Minister Mutorwa stresses co-ordination

CO-ORDINATION and the speedy implementation of programmes will be the motto of the country’s youth leaders this year if Youth Minister John Mutorwa’s address to the National Youth Council (NYC) yesterday is anything to go by.

The Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture met with the new NYC leadership in Windhoek to share ideas about ways in which the two bodies could support one another in their respective “New Year’s resolutions”. ”We pledge to implement programmes with lighting speed,” Mutorwa said, adding that in many cases projects are in place, but that implementing them takes too long, and especially in the regions outside the capital, are left unco-ordinated.”ºIn some regions youth, sport and cultural officers try their level best, but they have no support.A person might want to do A, B, and C, but when they request feedback from the centre (head office) those letters take how many weeks, or are not responded to at all,” Mutorwa said.”That situation is unacceptable and must be rectified forthwith”, the minister added.”Directors are professional managers and must therefore manage and supervise their staff at all times, directly or indirectly through delegation.” He said President Hifikepunye Pohamba’s message to Cabinet this week emphasised co-ordination, and that the Ministry of Youth would focus on just that.The NYC’s new Secretary General, Juliet Kavetuna, was pleased with the minister’s stance, saying that doing things in isolation always proves to be a waste of resources.Asked about issues the NYC would like to discuss with the ministry, Kavetuna said that the youth body would be led by its mandate as agreed to in its last General Assembly in December.Some of the ideas agreed to by the NYC’s member organisations were that the body should provide collateral against loans taken out by young people for business start-up capital, and that the NYC should urge Government to protect locally manufactured products.The NYC also committed itself to fighting for Grade 12 exam papers to be marked locally, and getting Government to consult young people on all policies, programmes and projects pertaining the youth.”We pledge to implement programmes with lighting speed,” Mutorwa said, adding that in many cases projects are in place, but that implementing them takes too long, and especially in the regions outside the capital, are left unco-ordinated.”ºIn some regions youth, sport and cultural officers try their level best, but they have no support.A person might want to do A, B, and C, but when they request feedback from the centre (head office) those letters take how many weeks, or are not responded to at all,” Mutorwa said.”That situation is unacceptable and must be rectified forthwith”, the minister added.”Directors are professional managers and must therefore manage and supervise their staff at all times, directly or indirectly through delegation.” He said President Hifikepunye Pohamba’s message to Cabinet this week emphasised co-ordination, and that the Ministry of Youth would focus on just that.The NYC’s new Secretary General, Juliet Kavetuna, was pleased with the minister’s stance, saying that doing things in isolation always proves to be a waste of resources.Asked about issues the NYC would like to discuss with the ministry, Kavetuna said that the youth body would be led by its mandate as agreed to in its last General Assembly in December.Some of the ideas agreed to by the NYC’s member organisations were that the body should provide collateral against loans taken out by young people for business start-up capital, and that the NYC should urge Government to protect locally manufactured products.The NYC also committed itself to fighting for Grade 12 exam papers to be marked locally, and getting Government to consult young people on all policies, programmes and projects pertaining the youth.