Political Perspective

THE appeal by Speaker of Parliament Theo-Ben Gurirab to MPs to debate issues and not people has seemingly fallen on deaf ears if the recent debates are any reflection.

But what is certainly an even more serious issue, in my view, is the lack of substance and quality content in their discussions, and the knock-on effect thereof on the citizenry as a whole. Because these are not role models, not even in the remotest sense.THERE are so many pressing issues of national importance that need to be thoroughly debated in Parliament, but which are overlooked because of a preference for more emotional issues which inevitably turn into subjective attacks because political infighting is something of a national pastime which appears to be the one thing that energises our National Assembly.And of course there must be some of that as well.Parliaments worldwide find it hard to resist inter-political sniping and one-liners from time to time.We hardly expect continual intellectual debate for there are only a handful in that august house who would be competent in such an arena.Yet we can expect a higher standard than is currently the norm nearly two decades after Independence.If anyone is so motivated as to watch the Parliamentary sittings on television, for example, one would not be doing so because of concern for the national interest or access to good and thorough discussions and debates, it would largely be for the entertainment value, and this is the rather sad fact of the matter.I would question even the quality of some of the motions put forward.Complaints (DTA Vice President Philemon Moongo) about the poor funding of political parties are not in my view a legitimate issue.In this country a political party’s popularity is not measured in terms of the amount of money it has to throw around, and I doubt that money has ever been a decisive factor in electoral victories.Why too, must Government keep handing it out, when, in many cases, there is not even proper auditing of the spending of such funds by the recipients? If parties and their leaders are serious about their messages, they’d surely find ways and means of getting it across to voters without Government handouts.Use of the media is just one of these.Matters far more crucial to the people of this country, for example, would include a thorough analysis of the Ramatex debacle and its repercussions for the country.Why and where did things go wrong? And what could be done in future to avert errors of judgement of this nature? And if they do critique the whole matter properly, they would also need to dig down deep for answers as to why Namibia appears to attract questionable foreign investment, rather than that which could be more meaningful for the country and its people.(Not least of all the fact that the Ramatex project probably took more from our coffers than it gave to it!) Is it because we’re not productive enough as a people, for the quality (or not) of our workforce must surely be instrumental in bringing about or deterring quality economic interest from abroad.We have to seriously look at these issues.And what, after all, investors are looking for in a country? If it is simply a question of stability and democracy, well then, we still have those (for the time being at least!).If it’s more, then we’re surely lacking.Our Parliamentary debates for one as indicated above.The apparent hopelessness and dependency of many of our people, always on the lookout for handouts; always complaining; instead of putting their heads down and going to work to make a success of things.You see a school principal from the northeast begging Government to fix a school where the infrastructure has been destroyed (among others, windows broken and doors and other fixtures removed) presumably through vandalism.No one’s asking the question as to how and why that came about and what kind of people we have in our midst who break down the little we have, and how too, it would be prevented from happening again in the future, even if it were to be fixed! We don’t apparently care about the things we do have and look after them, even if it’s a State hospital; we berate foreigners while at the same time we always ask them for money; we can’t understand when things collapse while we pay high wages to people who’re not competent to hold those positions; there’s a perception that abounds that most Namibians (who are fortunate enough!) work only because they have to for that monthly salary cheque and not because they enjoy and take pride in their work and want to get ahead.With a national mentality like this, are we then surprised that investors aren’t interested, or prefer to go to those countries where the work ethic and general atmosphere are so much more conducive.Namibians simply need to introspect a lot more.Parliament most particularly.The (mainly) men who think they’re a cut above the rest and filled with the self-importance of being ‘excellencies’ and ‘honourables’ when they can’t even give the electorate the benefit of intelligent debate that will take us forward rather than again backwards!Because these are not role models, not even in the remotest sense.THERE are so many pressing issues of national importance that need to be thoroughly debated in Parliament, but which are overlooked because of a preference for more emotional issues which inevitably turn into subjective attacks because political infighting is something of a national pastime which appears to be the one thing that energises our National Assembly.And of course there must be some of that as well.Parliaments worldwide find it hard to resist inter-political sniping and one-liners from time to time.We hardly expect continual intellectual debate for there are only a handful in that august house who would be competent in such an arena.Yet we can expect a higher standard than is currently the norm nearly two decades after Independence.If anyone is so motivated as to watch the Parliamentary sittings on television, for example, one would not be doing so because of concern for the national interest or access to good and thorough discussions and debates, it would largely be for the entertainment value, and this is the rather sad fact of the matter.I would question even the quality of some of the motions put forward.Complaints (DTA Vice President Philemon Moongo) about the poor funding of political parties are not in my view a legitimate issue.In this country a political party’s popularity is not measured in terms of the amount of money it has to throw around, and I doubt that money has ever been a decisive factor in electoral victories.Why too, must Government keep handing it out, when, in many cases, there is not even proper auditing of the spending of such funds by the recipients? If parties and their leaders are serious about their messages, they’d surely find ways and means of getting it across to voters without Government handouts.Use of the media is just one of these.Matters far more crucial to the people of this country, for example, would include a thorough analysis of the Ramatex debacle and its repercussions for the country.Why and where did things go wrong? And what could be done in future to avert errors of judgement of this nature? And if they do critique the whole matter properly, they would also need to dig down deep for answers as to why Namibia appears to attract questionable foreign investment, rather than that which could be more meaningful for the country and its people.(Not least of all the fact that the Ramatex project probably took more from our coffers than it gave to it!) Is it because we’re not productive enough as a people, for the quality (or not) of our workforce must surely be instrumental in bringing about or deterring quality economic interest from abroad.We have to seriously look at these issues.And what, after all, investors are looking for in a country? If it is simply a question of stability and democracy, well then, we still have those (for the time being at least!).If it’s more, then we’re surely lacking.Our Parliamentary debates for one as indicated above.The apparent hopelessness and dependency of many of our people, always on the lookout for handouts; always complaining; instead of putting their heads down and going to work to make a success of things.You see a school principal from the northeast begging Government to fix a school where the infrastructure has been destroyed (among others, windows broken and doors and other fixtures removed) presumably through vandalism.No one’s asking the question as to how and why that came about and what kind of people we have in our midst who break down the little we have, and how too, it would be prevented from happening again in the future, even if it were to be fixed! We don’t apparently care about the things we do have and look after them, even if it’s a State hospital; we berate foreigners while at the same time we always ask them for money; we can’t understand when things collapse while we pay high wages to people who’re not competent to hold those positions; there’s a perception that abounds that most Namibians (who are fortunate enough!) work only because they have to for that monthly salary cheque and not because they enjoy and take pride in their work and want to get ahead.With a national mentality like this, are we then surprised that investors aren’t interested, or prefer to go to those countries where the work ethic and general atmosphere are so much more conducive.Namibians simply need to introspect a lot more.Parliament most particularly.The (mainly) men who think they’re a cut above the rest and filled with the self-importance of being ‘excellencies’ and ‘honourables’ when they can’t even give the electorate the benefit of intelligent debate that will take us forward rather than again backwards!