From Cabinet Chambers

AT its 22nd ordinary meeting, held on August 17, Cabinet took the following decisions:

RICE PROJECT TO BE SPEEDED UP CABINET has instructed the tender board to fast-track the tender process for the Kalimbeza Rice Project.This follows a visit of Agriculture Minister Helmut Angula to Vietnam last month, where he discussed technical co-operation between the two countries to enable Namibia to develop rice production.A Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries provides for Vietnamese technicians in crop farming and animal husbandry to train local small scale farmers in the technique of rice production.WOMEN’S REPORT READY FOR UN A FINAL draft of the second and third report to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women was approved for submission to the United Nations.Namibia acceded to the convention in November of 1992.The accord is designed to promote the rights of women.It is a requirement of the convention that state parties submit a report of the implementation thereof to the Secretary General of the UN for consideration by the UN committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.Namibia presented its initial report to the Committee in 1997.LAND TEAMS TENURE EXTENDEDTHE term of office of the Permanent Technical Team on Land Reform has been extended until November 30.The team was appointed for nine months in September 2003 to evaluate and review land policies and land reform activities to assist Government in formulating strategic options for land reform.The team is supposed to formulate an Action Plan for the implementation of a national land reform programme in Namibia.It has been unable to complete its work in the set time frame and hence the decision to extend it for completion of the assignment.NEW APPOINTEE TO FISHCOR BOARDA NEW appointment to the Fishcor Board to replace a director who has resigned was endorsed.Monika Kalondo will serve on the board until November 2005, when the current term of the Fishcor Board expires.Kalondo, who is the Manager of Advisory Services at NIB Namibia, fills the vacancy left by Hafeni Nghinamwaami who resigned at the end of July.Kalondo joins Nangula Mbako, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources; Inge Zaamwani Namdeb MD; Elias Shikongo of Shikongo Law Chambers; and business consultant Peter Bottger.NBC ANNUAL REPORT TO BE RELEASED CABINET has given the Minister of Information and Broadcasting the go-ahead to table the annual report of the national broadcaster, NBC, in the National Assembly.CABINET has instructed the tender board to fast-track the tender process for the Kalimbeza Rice Project.This follows a visit of Agriculture Minister Helmut Angula to Vietnam last month, where he discussed technical co-operation between the two countries to enable Namibia to develop rice production.A Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries provides for Vietnamese technicians in crop farming and animal husbandry to train local small scale farmers in the technique of rice production.WOMEN’S REPORT READY FOR UN A FINAL draft of the second and third report to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women was approved for submission to the United Nations.Namibia acceded to the convention in November of 1992.The accord is designed to promote the rights of women.It is a requirement of the convention that state parties submit a report of the implementation thereof to the Secretary General of the UN for consideration by the UN committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.Namibia presented its initial report to the Committee in 1997.LAND TEAMS TENURE EXTENDEDTHE term of office of the Permanent Technical Team on Land Reform has been extended until November 30.The team was appointed for nine months in September 2003 to evaluate and review land policies and land reform activities to assist Government in formulating strategic options for land reform.The team is supposed to formulate an Action Plan for the implementation of a national land reform programme in Namibia.It has been unable to complete its work in the set time frame and hence the decision to extend it for completion of the assignment.NEW APPOINTEE TO FISHCOR BOARDA NEW appointment to the Fishcor Board to replace a director who has resigned was endorsed.Monika Kalondo will serve on the board until November 2005, when the current term of the Fishcor Board expires.Kalondo, who is the Manager of Advisory Services at NIB Namibia, fills the vacancy left by Hafeni Nghinamwaami who resigned at the end of July.Kalondo joins Nangula Mbako, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources; Inge Zaamwani Namdeb MD; Elias Shikongo of Shikongo Law Chambers; and business consultant Peter Bottger.NBC ANNUAL REPORT TO BE RELEASED CABINET has given the Minister of Information and Broadcasting the go-ahead to table the annual report of the national broadcaster, NBC, in the National Assembly.