Can Walvis Afford Municipal Police?

ALLOW me to air my view on the issue of a Walvis Bay Police Force.

It’s difficult to tell whether people are in favour of against a “municipal police force”. It pains me to read the quote from Adam Hartman’s report in your newspaper of May 09 2007, by a certain Nolito Marques of the Municipality’s public relations department.It is not a question of whether one is in favour or against the establishment of the municipal force, rather a question of affordability on the part of ratepayers.If there were funds there would be no mixed feelings at all.The Walvis economy depends heavily on the fishing sector, which employs 60 per cent of residents, but since 2006 this sector has dropped off, employees retrenched, salaries reduced which made workers struggle to meet their obligations.God knows what the future holds when the $175 a month suggested for setting up a municipal police is imposed on them.Most of these people are in the red already with council for services due.The survey was done on working days, when parents were at work.Children cannot speak on behalf of their parents on this issue.These views were not the views of the people who put bread on the table.Comparing Walvis and Windhoek doesn’t hold water.Squeezing the ratepayers won’t help.Petrus Ipumbu Walvis BayIt pains me to read the quote from Adam Hartman’s report in your newspaper of May 09 2007, by a certain Nolito Marques of the Municipality’s public relations department.It is not a question of whether one is in favour or against the establishment of the municipal force, rather a question of affordability on the part of ratepayers.If there were funds there would be no mixed feelings at all.The Walvis economy depends heavily on the fishing sector, which employs 60 per cent of residents, but since 2006 this sector has dropped off, employees retrenched, salaries reduced which made workers struggle to meet their obligations.God knows what the future holds when the $175 a month suggested for setting up a municipal police is imposed on them.Most of these people are in the red already with council for services due.The survey was done on working days, when parents were at work.Children cannot speak on behalf of their parents on this issue.These views were not the views of the people who put bread on the table.Comparing Walvis and Windhoek doesn’t hold water.Squeezing the ratepayers won’t help.Petrus Ipumbu Walvis Bay