Monday’s SMS responses

Setting a national example * IT’S amazing that the President of Namibia is flying on a scheduled flight and not a private charter. What a way to save Government funds. Can other Government officials take an example out the Head of State’s book.

* LIEUTENANT General Martin Shalli is a true leader who promotes people according to their performance. Also previously, no Herero, German, Damara or White could reach the rank of Col (Deputy Director) in the NDF. Under General Shalli they have the opportunity to reach those ranks now. The people say … * ALL public servants, including ministers, should be obliged to be State patients, and only specialised cases should be referred to private facilities. I believe the (health) situation would then change in no time! Besides we are the one’s paying their salaries. – Mathox* MEMBERS of Parliament and their immediate families’ medical aid must be limited to the State hospitals only. This will help improve conditions at the State’s health facilities.* DON’T worry about the high electricity consumption of the lights around the State Palace. We all know how “efficient” the Ministry of Works is with the upkeep of TAXPAYERS’ public property, so why will it be any different this time? Them light bulbs will soon be dark (or stolen)! Union playing a dangerous game n SOMEONE should take the NUNW to task. This incompetent, misdirected, and misguided power hungry leadership of individuals are the direct causes that led to the Avid (SSC N$30 million) scandal. At that stage the NUNW led an outcry and petitioned the political powers not to accept the recommended appointment of the best candidate at the Social Security Commission because he was a white Namibian. They succeeded and look at what their preferred candidate did at the SSC? They tried a similar trick with the appointment of Dr Lindeque at Environment and Tourism. Fortunately, in this case the Prime Minister had the foresight to tell them to stick to their wildcat strikes and not attempt to be experts of human resource management and State governance. Now these masquerading opportunists are targeting the NTB. If the best candidates are Damaras, what problem is it for the NUNW? It smacks of pure jealousy and Ongombe West tribalism. Please minister, be a man and appoint the NTB directors’ choice as you did at the NWR and there was no Ongombe cry. To me neither you as a Nama- or Damara-speaking minister nor any other Namibian is a second class citizen. We are all equally entitled to opportunities in our home country. Let’s expose these opportunistic young boys who never contributed to the liberation struggle, yet today want to snatch bread out of our children’s mouths. NUNW stick to trade unionism and stop tribal games with the resources of Namibia. We have issues* ALLOW me space in your newspaper to air my concerns about what our Government is doing about the youth at Ondangwa. We are playing football for the Ondangwa United football team, which is competing in the Oshikoto second division under NFA. Now the Ondangwa Town Council has sold the land on which our soccer field is situated. Can the council please explain why they have done this.* WHY is there no teachers’ training college in the South? Does the Ministry of Education have an answer or a reason for this question.* THE Polytechnic of Namibia students will highly value and appreciate it if the Vice Rector for Finance could please clarify some issues concerning our credit balances and refunds. PoN doesn’t waste time when it comes to students owing the institution monies, e.g. meal accounts being blocked, hostel evictions or worse no admission to exams. But when it comes to student refunds it’s always a LONG inconvenient process. Why doesn’t the PoN automatically refund credit balances? After all we are supposed to be a institution at the forefront of technology! PoN must also stop sending students back and forth between their sponsors, after all its our loans, bursaries, grants, parents and/or our own money! At the end of the day, you will not help us repay if we have to.! Eagerly awaiting your speedy response.Water woes* I AM a Water Point Committee member. Why is the Government no paying us for managing the water scheme? Or why can’t NamWater come and collect its money from water committees at each water point? If they can’t do this, NamWater must pay us for taking money to their offices. Government should look and attend to this matter urgently! Otherwise we will have many regions’ water disconnected because of non-payment. – Member of Oshivelo water project* OKALOKO village and other villagers around are just 10 km east of Okahao in Omusati Region. Till now there is no water and they only survive on water from wells, which is not hygienic. Why do we only re-elect irresponsible leaders?* I’M a resident of Omupindi Village in the Ohangwena Region. I’m really worried about what our council is doing. Since Independence we have not benefited from development projects like communities in villages, especially in the Oshikoto, Oshana and Omusati regions. Here at Omupindi we don’t have water. We have to walk long distances to fetch water.From the regions* KAVANGO Region. Please leave the Kavango alone. We do not want our land to be taken away. The traditional leaders should decide on the land. This land belongs to us and for generations to come.