapo benches.Mudge only got through half of his speech when his allocated time was up.Swapo MP Chief Ankama was one of the few ruling party members who dared to criticise.In his view, the Regional Electricity Distributors (REDs) charged very high prices for electricity connections, making it unaffordable for many Namibians.”They are middlemen between NamPower and customers, their general service of continued power supply and customer service is pathetic and unreliable, They do not deserve to be there at all,” Ankama opined.Deputy Youth, Sport and Culture Minister Pohamba Shifeta said often funds allocated to development projects in the Budget are not used.”Sometimes over 50 per cent of the money appropriated for this purpose returns to Treasury unspent.We should find an ultimate solution for this,” he requested.Swapo backbencher Peya Mushelenga appealed to the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication (MWTC) to regularly maintain public buildings in the country.”Most of the Government institutions, like hospitals and clinics, have broken facilities and fingers were pointed at the MWTC when I was part of Parliamentary committees visiting various Government institutions in various regions.I hope that the N$ 26,6 million in the new budget will be put to good use,” Mushelenga said.DTA Chairman Philemon Moongo in his speech supported the envisaged budget allocation of N$1,68 billion for defence, since barracks inherited from the South African regime were dilapidated.UDF Member Gustafine Tjombe requested more hostel accommodation for schoolchildren in Sesfontein and Kamanjab.”Hostels there are overcrowded and dilapidated and school principles in these settlements tell the communities that it is Government policy not to build additional accommodation,” she criticised.She also urged the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to increase the hunting quota for elephants in the former Damaraland, since their numbers had increased and communities needed to benefit from such natural resources.UDF party president Chief Justus Garoeb was more outspoken.”If only this new Budget was put to good use and all Namibians were destined to benefit from it, Namibia would be a most gifted nation in Africa,” he said, “but if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.””The Swapo Government in 1990 promised free education for all but what happened to that promise?” Chief Garoeb continued.In a similar vein, Kala Gertze, Secretary General of the main opposition party CoD, said economic growth should not be measured by viewing “beautiful bank buildings”, but banks should render services in even the remotest corners of Namibia at affordable bank rates.Gertze also asked that more staff should be appointed to the Secretariat of the National Assembly, so that backbenchers of Parliament could do their work in the Standing Committees more effectively.The debate is to end today.Finance Minster Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila is expected to give her reply to the debate tomorrow.