Government urged to set sail on new economic course

THE United Democratic Front (UDF) has said that Namibia has to be transformed into a multi-party representative democracy to create policies to achieve economic equity.

UDF leader Chief Justus Garoëb told the National Assembly on Monday that he believed Namibia was virtually a one-party state and it did not encourage its citizens to participate in governance. Speaking during the debate on the National Budget for 2006-07, Garoëb said his party was very worried about the increase in expenditure this financial year, while only minimal resources were being allocated towards development.”Honourable members of the Cabinet are saying that this Budget is based on priorities vital to the nation, this is not true, or otherwise the priorities are wrong,” said Garoëb.In his view, Garoëb said, Namibia found itself in a serious crisis and needed new policies and a revamped governance structure to get the country through this period.”Today, laziness and [a] slowdown in actions and decisions, corruption and bossing over our citizens is the way some people in our public service are behaving as we can also see from audit reports,” said Garoëb.The UDF said it was unimpressed that Government planned to register a Budget surplus this year, as it would return to operating on a deficit in the subsequent two financial years.”We are spending much more, but developing only a little,” argued Garoëb.Garoëb said Government had to seriously work towards reducing the bloated public sector because personnel costs were preventing more from being spent on development.According to Garoëb, the Budget as presented to Parliament nearly three weeks ago, showed no proof of being one which would alleviate poverty, create jobs and a more equitable distribution of income.Garoëb further bemoaned the strength of the Namibian dollar against major currencies, saying it was over-valued and thus costing the economy.He maintained that export prices were too high in relation to import prices and were limiting the expansion of the local economy.”The paradigm of our current situation remains: the consumer prices also on imported goods stay high despite the value of our own currency.The reason for this is still because our consumer services are served by South African companies, hence the benefits never cross the borders to Namibia but stays with banks and companies in South Africa,” said Garoëb.Speaking during the debate on the National Budget for 2006-07, Garoëb said his party was very worried about the increase in expenditure this financial year, while only minimal resources were being allocated towards development.”Honourable members of the Cabinet are saying that this Budget is based on priorities vital to the nation, this is not true, or otherwise the priorities are wrong,” said Garoëb.In his view, Garoëb said, Namibia found itself in a serious crisis and needed new policies and a revamped governance structure to get the country through this period.”Today, laziness and [a] slowdown in actions and decisions, corruption and bossing over our citizens is the way some people in our public service are behaving as we can also see from audit reports,” said Garoëb.The UDF said it was unimpressed that Government planned to register a Budget surplus this year, as it would return to operating on a deficit in the subsequent two financial years.”We are spending much more, but developing only a little,” argued Garoëb.Garoëb said Government had to seriously work towards reducing the bloated public sector because personnel costs were preventing more from being spent on development.According to Garoëb, the Budget as presented to Parliament nearly three weeks ago, showed no proof of being one which would alleviate poverty, create jobs and a more equitable distribution of income.Garoëb further bemoaned the strength of the Namibian dollar against major currencies, saying it was over-valued and thus costing the economy.He maintained that export prices were too high in relation to import prices and were limiting the expansion of the local economy.”The paradigm of our current situation remains: the consumer prices also on imported goods stay high despite the value of our own currency.The reason for this is still because our consumer services are served by South African companies, hence the benefits never cross the borders to Namibia but stays with banks and companies in South Africa,” said Garoëb.