* I WANT to talk about Eenhana home affairs. I have a sister who is 15 years old. Her father is dead and our mother does not work. We have gone to look for the Certification of Registration birth but until today they can’t find it. I want to know where the problem is. All of the documents are clear: We are Namibians. Please, we are tired of losing money travelling there and it does not help. – Cecilia* WE, the community of Okahao, want to know what happened to the airport that was to be constructed at Okahao.* WHY is the gravel road north of Okahandja Park Stadium along Heroes Street at Okahandja town not maintained or tarred? The town council says the reason is that the road is not proclaimed. The question is why, and who is responsible for the proclamation and what are the requirements? Residents along the road are suffering from dust coming from traffic, especially quad bikes using the road for hobby purposes.* WHY are health services in the Omusati Region not improved. People travel long distance to reach a clinic, because of poor management. Please build a clinic at Umufitu Wanauyala.* I WOULD like to know what the Government has done for Snyfontein, situated 60 km from Keetmanshoop? Our people are getting always promises, but until now we have no electricity. People from Snyfontein are getting no assistance from Government. The only help is empty promises. The Deputy Prime Minister must also take a look at the situation at Snyfontein.* HONOURABLE Kamwi, can the OMUTHIYA CLINIC also be opened at the weekend. We are suffering: we have to walk a long distance from ONAMANYO to the ONANDJOKWE HOSPITAL. Then, staff members must also be reshuffled.* OUR small town OPUWO is VERY VERY dirty. Can the town Council do something to change this. – Tuyenikelawo* WHY has the road between Oshakati, Endola to Ohangwena not been tarred? Mr President we need an answer from you, please.* I WANT to thank the two honourable councillors, Mr Petrus Shigwedha of Uukwiyu Uushona and Mr Mupetami of Okatyali. These two men deserve thanks because what they’re giving the nation is very good. Keep up the good work, comrades. Mr Uugwanga of Ondangwa, copy their example. Don’t just help the people in your village. You were voted in by the people of Ondangwa not by the people of Amungand* HI. I just want to appeal to our lawmakers to make a law that will give more power to all our traditional leaders in the country to be able to control crime, which is being committed on a daily basis.Education* THE so-called national standard should be called an urban standard. Teachers in rural areas are using sheds as classrooms. Learners use their thighs as tables and sit on tree logs as chairs. Thirty-five learners sharing one book. Can we expect good results in this terrible situation?* THERE are too many Deputy Director positions at the headquarters of the Ministry of Education. Make some redundant and open up posts in the regions where there is more workload. The function of NIED within the overall structure of the ministry needs to be revisited. NIED seems to duplicate functions that are already done elsewhere in the ministry.* TO the Minister of Education: I think it’s about time that the Act on enrolment of learners into Grade 1 be reviewed. It’s not fair for a child born on December 31 2001 be registered in Grade 1 while the child born on January 1 2002 is refused admission. The difference between the ages of these children could be less than a day. We need a change in this because once a learner fails in Grade 10 she or he will be over aged to repeat the grade. We don’t want our children on the streets.* MR Kashindi, are you aware that some Government schools like the Ombandjele primary school in your circuit are turned into family schools when it comes to recruitment of staff.* I AM so disturbed and feel pity for students both at Polytechnic and Unam, who have to drop their studies due to a lack of funds. Some parents have only managed so pay registration fees while waiting for Government study loans only to find out that their children have not been awarded loans.* ALL high school teachers must be qualified so that we will have the knowledge and skills for a better Vision 2030 – otherwise learners will keep on failing.* I REALLY do not know what the Ministry of Higher Education is doing in terms of paying students’ loans. Students were granted loans long ago, but until now these loans are not at their disposal. It is now the second semester at Unam but students are suffering. No money to buy books and other stationery and yet they are bursary holders. It is high time that the ministry concerned should do something to solve this problem. Nujoma and Ya Nangoloh* POLITICIANS must stop making the policy of national reconciliation a scapegoat for everything they cannot justify. – Japan* WHAT does Phil want? How many of us sit here not knowing what happened to our brothers, but for the sake of peace and the well being of our future generation, we have let some things remain in the past. Why destabilise the country because of the past? Please, let us live in peace!* PHIL ya Nangoloh is a warrior born of our soil. He treads where others fear to go.