Namibia And The Asian Tigers

As the Prime Minister of Namibia stated at the official opening of the GIPF building in Swakopmund, the pension fund is sitting on a heap of money (more than N$15 billion).

This money is invested mostly outside of Namibia because their investments within Namibia very often had to be written off. At the same time, foreigners are asked to invest in Namibia.One dreams to repeat the example of the “Asian Tigers”.The rise of the Asian economic powers was achieved by manufacturing goods for the world market.Strict measures combined with well-thought planning were introduced.Their traditional work ethics together with an intimate knowledge of the markets, organised by a goal-oriented leadership, led to an immense rise of the production of consumer goods (TV sets, cars, clothes, refrigerators, computers and many others).The goods are produced for foreign buyers, mostly supermarket chains in the USA or in the EU.These goods can be bought even on the Namibian market.Nobody complained that the international capitalists were exploiting the workers.Nobody complained that the products were cheap.Everybody did their part.The multinationals gave (in the beginning) the know-how including the leading personnel, capital, tools and raw material.Local entrepreneurs substituted more and more production factors.China, South Korea and Thailand now have their own multinationals, which can compete independently on the world market.If one visits a family on their plot in a rural area in South-East Asia, one finds mostly three generations under one roof.All, from the grandmother to the children after school and all who have no formal employment, are busy doing something, which could be sold on the next market.The garden is tended the whole year and produces a constant flow of vegetables, fruits and flowers.The fields and animals are well looked after.It is a very industrious unit.If one visits a family living under similar circumstances in Namibia, the impression one gets is quite different.The administration of this country is also miles away from the way the Asians do things.The running of a state in Asia reminds one of the running of a very large company, which produces – through hard work – wealth for some and income for many.Namibia is more a giant chat show, run by and for previously disadvantaged comrades.Wealth and income for some is produced with very little work.This is called by some the “Namibian Way”.The reasons for these facts are many.Local know-how is neglected because of racist schemes like BEE.Jobs for unskilled or low-skilled workers are not organised.The young and cool are often left alone with their misdirected purely theoretical education.Strict work ethics are not implemented.Helpless administrators ruin communities.Endless repeated lamenting without proposals for practical solutions is seen as wisdom.Speeches like: I congratulate comrade bla bla for his brave – but hollow – statement, are frequent.Unused land is not developed as it should be, but existing farms are threatened because of Government supported jealousies.It is high time that the orientation is directed to production and development instead of consumption and expropriation.Japie Van Wyk Walvis BayAt the same time, foreigners are asked to invest in Namibia.One dreams to repeat the example of the “Asian Tigers”.The rise of the Asian economic powers was achieved by manufacturing goods for the world market.Strict measures combined with well-thought planning were introduced.Their traditional work ethics together with an intimate knowledge of the markets, organised by a goal-oriented leadership, led to an immense rise of the production of consumer goods (TV sets, cars, clothes, refrigerators, computers and many others).The goods are produced for foreign buyers, mostly supermarket chains in the USA or in the EU.These goods can be bought even on the Namibian market.Nobody complained that the international capitalists were exploiting the workers.Nobody complained that the products were cheap.Everybody did their part.The multinationals gave (in the beginning) the know-how including the leading personnel, capital, tools and raw material.Local entrepreneurs substituted more and more production factors.China, South Korea and Thailand now have their own multinationals, which can compete independently on the world market.If one visits a family on their plot in a rural area in South-East Asia, one finds mostly three generations under one roof.All, from the grandmother to the children after school and all who have no formal employment, are busy doing something, which could be sold on the next market.The garden is tended the whole year and produces a constant flow of vegetables, fruits and flowers.The fields and animals are well looked after.It is a very industrious unit.If one visits a family living under similar circumstances in Namibia, the impression one gets is quite different.The administration of this country is also miles away from the way the Asians do things.The running of a state in Asia reminds one of the running of a very large company, which produces – through hard work – wealth for some and income for many.Namibia is more a giant chat show, run by and for previously disadvantaged comrades.Wealth and income for some is produced with very little work.This is called by some the “Namibian Way”.The reasons for these facts are many.Local know-how is neglected because of racist schemes like BEE.Jobs for unskilled or low-skilled workers are not organised.The young and cool are often left alone with their misdirected purely theoretical education.Strict work ethics are not implemented.Helpless administrators ruin communities.Endless repeated lamenting without proposals for practical solutions is seen as wisdom.Speeches like: I congratulate comrade bla bla for his brave – but hollow – statement, are frequent.Unused land is not developed as it should be, but existing farms are threatened because of Government supported jealousies.It is high time that the orientation is directed to production and development instead of consumption and expropriation.Japie Van Wyk Walvis Bay