French Tourist Appeals To President Nujoma

I JUST came back from a two weeks holidays in your country.

I would like to thank you for the quality of the accommodations. Your people are welcoming and it was a pleasure for us to visit Namibia.However, I want to mention to you two anomalies to help your action for the country’s development and attractiveness.First, on Friday May 7 we were arrested by a policeman. We were three in the car, the driver, myself, and the other passenger in front of the car who had their safety belt fastened.The third passenger, at the rear of the car, was lying asleep without the belt.The policeman told us it was worth a $300 fine but at the same time he proposed us a transaction if we gave him $150.Finally after protesting against the fact since it was not obvious that everybody in the country has his safety belt fastened and that there was no traffic on the road we gave him $100.We should not have done so but it was difficult for us in a foreign country to react strongly as we should probably have done.The second incident was on Sunday May 9 at about 16h00.At the public office we paid the price of $80 (three persons and the car) but the employee would not give us a receipt even when I asked him for one.In the other places there was always a written trace of the payment, but here none, and that must not be normal I hope this information will help your services to track the fraud of some agents.Maybe a written notice given to the tourists (if not already the case) will make them aware of what to do when facing such situations.Nevertheless the positive feeling about your country remains predominant.Christian Arnaud Via e-mailYour people are welcoming and it was a pleasure for us to visit Namibia.However, I want to mention to you two anomalies to help your action for the country’s development and attractiveness.First, on Friday May 7 we were arrested by a policeman. We were three in the car, the driver, myself, and the other passenger in front of the car who had their safety belt fastened.The third passenger, at the rear of the car, was lying asleep without the belt.The policeman told us it was worth a $300 fine but at the same time he proposed us a transaction if we gave him $150.Finally after protesting against the fact since it was not obvious that everybody in the country has his safety belt fastened and that there was no traffic on the road we gave him $100.We should not have done so but it was difficult for us in a foreign country to react strongly as we should probably have done.The second incident was on Sunday May 9 at about 16h00.At the public office we paid the price of $80 (three persons and the car) but the employee would not give us a receipt even when I asked him for one.In the other places there was always a written trace of the payment, but here none, and that must not be normal I hope this information will help your services to track the fraud of some agents.Maybe a written notice given to the tourists (if not already the case) will make them aware of what to do when facing such situations.Nevertheless the positive feeling about your country remains predominant.Christian Arnaud Via e-mail