* PLEASE Phil ya Nangoloh, leave the Founding President alone. – Ndahafa* MR Tjiriange, the leaders of Namibia are not greater than the NSHR and a fair trial will settle the investigations. Let this run its course.* DEAR tatekulu Sam Nujoma, we love and respect you for what you did for this country. God bless you and this free Namibia! – Kulaumone!* LET democracy prevail. It is high time the untouchables are made to account for what they did to the sons and daughters of Namibia. They must face the full “wrath” of the international law just like anybody else. It’s high time we learn the truth.* Swapo leaders must face the International Criminal Court in The Hague like Charles Taylor and others. We’ve lots of relatives unaccounted for.* PHIL ya Nangoloh, please let us salute those whose blood waters our freedom and not crucify Nujoma. Dr Nujoma deserves our maximum respect. Ya Nangoloh why don’t you call on the ICC to try the culprits of the 1904-1908 genocide United we stand, divided we fall. – T.K. Racism case* I CAN’T think of anything more ridiculous than temporary dropping charges against Matundu. What the devil do they want to “investigate”? They have photo evidence and admission in court. All they need to do is formulate the charges and let them plead. Then give the maximum sentence. Aren’t we serious here? TWO years later, charges against Matunda and Ndjavera have simply been withdrawn! Had they been white or saying kill all blacks, it would’ve been the complete opposite! Matundu and Ndjavera’s case should be withdrawn permanently! Why investigate further?* WOULD the charges have been dropped if a white man had shouted kill all blacks? The judicial system lacks fairness or do we have a separate law for each race? State of the nation* CAN some NGOs concentrate on voters’ education as political parties are taking us for a ride. Politicians don’t even bother with opinion polls because they know that the voters are uneducated n PLEASE Prime Minister show the nation more honesty and transparency! Who of those Permanent Secretaries were transferred for incompetence and who for competence? And why are you transferring incompetence?* I THINK the reshuffling of the Permanent Secretaries should be a wake-up call to all Government officials to step up or step out. No lounging. – Nelson Ashipala* GOVERNMENT, please try to find where those missing millions have gone. We “orphans” need support from the GOVERNMENT.* (THE late Lazarus) KANDARA’S bells are indeed ringing. There is too much corruption! They must ring louder, and harder, and more ..* LET’S face it. Our country is going to the dogs because of the Government’s incompetence to maintain even basics like healthcare, etc. And then the private sector is called upon to give money to fix the mess. Civil servants are mostly incompetent with a don’t care attitude. They simply ignore customers.* ALL public servants, including ministers, should be obliged to be State patients, and only specialised cases should be referred to private facilities. I believe the (health) situation would then change in no time! Besides we are the one’s paying their salaries. – Mathox * MEMBERS of Parliament and their immediate families’ medical aid must be limited to the State hospitals only. This will help improve conditions at the State’s health facilities.* DON’T worry about the high electricity consumption of the lights around the State Palace. We all know how “efficient” the Ministry of Works is with the upkeep of TAXPAYERS’ public property, so why will it be any different this time? Them light bulbs will soon be dark (or stolen)! Union playing a dangerous game n SOMEONE should take the NUNW to task. This incompetent, misdirected, and misguided power hungry leadership of individuals are the direct causes that led to the Avid (SSC N$30 million) scandal. At that stage the NUNW led an outcry and petitioned the political powers not to accept the recommended appointment of the best candidate at the Social Security Commission because he was a white Namibian. They succeeded and look at what their preferred candidate did at the SSC? They tried a similar trick with the appointment of Dr Lindeque at Environment and Tourism. Fortunately, in this case the Prime Minister had the foresight to tell them to stick to their wildcat strikes and not attempt to be experts of human resource management and State governance. Now these masquerading opportunists are targeting the NTB. If the best candidates are Damaras, what problem is it for the NUNW? It smacks of pure jealousy and Ongombe West tribalism. Please minister, be a man and appoint the NTB directors’ choice as you did at the NWR and there was no Ongombe cry. To me neither you as a Nama- or Damara-speaking minister nor any other Namibian is a second class citizen. We are all equally entitled to opportunities in our home country. Let’s expose these opportunistic young boys who never contributed to the liberation struggle, yet today want to snatch bread out of our children’s mouths. NUNW stick to trade unionism and stop tribal games with the resources of Namibia. We have issues * ALLOW me space in your newspaper to air my concerns about what our Government is doing about the youth at Ondangwa. We are playing football for the Ondangwa United football team, which is competing in the Oshikoto second division under NFA. Now the Ondangwa Town Council has sold the land on which our soccer field is situated. Can the council please explain why they have done this.