Cabinet retreats not a waste

PRIME Minister Nahas Angula has attempted to quash criticism from the opposition parties that Cabinet retreats are a waste of time and money.

Instead he told the National Assembly that Government had to be given time to implement the policies it decided on at these retreats and for tangible change to be realised. The Congress of Democrats, the DTA and Nudo have all said that they have failed to see the results of Cabinet retreats, and feared that in five years’ time, Government would not have realised what it had discussed at the most recent one held at the end of last year.But Angula maintained their criticism was not valid because Cabinet retreats were achieving the intended aim of “preparing and giving direction” to those responsible for drawing up the country’s next development plan.Namibia’s third development plan (NDP III) is expected to come into effect mid-year.Angula said Government had policies and programmes in place to overcome its major challenges such as HIV-AIDS and land reform.”We legislated for expropriation after the last retreat, now we are expropriating.And there is land tax.Let’s give both these things time to see how far they can go in bringing about justice in land reform,” said Angula.Angula’s statements followed a dismal picture of the country’s employment situation sketched by the CoD’s Tsudao Gurirab, who said that high unemployment, an unskilled workforce and an education system that was not having the intended effects would continue to be at the root of the country’s socio-economics problems in future.”The purpose of the retreat is that the outcome should be seen to make a difference in people’s lives.As it stands now there is a credibility gap,” said Gurirab.He said by the time the next Cabinet retreat came around, he hoped that Namibia’s “landscape of problems” would have changed somewhat and that Namibians would have a better idea of what had been done to address the current problems.Swapo MP Hage Geingob attempted to shoot down criticism from the CoD, saying that as a Government-in-waiting, they should be suggesting alternatives to Government instead of only criticising.Deputy Minister of Justice Uutoni Nujoma said Government was doing a lot to address the negative aspects of the socio-economic situation but that it had to be understood that they were as a result of the legacy of apartheid.Nudo’s Arnold Tjihuiko said it was all fine and well that Cabinet was coming up with policies, but Ministers were not doing enough to ensure that they were implemented.The Congress of Democrats, the DTA and Nudo have all said that they have failed to see the results of Cabinet retreats, and feared that in five years’ time, Government would not have realised what it had discussed at the most recent one held at the end of last year.But Angula maintained their criticism was not valid because Cabinet retreats were achieving the intended aim of “preparing and giving direction” to those responsible for drawing up the country’s next development plan.Namibia’s third development plan (NDP III) is expected to come into effect mid-year.Angula said Government had policies and programmes in place to overcome its major challenges such as HIV-AIDS and land reform.”We legislated for expropriation after the last retreat, now we are expropriating.And there is land tax.Let’s give both these things time to see how far they can go in bringing about justice in land reform,” said Angula.Angula’s statements followed a dismal picture of the country’s employment situation sketched by the CoD’s Tsudao Gurirab, who said that high unemployment, an unskilled workforce and an education system that was not having the intended effects would continue to be at the root of the country’s socio-economics problems in future.”The purpose of the retreat is that the outcome should be seen to make a difference in people’s lives.As it stands now there is a credibility gap,” said Gurirab.He said by the time the next Cabinet retreat came around, he hoped that Namibia’s “landscape of problems” would have changed somewhat and that Namibians would have a better idea of what had been done to address the current problems.Swapo MP Hage Geingob attempted to shoot down criticism from the CoD, saying that as a Government-in-waiting, they should be suggesting alternatives to Government instead of only criticising.Deputy Minister of Justice Uutoni Nujoma said Government was doing a lot to address the negative aspects of the socio-economic situation but that it had to be understood that they were as a result of the legacy of apartheid.Nudo’s Arnold Tjihuiko said it was all fine and well that Cabinet was coming up with policies, but Ministers were not doing enough to ensure that they were implemented.