Museum phones cut

TELEPHONES at the National Museum of Namibia (NMN) have been cut off because Government has not paid telephones bills there for two months.

Staff at the NMN, which falls under the Ministry of National Service, Sport and Culture, have been unable to make or receive calls or faxes for two weeks. “It is a disaster.We now have to use our cellphones,” Chief Curator at the NMN Dr Eugene Marais told The Namibian last week.Marais is concerned that the problem may disrupt a Pan-African Rock Art Preservation training workshop being organised by the Museum next month.A frustrated Head of the NMN, Esther Mwoombolah- //Goagoses, said she had raised the matter twice with relevant authorities at the Ministry to ensure their bill was paid on time, but this had not been done.She said they now owe Telecom Namibia payment for telephones bills for April and May.”In fact, Telecom has even been kind to us,” she said.Mwoombolah-//Goagoses said she had written to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr Peingondjabi Shipoh asking him to intervene.”This is really affecting our work.It is not that the National Museum have phoned too much but the problems is just with the Ministry which is not paying our telephone bills,” she said.She said problems were also experienced with payment of salaries.”Everything is just not paid on time,” she added.She could not say how much the NMN owed as this was handled by the Ministry.”It is a disaster.We now have to use our cellphones,” Chief Curator at the NMN Dr Eugene Marais told The Namibian last week.Marais is concerned that the problem may disrupt a Pan-African Rock Art Preservation training workshop being organised by the Museum next month.A frustrated Head of the NMN, Esther Mwoombolah- //Goagoses, said she had raised the matter twice with relevant authorities at the Ministry to ensure their bill was paid on time, but this had not been done.She said they now owe Telecom Namibia payment for telephones bills for April and May.”In fact, Telecom has even been kind to us,” she said.Mwoombolah-//Goagoses said she had written to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr Peingondjabi Shipoh asking him to intervene.”This is really affecting our work.It is not that the National Museum have phoned too much but the problems is just with the Ministry which is not paying our telephone bills,” she said.She said problems were also experienced with payment of salaries.”Everything is just not paid on time,” she added.She could not say how much the NMN owed as this was handled by the Ministry.