MPs find milking an-udder matter

TO milk or not to milk the cows, that was the question that kept National Assembly parliamentarians tied up for just shy of an hour yesterday afternoon.

The House appeared divided on whether or not milking cows should be declared as “urgent work” in the new Labour Bill which returned to the House after being passed in May. When the National Council reviewed it in August, it was decided that workers could be expected to water, feed and milk cows outside of regular work hours.Yesterday, Labour Minister Marlene Mungunda tabled this amendment for House to consider.But Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism Peter Iilonga, supported by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Loide Kasingo and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Bernhard Esau, felt that this would be tantamount to exploitation.”Let’s not use our people as slaves.The cows won’t die if they’re not milked,” said Iilonga.Added Esau, “It’s not do or die.”But Swapo backbencher Kaire Mbuende begged to differ.He said it was a physiological need that the cows be milked daily.If they were not, it could affect the dairy industry.”We should differentiate between workers’ rights versus what is essentially a physiological issue,” said Mbuende.Agriculture Minister Helmut Angula put arguments against the provision down to sheer laziness.”How can we produce and develop if we are complaining about milking a cow?” he asked, referring to President Sam Nujoma’s observation following his recent visit to China that Asians were working round the clock.”The fundamental question is are we ready to work or do we want to be fed,” he asked.Deputy Minister of Basic Education Buddy Wentworth said the presentation of the facts made it obvious that the cows had to be milked.He asked whether the dissenters thought it was possible to “educate” the cows and set up a “cow calendar”.”Then they should not expect food, water and that they should suffer with their full udders.”Minister of Environment and Tourism Philemon Malima, as well as Transport Minister Moses Amweelo, agreed that the House was wasting time discussing the issue, and that there was more pressing business at hand.Eventually Mungunda sided with those in favour of the amendment and agreement was reached.The proposed amendments have, however, yet to receive the consensus of the House, and Mungunda has been sent back to the drawing board to adjust a provision on family responsibility leave.When the National Council reviewed it in August, it was decided that workers could be expected to water, feed and milk cows outside of regular work hours.Yesterday, Labour Minister Marlene Mungunda tabled this amendment for House to consider.But Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism Peter Iilonga, supported by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Loide Kasingo and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Bernhard Esau, felt that this would be tantamount to exploitation.”Let’s not use our people as slaves.The cows won’t die if they’re not milked,” said Iilonga.Added Esau, “It’s not do or die.”But Swapo backbencher Kaire Mbuende begged to differ.He said it was a physiological need that the cows be milked daily.If they were not, it could affect the dairy industry.”We should differentiate between workers’ rights versus what is essentially a physiological issue,” said Mbuende.Agriculture Minister Helmut Angula put arguments against the provision down to sheer laziness.”How can we produce and develop if we are complaining about milking a cow?” he asked, referring to President Sam Nujoma’s observation following his recent visit to China that Asians were working round the clock.”The fundamental question is are we ready to work or do we want to be fed,” he asked.Deputy Minister of Basic Education Buddy Wentworth said the presentation of the facts made it obvious that the cows had to be milked.He asked whether the dissenters thought it was possible to “educate” the cows and set up a “cow calendar”.”Then they should not expect food, water and that they should suffer with their full udders.”Minister of Environment and Tourism Philemon Malima, as well as Transport Minister Moses Amweelo, agreed that the House was wasting time discussing the issue, and that there was more pressing business at hand.Eventually Mungunda sided with those in favour of the amendment and agreement was reached.The proposed amendments have, however, yet to receive the consensus of the House, and Mungunda has been sent back to the drawing board to adjust a provision on family responsibility leave.