Ekandjo laments penny-pinching

THE cause of problems with the Police that National Assembly members complained about during the budget debate, all boiled down to one thing – money – charges Home Affairs Minister Jerry Ekandjo.

The Minister had the opportunity to respond to a barrage of gripes, almost exclusively from his Swapo Party colleagues on the Assembly’s Government benches, late on Monday afternoon as he wrapped up the Assembly’s committee-stage discussion of the Police budget for 2004-05. At that stage, Ekandjo had already received an earful of complaints about the Police from his colleagues.What most of those members who spoke out on the Police budget were most concerned about, was the performance of the VIP protection unit’s Security Division.Probably not something that ordinary Namibians who have to deal with the country’s crime situation without the benefit of VIP protection at their homes would list as their prime concern.Ekandjo’s response was that the whole issue revolved around money.He said it was because of a lack of transport for the Police that members of the VIP Security Division had to carry out their duties – at the houses of Ministers, Deputy Ministers and foreign diplomats posted in Namibia – daily in two extended shifts.With more frequent shift changes and shorter shifts, those Police members would be able to perform better, and it would also be possible to address concerns about them not getting proper food while on duty, he said.He mentioned that this year’s Police budget included an allocation of N$51 million for new vehicles for the Police.An increase in the number of vehicles available to the Police should enable it to implement a daily three-shift system for the VIP Security Division, while it would also ease the pressure on the Police’s existing vehicles, which are on patrol almost 24 hours a day, Ekandjo said.He also told Ministers who had voiced concerns about the standard of the security services that they could simply see which members of the division’s work they feel comfortable with, and that they could then ask for these members to be assigned to them specifically.The VIP Security Division, which has some 1 312 members, is set to receive N$34,6 million from the 2004-5 Budget.The Police’s total budget amounts to N$752 million.Out of this, the Special Field Force, with about 6 200 members, is set to receive N$267,3 million, while the Combating of Crime Division, with about 3 800 members, is in line for receiving N$361 million.The Police budget was approved unanimously.At that stage, Ekandjo had already received an earful of complaints about the Police from his colleagues.What most of those members who spoke out on the Police budget were most concerned about, was the performance of the VIP protection unit’s Security Division.Probably not something that ordinary Namibians who have to deal with the country’s crime situation without the benefit of VIP protection at their homes would list as their prime concern.Ekandjo’s response was that the whole issue revolved around money.He said it was because of a lack of transport for the Police that members of the VIP Security Division had to carry out their duties – at the houses of Ministers, Deputy Ministers and foreign diplomats posted in Namibia – daily in two extended shifts.With more frequent shift changes and shorter shifts, those Police members would be able to perform better, and it would also be possible to address concerns about them not getting proper food while on duty, he said.He mentioned that this year’s Police budget included an allocation of N$51 million for new vehicles for the Police.An increase in the number of vehicles available to the Police should enable it to implement a daily three-shift system for the VIP Security Division, while it would also ease the pressure on the Police’s existing vehicles, which are on patrol almost 24 hours a day, Ekandjo said.He also told Ministers who had voiced concerns about the standard of the security services that they could simply see which members of the division’s work they feel comfortable with, and that they could then ask for these members to be assigned to them specifically.The VIP Security Division, which has some 1 312 members, is set to receive N$34,6 million from the 2004-5 Budget.The Police’s total budget amounts to N$752 million.Out of this, the Special Field Force, with about 6 200 members, is set to receive N$267,3 million, while the Combating of Crime Division, with about 3 800 members, is in line for receiving N$361 million.The Police budget was approved unanimously.