DTA wants VIP escorts reviewed

THE DTA has objected to the use of Windhoek’s traffic personnel to act as escort services to VIPs at the expense of neglecting services to the City’s residents.

On Wednesday night DTA Councillor Ilme Schneider requested the council to reconsider the current arrangement, following a decision taken by the Management Committee that it would carry the costs incurred by the travel of five traffic officers to the North to serve as escorts during President Sam Nujoma’s birthday celebration last month. Schneider said she recognised the need for the President to be escorted but was not in agreement that the city should be responsible to perform this duty, saying it was proving costly and time-consuming.Schneider said the city was continually called upon to assist in various ways for the sake of national duty, but that Government did not reciprocate by neglecting to pay the city a yearly subsidy or its dues for services rendered.It was also her contention that while the city’s traffic personnel were required to escort VIPs through Windhoek, they were neglecting their duties to the ratepayers who paid for their services.She said with the delay in the establishment of the City Police the traffic unit only consisted of about 35 officers, and at least half of them were required to perform this task at any one time.Schneider received support from the Republican Party’s Nico Smit who suggested that the function should rather become the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Police, whom he said also had their own traffic unit.Smit said he did not approve of sending the city officers out of town to perform this duty at the expense of ratepayers.But Deputy Mayor Elaine Trepper told the pair that as an extension of Government, the municipality had a duty to ensure the President was safe at all times.”If there is a service we can provide, the Windhoek Municipality is always willing to assist,” she said.The discussion was cut short by Chairman of the Management Committee Björn von Finckenstein who ruled Schneider’s objection as being out of order.He reminded her that the matter at hand was discussed and approved at management committee level and thus not open for discussion before the public gallery.Schneider said she recognised the need for the President to be escorted but was not in agreement that the city should be responsible to perform this duty, saying it was proving costly and time-consuming.Schneider said the city was continually called upon to assist in various ways for the sake of national duty, but that Government did not reciprocate by neglecting to pay the city a yearly subsidy or its dues for services rendered.It was also her contention that while the city’s traffic personnel were required to escort VIPs through Windhoek, they were neglecting their duties to the ratepayers who paid for their services.She said with the delay in the establishment of the City Police the traffic unit only consisted of about 35 officers, and at least half of them were required to perform this task at any one time.Schneider received support from the Republican Party’s Nico Smit who suggested that the function should rather become the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Police, whom he said also had their own traffic unit.Smit said he did not approve of sending the city officers out of town to perform this duty at the expense of ratepayers.But Deputy Mayor Elaine Trepper told the pair that as an extension of Government, the municipality had a duty to ensure the President was safe at all times.”If there is a service we can provide, the Windhoek Municipality is always willing to assist,” she said.The discussion was cut short by Chairman of the Management Committee Björn von Finckenstein who ruled Schneider’s objection as being out of order.He reminded her that the matter at hand was discussed and approved at management committee level and thus not open for discussion before the public gallery.