From Cabinet Chambers

CABINET took the following decisions at its 25th ordinary meeting, held recently:

LAND FOR WEIGHBRIDGE CABINET granted approval to the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication to alienate four hectares of Portion 16 of the Farm Nubuamis no 37. The Roads Authority has accepted the selling price of N$188 000 to construct and operate a weighbridge.One of the core functions of the Roads Authority is to construct weighbridges on the main arterials of the country.CHILDREN’S ACT REASSIGNED Cabinet gave approval to reassign the custody and administration of the Children’s Act to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare.The Ministry of Health and Social Services was previously responsible for the Act.All child welfare functions were transferred from the Ministry of Health and Social Services when the new ministry was created in 2000.”There was, however no clear directive with regard to the custody and administration of the Children’s Act,” said a media release from Cabinet Chambers.The Act will only be repealed once the Child Care and Protection Bill and the Child Status Bill have been enacted.Cabinet also mandated the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare to review and amend the Children’s Act and relevant regulations.The newly assigned Ministry will, in future, be responsible for paying grants to foster parents and allowances and subsidies to places of safety and childcare institutions.REPORTS OF AUDITOR GENERAL Cabinet authorised the Minister of Finance to table the Auditor General’s reports of four institutions in the National Assembly.The reports are for New Era Publications Corporation for the financial year ended March 31 2001, the Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation for the financial year ended March 31 2001 and the Town Councils of Ondangwa and Otavi for the financial year ended June 30 2002.VETERINARY PROCLAMATION Cabinet endorsed amendments to the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Proclamation AG 14 of 1984.As the proclamation was gazetted seven years before Independence, it has become necessary to amend the Act to accommodate the changed situation, and to Namibianise the text.The amendments will define certain expressions to further regulate the way in which the Veterinary Council of Namibia is constituted.It will also supplement provisions on the qualifications for membership, the vacation of office by members of the Council, and for the appointment of a registrar.The Roads Authority has accepted the selling price of N$188 000 to construct and operate a weighbridge.One of the core functions of the Roads Authority is to construct weighbridges on the main arterials of the country.CHILDREN’S ACT REASSIGNED Cabinet gave approval to reassign the custody and administration of the Children’s Act to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare.The Ministry of Health and Social Services was previously responsible for the Act.All child welfare functions were transferred from the Ministry of Health and Social Services when the new ministry was created in 2000.”There was, however no clear directive with regard to the custody and administration of the Children’s Act,” said a media release from Cabinet Chambers.The Act will only be repealed once the Child Care and Protection Bill and the Child Status Bill have been enacted.Cabinet also mandated the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare to review and amend the Children’s Act and relevant regulations.The newly assigned Ministry will, in future, be responsible for paying grants to foster parents and allowances and subsidies to places of safety and childcare institutions.REPORTS OF AUDITOR GENERAL Cabinet authorised the Minister of Finance to table the Auditor General’s reports of four institutions in the National Assembly.The reports are for New Era Publications Corporation for the financial year ended March 31 2001, the Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation for the financial year ended March 31 2001 and the Town Councils of Ondangwa and Otavi for the financial year ended June 30 2002.VETERINARY PROCLAMATION Cabinet endorsed amendments to the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Proclamation AG 14 of 1984.As the proclamation was gazetted seven years before Independence, it has become necessary to amend the Act to accommodate the changed situation, and to Namibianise the text.The amendments will define certain expressions to further regulate the way in which the Veterinary Council of Namibia is constituted.It will also supplement provisions on the qualifications for membership, the vacation of office by members of the Council, and for the appointment of a registrar.