International honours for Pretorius

THE American Biographical Institute has named veteran Namibian politician Kosie Pretorius as their Man of the Year for Namibia.

Announcing the news this week, his political party, the Monitor Action Group, said the Institute’s International Board of Research decided on Pretorius in its global effort to locate accomplished individuals.
‘Because we come in contact with so many talented individuals, it was difficult to determine who would be among our Men of the Year for 2008, especially representing an entire country. You are our choice for your country after reviewing hundreds of achievements that have had a positive impact on the lives of others worldwide,’ the organisation wrote in a letter to Pretorius.
ABI is a biographical reference directory publisher based in the United States in Raleigh, North Carolina, and has been publishing biographies since 1967.
It generates its revenue from sales of certificates and books.
Recipients of these ABI-issued honours have included university professors, doctors and surgeons, educators, musicians, entrepreneurs, international statesmen and diplomats and leaders of non-profit organisations.
The organisation said those selected for the Man of the Year designation demonstrate bold will and initiative, and intense community, cultural and humanitarian foresight.
‘The honouree’s (Pretorius’s) achievements have shown vision and impact on others’ lives, substantiating the receipt of such a distinguished honour as Man of the Year,’ it said.
The institute said the award exemplified the importance and validation of deeds well done.
Born in Swakopmund on September 5 1935, Pretorius was a Member of Parliament from 1990 to 2005.
He was a member of the all-white Legislative Assembly of South West Africa for Gobabis from 1962 to 1989.
From 1981 until the founding of the Action Christian National party in 1989, Pretorius was the leader of the National Party in what was then South West Africa.
He was also Minister of Water Affairs, and Post and Telecommunications in the Transitional Government of National Unity from 1988 to 1989.
Immediately before independence, he was an ACN member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990.