Govt accused of falling short on development

ON a scale where 100 represents total inequality and zero represents the ideal position, Namibia’s ranking of 70,7 on the Human Development Index means that the country exists in two entirely different worlds, says the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW).

The NUNW, emerging from its 21st Central Executive Committee meeting more than a week ago, yesterday aired its views on recent events in Namibia, including Government’s expulsion of communal farmers from the Okavango Region and Cabinet’s recent retreat at Swakopmund. NUNW president Risto Kapenda attributed Namibia’s inequality to the country placing too much emphasis on economic growth and not enough on economic development.”The conservative notion of predicting economic growth on the strengths of the formal economic sector has left our informal and agricultural economies neglected and undeveloped,” he said.He said the Cabinet retreat at Swakopmund two weeks ago proved that Government lacked viable economic development strategies that would stimulate all three major economic sectors.”To further illustrate its lack of strategic focus, Government simply opted to expel communal farmers with over 60 000 head of cattle from the Okavango Region,” Kapenda said.Government had not considered the question of economic survival for these farmers, he charged.”What is the value of 60 000 cattle sent to perish?” he asked.”If it was a commercial farm, that would have been well considered.”The NUNW president urged Government, and especially the Ministry of Labour, to make sure that the Labour Act of 2004 was implemented by businesses operating in the country.He said that a number of them were not adhering to the law as far as employing permanent staff was concerned.NUNW president Risto Kapenda attributed Namibia’s inequality to the country placing too much emphasis on economic growth and not enough on economic development.”The conservative notion of predicting economic growth on the strengths of the formal economic sector has left our informal and agricultural economies neglected and undeveloped,” he said.He said the Cabinet retreat at Swakopmund two weeks ago proved that Government lacked viable economic development strategies that would stimulate all three major economic sectors.”To further illustrate its lack of strategic focus, Government simply opted to expel communal farmers with over 60 000 head of cattle from the Okavango Region,” Kapenda said.Government had not considered the question of economic survival for these farmers, he charged.”What is the value of 60 000 cattle sent to perish?” he asked. “If it was a commercial farm, that would have been well considered.”The NUNW president urged Government, and especially the Ministry of Labour, to make sure that the Labour Act of 2004 was implemented by businesses operating in the country.He said that a number of them were not adhering to the law as far as employing permanent staff was concerned.