* WHY is there no teachers’ training college in the South? Does the Ministry of Education have an answer or a reason for this question.* THE Polytechnic of Namibia students will highly value and appreciate it if the Vice Rector for Finance could please clarify some issues concerning our credit balances and refunds. PoN doesn’t waste time when it comes to students owing the institution monies, e.g. meal accounts being blocked, hostel evictions or worse no admission to exams. But when it comes to student refunds it’s always a LONG inconvenient process. Why doesn’t the PoN automatically refund credit balances? After all we are supposed to be a institution at the forefront of technology! PoN must also stop sending students back and forth between their sponsors, after all its our loans, bursaries, grants, parents and/or our own money! At the end of the day, you will not help us repay if we have to.! Eagerly awaiting your speedy response.Water woes * I AM a Water Point Committee member. Why is the Government no paying us for managing the water scheme? Or why can’t NamWater come and collect its money from water committees at each water point? If they can’t do this, NamWater must pay us for taking money to their offices. Government should look and attend to this matter urgently! Otherwise we will have many regions’ water disconnected because of non-payment. – Member of Oshivelo water project * OKALOKO village and other villagers around are just 10 km east of Okahao in Omusati Region. Till now there is no water and they only survive on water from wells, which is not hygienic. Why do we only re-elect irresponsible leaders? * I’M a resident of Omupindi Village in the Ohangwena Region. I’m really worried about what our council is doing. Since Independence we have not benefited from development projects like communities in villages, especially in the Oshikoto, Oshana and Omusati regions. Here at Omupindi we don’t have water. We have to walk long distances to fetch water.From the regions * KAVANGO Region. Please leave the Kavango alone. We do not want our land to be taken away. The traditional leaders should decide on the land. This land belongs to us and for generations to come.* I WANT to talk about Eenhana home affairs. I have a sister who is 15 years old. Her father is dead and our mother does not work. We have gone to look for the Certification of Registration birth but until today they can’t find it. I want to know where the problem is. All of the documents are clear: We are Namibians. Please, we are tired of losing money travelling there and it does not help. – Cecilia * WE, the community of Okahao, want to know what happened to the airport that was to be constructed at Okahao.* WHY is the gravel road north of Okahandja Park Stadium along Heroes Street at Okahandja town not maintained or tarred? The town council says the reason is that the road is not proclaimed. The question is why, and who is responsible for the proclamation and what are the requirements? Residents along the road are suffering from dust coming from traffic, especially quad bikes using the road for hobby purposes.* WHY are health services in the Omusati Region not improved. People travel long distance to reach a clinic, because of poor management. Please build a clinic at Umufitu Wanauyala.* I WOULD like to know what the Government has done for Snyfontein, situated 60 km from Keetmanshoop? Our people are getting always promises, but until now we have no electricity. People from Snyfontein are getting no assistance from Government. The only help is empty promises. The Deputy Prime Minister must also take a look at the situation at Snyfontein.* HONOURABLE Kamwi, can the OMUTHIYA CLINIC also be opened at the weekend. We are suffering: we have to walk a long distance from ONAMANYO to the ONANDJOKWE HOSPITAL. Then, staff members must also be reshuffled.* OUR small town OPUWO is VERY VERY dirty. Can the town Council do something to change this. – Tuyenikelawo * WHY has the road between Oshakati, Endola to Ohangwena not been tarred? Mr President we need an answer from you, please.* I WANT to thank the two honourable councillors, Mr Petrus Shigwedha of Uukwiyu Uushona and Mr Mupetami of Okatyali. These two men deserve thanks because what they’re giving the nation is very good. Keep up the good work, comrades. Mr Uugwanga of Ondangwa, copy their example. Don’t just help the people in your village. You were voted in by the people of Ondangwa not by the people of Amungand * HI. I just want to appeal to our lawmakers to make a law that will give more power to all our traditional leaders in the country to be able to control crime, which is being committed on a daily basis. Education * THE so-called national standard should be called an urban standard. Teachers in rural areas are using sheds as classrooms. Learners use their thighs as tables and sit on tree logs as chairs. Thirty-five learners sharing one book. Can we expect good results in this terrible situation? * THERE are too many Deputy Director positions at the headquarters of the Ministry of Education. Make some redundant and open up posts in the regions where there is more workload. The function of NIED within the overall structure of the ministry needs to be revisited. NIED seems to duplicate functions that are already done elsewhere in the ministry.