Progress since Independence debatable

WHETHER the progress that Namibia has been making over the past 20 years is sufficient is open for debate.
This was the message of Prime Minister Nahas Angula at a public lecture in Windhoek on Tuesday evening.

Angula told about 140 members of the audience: ‘Broadly speaking, [for] the last 20 years, Namibia has been making progress. Whether that is sufficient is the question.’ According to him, ‘take-off is tempered by emerging challenges’. These, he said, relate to HIV-AIDS, TB, malnutrition, a lack of sanitation, economic slowdowns and political polarisation.Angula added that Namibians need to bear in mind that in order for progress to take place, they should also bring their part and not expect the Government to do everything.Although progress and development are incrementally measurable, they are not ‘big bang’ events, Angula said. ‘They are processes and one should build on what you have and move on.’ Furthermore, the PM added, perceptions matter. ‘A cup may be half full or half empty. We [as Namibians] are not likely to agree with the level of progress we are making.’Following a question on what is being done to address the plight of the unemployed youth, Angula said: ‘The youth face a myriad of challenges, [including] unemployment, disease and poverty.’ According to him, youth unemployment poses ‘a threat to our social cohesion, especially unemployment which is sitting on poverty and inequality. It is really serious.’ He said that institutions like Namcol, the National Youth Service and the National Training Authority were put in place to accommodate young people. However, Angula said, Government ‘can only provide basic skills’ and these efforts are futile ‘unless the private sector starts taking interest in the plight of our youth. The youth challenge is a national challenge. We must all share this responsibility. There will be a point when young people suffering from poverty and unemployment will say enough is enough. That is not a threat – just a warning.’Regarding his remark about political polarisation which hampers progress, the PM explained that ‘[if one has] a political party based on ‘us’ and ‘them’, you are inviting polarisation. That is not the way to build society. We are supposed to build society by uniting [the people].’ The next public lecture in this series to commemorate 20 years of Independence takes place this evening at 18h30 at Unam. The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Hage Geingob, will speak about ‘The structures of governance and the challenges of public policy implementation in Namibia after 20 years of Independence’.kisting@namibian.com.na