THE //Karas governor, Bernadus Swartbooi, has denounced the regional council’s administration for failing to implement council resolutions to empower the region’s inhabitants.
In his speech at council’s first meeting for 2014, Swartbooi accused the administration of undermining council’s authority through the non-implementation of certain resolutions, which had been passed by the council.
“Instead they interrogate council’s decisions and undermine,” Swartbooi remarked angrily.
Swartbooi also blamed the administration for foot dragging over filling 30% vacancies at the council despite the high unemployment rate in the country, claiming that they have also fallen into a trap laid by consultants, whom are hell-bent to hamper development in the region.
Expressing concern over the Electoral Commission of Namibian’s (ECN) directive, requiring municipal electricity and water bills or telephone accounts to become eligible for voting in the upcoming local authority elections, Swartbooi cautioned of a sharp decline in voter turnout in the local authority elections.
“If this trend continues, we will have a sharp decline in the local authority election participation,” Swartbooi, warned, calling on ECN to improve or alter the voter registration directive to allow many people as possible to participate in the local authority elections.
Swartbooi also seized the opportunity to urge regional councillors to play an active role in supporting the general voters’ registration by assisting potential voters.
Furthermore, Swartbooi called on the administration to support councillors through better deployment of financial resources to strengthen their development outreach programmes, so that the presence of political office bearers can be felt by the electorate.
“I am not saying this because it is election year,” Swartbooi added.
Calling for a moral-driven society, Swartbooi said there is a need for careful assessment on the degradation of morality in society, which is reflected in the increase of gender-based violence.
“Let’s make 2014 a year of family. Focus on building a family unit and a solid society. Poverty does not need to destroy families,” Swartbooi remarked, urging parents to raise upright children with moral values.
luqman@namibian.com.na
