Political Perspective

NO disrespect to former President Sam Nujoma, but a bursary he’s accepted from the Lev Leviev Diamonds company to study an MA in Geology at the University of Namibia, is, literally speaking, a disgrace! Apart from the fact that he is a wealthy individual who can afford to pay his own way, the whole thing also smacks of kickback, and again, several bright, young, ‘currently disadvantaged’ people out there are being robbed of such opportunities.

THE former president this week also toured the facilities of the Lev Leviev diamond plant, which he himself inaugurated just over a year ago when he was President, and said he was happy with the progress … Well, of course he is! It seems he got a bursary out of it, didn’t he? And he got an invitation to tour the areas where the diamonds are mined, which fits in just fine with his studies, and maybe he’ll get another small gift then as well! I’ve no issue with Lev Leviev’s company per se, after all we do want foreign investors who can contribute to job creation, but when they start handing out bursaries to former presidents and heaven knows what other gifts, this raises questions.The company is now branching out into areas other than diamonds, and a separate business, called Africa Israel, is going to build ‘Government offices’ and a ‘VIP terminal’ at Eros Airport.Big priorities these, apparently! We don’t have enough schools, hospitals and other essentials, but we need more Government office blocks and a cosy little suite for the currently advantaged at Eros Airport to while away the minutes while they wait for the Falcon to land! And we can’t build these ourselves? Lev Leviev obviously has his reasons for giving a bursary to a well-off former president, and while they’re obviously not philanthropic in nature, it’s nice to have a political personality of Nujoma’s stature on your side! But Nujoma should know better than to accept this.He’s just received a huge and lucrative retirement package and while his personal financial wealth is not publicly known, he’s obviously not short of funds.And his studies, after all, are aimed at whiling away his retirement years rather than making a productive input into the economy when he graduates.Seen against the depressing background of thousands of young Namibians with no chance of getting a crack at tertiary education, the Leviev money for the former president’s bursary could have been far better deployed elsewhere.And in the context of the ongoing debate about corruption in this country, one of the aspects Government seriously needs to look at is the giving of gifts to people in positions where they can influence things in one way or another.The matter did come up years ago when it was decided that top officials and MPs should declare their interests.This relates to the businesses and boards they may be involved in, as well as, of course, the receipt of commissions and gifts of whatever nature.But there’s never been much clarity or transparency about it all and the public largely remains in the dark …Nujoma was in office for three consecutive terms, and no one knows whether the ‘gifts’ he was given during this time remain in the State House he vacated or whether these were considered ‘personal’ bequests.Above a certain monetary value, these should all be declared.This is perhaps one of the less debated aspects of corruption – how the so-called First World has corrupted many African presidents and politicians, and helped many to squirrel away millions in foreign banks and real estate.It’s an open secret.So part of the anti-corruption campaign should be the application of very stringent guidelines in this regard in order to monitor the provision of ‘kickbacks’ not only from international, but also locally based businesses, which ultimately contributes to the downfall of our politicians and senior civil servants, and the further impoverishment of our people.We all know, for example, that plane deals come with commissions.Point is, who gets them? We’ve tried unsuccessfully to probe such things in the past.If commission is payable, it should be taken off the purchase price.Everything must be above board, and our presidents, whoever they may be in the future, should be incorruptible.Ways and means must be found to ensure they are as accountable as anyone else, or we can never hope to fight this damn corruption thing.And as for Nujoma’s bursary, at the end of the day, and given our national circumstances, it’s just plain bad taste!Well, of course he is! It seems he got a bursary out of it, didn’t he? And he got an invitation to tour the areas where the diamonds are mined, which fits in just fine with his studies, and maybe he’ll get another small gift then as well! I’ve no issue with Lev Leviev’s company per se, after all we do want foreign investors who can contribute to job creation, but when they start handing out bursaries to former presidents and heaven knows what other gifts, this raises questions.The company is now branching out into areas other than diamonds, and a separate business, called Africa Israel, is going to build ‘Government offices’ and a ‘VIP terminal’ at Eros Airport.Big priorities these, apparently! We don’t have enough schools, hospitals and other essentials, but we need more Government office blocks and a cosy little suite for the currently advantaged at Eros Airport to while away the minutes while they wait for the Falcon to land! And we can’t build these ourselves? Lev Leviev obviously has his reasons for giving a bursary to a well-off former president, and while they’re obviously not philanthropic in nature, it’s nice to have a political personality of Nujoma’s stature on your side! But Nujoma should know better than to accept this.He’s just received a huge and lucrative retirement package and while his personal financial wealth is not publicly known, he’s obviously not short of funds.And his studies, after all, are aimed at whiling away his retirement years rather than making a productive input into the economy when he graduates.Seen against the depressing background of thousands of young Namibians with no chance of getting a crack at tertiary education, the Leviev money for the former president’s bursary could have been far better deployed elsewhere.And in the context of the ongoing debate about corruption in this country, one of the aspects Government seriously needs to look at is the giving of gifts to people in positions where they can influence things in one way or another.The matter did come up years ago when it was decided that top officials and MPs should declare their interests.This relates to the businesses and boards they may be involved in, as well as, of course, the receipt of commissions and gifts of whatever nature.But there’s never been much clarity or transparency about it all and the public largely remains in the dark …Nujoma was in office for three consecutive terms, and no one knows whether the ‘gifts’ he was given during this time remain in the State House he vacated or whether these were considered ‘personal’ bequests.Above a certain monetary value, these should all be declared.This is perhaps one of the less debated aspects of corruption – how the so-called First World has corrupted many African presidents and politicians, and helped many to squirrel away millions in foreign banks and real estate.It’s an open secret.So part of the anti-corruption campaign should be the application of very stringent guidelines in this regard in order to monitor the provision of ‘kickbacks’ not only from international, but also locally based businesses, which ultimately contributes to the downfall of our politicians and senior civil servants, and the further impoverishment of our people.We all know, for example, that plane deals come with commissions.Point is, who gets them? We’ve tried unsuccessfully to probe such things in the past.If commission is payable, it should be taken off the purchase price.Everything must be above board, and our presidents, whoever they may be in the future, should be incorruptible.Ways and means must be found to ensure they are as accountable as anyone else, or we can never hope to fight this damn corruption thing.And as for Nujoma’s bursary, at the end of the day, and given our national circumstances, it’s just plain bad taste!