* TO the Minister of Education: I think it’s about time that the Act on enrolment of learners into Grade 1 be reviewed. It’s not fair for a child born on December 31 2001 be registered in Grade 1 while the child born on January 1 2002 is refused admission. The difference between the ages of these children could be less than a day. We need a change in this because once a learner fails in Grade 10 she or he will be over aged to repeat the grade. We don’t want our children on the streets.* MR Kashindi, are you aware that some Government schools like the Ombandjele primary school in your circuit are turned into family schools when it comes to recruitment of staff.* I AM so disturbed and feel pity for students both at Polytechnic and Unam, who have to drop their studies due to a lack of funds. Some parents have only managed so pay registration fees while waiting for Government study loans only to find out that their children have not been awarded loans.* ALL high school teachers must be qualified so that we will have the knowledge and skills for a better Vision 2030 – otherwise learners will keep on failing.* I REALLY do not know what the Ministry of Higher Education is doing in terms of paying students’ loans. Students were granted loans long ago, but until now these loans are not at their disposal. It is now the second semester at Unam but students are suffering. No money to buy books and other stationery and yet they are bursary holders. It is high time that the ministry concerned should do something to solve this problem. Nujoma and Ya Nangoloh * POLITICIANS must stop making the policy of national reconciliation a scapegoat for everything they cannot justify. – Japan * WHAT does Phil want? How many of us sit here not knowing what happened to our brothers, but for the sake of peace and the well being of our future generation, we have let some things remain in the past. Why destabilise the country because of the past? Please, let us live in peace! * PHIL ya Nangoloh is a warrior born of our soil. He treads where others fear to go.* PLEASE Phil ya Nangoloh, leave the Founding President alone. – Ndahafa * MR Tjiriange, the leaders of Namibia are not greater than the NSHR and a fair trial will settle the investigations. Let this run its course.* DEAR tatekulu Sam Nujoma, we love and respect you for what you did for this country. God bless you and this free Namibia! – Kulaumone! * LET democracy prevail. It is high time the untouchables are made to account for what they did to the sons and daughters of Namibia. They must face the full “wrath” of the international law just like anybody else. It’s high time we learn the truth.* Swapo leaders must face the International Criminal Court in The Hague like Charles Taylor and others. We’ve lots of relatives unaccounted for.* PHIL ya Nangoloh, please let us salute those whose blood waters our freedom and not crucify Nujoma. Dr Nujoma deserves our maximum respect. Ya Nangoloh why don’t you call on the ICC to try the culprits of the 1904-1908 genocide United we stand, divided we fall. – T.K. Racism case * I CAN’T think of anything more ridiculous than temporary dropping charges against Matundu. What the devil do they want to “investigate”? They have photo evidence and admission in court. All they need to do is formulate the charges and let them plead. Then give the maximum sentence. Aren’t we serious here? TWO years later, charges against Matunda and Ndjavera have simply been withdrawn! Had they been white or saying kill all blacks, it would’ve been the complete opposite! Matundu and Ndjavera’s case should be withdrawn permanently! Why investigate further? * WOULD the charges have been dropped if a white man had shouted kill all blacks? The judicial system lacks fairness or do we have a separate law for each race? State of the nation * CAN some NGOs concentrate on voters’ education as political parties are taking us for a ride. Politicians don’t even bother with opinion polls because they know that the voters are uneducated n PLEASE Prime Minister show the nation more honesty and transparency! Who of those Permanent Secretaries were transferred for incompetence and who for competence? And why are you transferring incompetence? * I THINK the reshuffling of the Permanent Secretaries should be a wake-up call to all Government officials to step up or step out. No lounging. – Nelson Ashipala * GOVERNMENT, please try to find where those missing millions have gone. We “orphans” need support from the GOVERNMENT.* (THE late Lazarus) KANDARA’S bells are indeed ringing. There is too much corruption! They must ring louder, and harder, and more ..* LET’S face it. Our country is going to the dogs because of the Government’s incompetence to maintain even basics like healthcare, etc. And then the private sector is called upon to give money to fix the mess. Civil servants are mostly incompetent with a don’t care attitude. They simply ignore customers.