NBC And Public Service Charter

Dear Bob I am a bit sad to have to write this but I shall, in brief.

My request to you in this paper (24 August) to send me an invoice to enable me to pay my TV licence was to no avail. I then spoke to your secretary on 7 September who advised she would get you to phone me or inform me of action taken during the week – but then silence.Late on 13 September I contacted your secretary again and she connected me – I had just enough time to expand on my concern and advise that nothing had yet happened – no invoice or advice received.You then responded, with some emotion and a great length that “you do not respond to matters raised through the media” – and then “clink”, the phone died.Strange! After all my TV licence is not exactly an issue of political sensitivity or great complexity – all I wanted was an invoice.Maybe I had interrupted an audience, a meeting or something.And as a media person I would have thought there would be support for the idea that media is a two way process and a fundamental channel of communication in a democracy – and even I can understand a need for occasional restraint in some matters.But whatever, you are entitled to your views.But in a lucid moment you did advise that you had asked for the matter to be attended to by your staff.That was all I wanted.So I contacted the licence department, the same delightful lady with whom I battled with last year; she had not been made aware of my request and no invoice sent out.Oh well, sometimes things get lost along the way.So it seems that normal commercial practice is not to send an invoice – with NBC it has to be requested.Fine, requested and I hope it is on the way – then I can pay my dues – “it is the right thing to do”.I do also hope that I get my licence without undue delay – last year’s licence, after the long battle, was received in the mail on 17 June 2007; number T172789.Please do not misplace the money this time! Oh sorry, I forgot, you do not respond to the media – OK.Cést la vie! A small afterthought.The 29th October is the 10th Anniversary of the launch of the Public Service Charter by HE The Founding President; perhaps the Principles enshrined therein should be reaffirmed as these the principles provide clear guidance how our public institutions should “ply their trade”.After all the biggest service provider in Namibia is the public sector and ALL Namibians are consumers of the products.Chris Smith csmith@mweb.com.naI then spoke to your secretary on 7 September who advised she would get you to phone me or inform me of action taken during the week – but then silence.Late on 13 September I contacted your secretary again and she connected me – I had just enough time to expand on my concern and advise that nothing had yet happened – no invoice or advice received.You then responded, with some emotion and a great length that “you do not respond to matters raised through the media” – and then “clink”, the phone died.Strange! After all my TV licence is not exactly an issue of political sensitivity or great complexity – all I wanted was an invoice.Maybe I had interrupted an audience, a meeting or something.And as a media person I would have thought there would be support for the idea that media is a two way process and a fundamental channel of communication in a democracy – and even I can understand a need for occasional restraint in some matters.But whatever, you are entitled to your views.But in a lucid moment you did advise that you had asked for the matter to be attended to by your staff.That was all I wanted.So I contacted the licence department, the same delightful lady with whom I battled with last year; she had not been made aware of my request and no invoice sent out.Oh well, sometimes things get lost along the way.So it seems that normal commercial practice is not to send an invoice – with NBC it has to be requested.Fine, requested and I hope it is on the way – then I can pay my dues – “it is the right thing to do”.I do also hope that I get my licence without undue delay – last year’s licence, after the long battle, was received in the mail on 17 June 2007; number T172789.Please do not misplace the money this time! Oh sorry, I forgot, you do not respond to the media – OK.Cést la vie! A small afterthought.The 29th October is the 10th Anniversary of the launch of the Public Service Charter by HE The Founding President; perhaps the Principles enshrined therein should be reaffirmed as these the principles provide clear guidance how our public institutions should “ply their trade”.After all the biggest service provider in Namibia is the public sector and ALL Namibians are consumers of the products.Chris Smith csmith@mweb.com.na