Catholic Bishops urge govt to look after poor citizens

HIGH international food and fuel prices and low economic productivity in Namibia makes it very difficult for the poor to cope and Government should do all “that is humanly possible to alleviate the plight of the poor”, the Namibian Catholics Bishops Conference (NCBC) has urged.

“Our people, especially the poor, are in the midst of deep and painful economic crisis; the causes are complex, some are beyond our control like fuel prices, but others – if we are honest – perhaps indicate a different malaise in our own economy,” the Bishops said in a statement, signed by Catholic Archbishop Liborius Nashenda, over the weekend. The prices for food, water and electricity were hurting Namibia’s poor “and it would seem that things will only get worse, at least in the short term”, they said.”We as Christians cannot be insensitive to the pain of our people.We urge Government to do everything possible to alleviate the plight of our most vulnerable citizens.””Government alone cannot solve the present and all-encompassing crisis.We are told our national (economic) productivity is low; there is a need to review our personal and societal work ethic.It is not enough, though laudable, to share the economic pie more justly, we must also grow the economy in order to have more to share and this is true poverty reduction.Each of us must examine our attitude towards work and (must) contribute positively to enhancing national productivity for the good of all (Namibians).”The NCBC also called for political tolerance, respect, transparency and openness.”Respect for the other [person] is at the heart of political tolerance, spirited and robust debate between competing visions for the way forward in any society is not a sign of weakness, but of strength and democratic maturity.”A monolithic political dialogue was however a sign of weakness in a society, the statement said.”We must avoid derogatory comments on the integrity of others in our political discourse, which could prove to become an incitement to violence.”The prices for food, water and electricity were hurting Namibia’s poor “and it would seem that things will only get worse, at least in the short term”, they said.”We as Christians cannot be insensitive to the pain of our people.We urge Government to do everything possible to alleviate the plight of our most vulnerable citizens.””Government alone cannot solve the present and all-encompassing crisis.We are told our national (economic) productivity is low; there is a need to review our personal and societal work ethic.It is not enough, though laudable, to share the economic pie more justly, we must also grow the economy in order to have more to share and this is true poverty reduction.Each of us must examine our attitude towards work and (must) contribute positively to enhancing national productivity for the good of all (Namibians).”The NCBC also called for political tolerance, respect, transparency and openness.”Respect for the other [person] is at the heart of political tolerance, spirited and robust debate between competing visions for the way forward in any society is not a sign of weakness, but of strength and democratic maturity.”A monolithic political dialogue was however a sign of weakness in a society, the statement said.”We must avoid derogatory comments on the integrity of others in our political discourse, which could prove to become an incitement to violence.”