Questions On Rehoboth

IN April 2004, the “new management” of the Rehoboth Museum was sworn in.

Please refer to the publication, ‘Die Volkster’ dated April 2 2004. In that letter it was stated that the problems and controversy surrounding the Rehoboth Museum had been solved and that a new management committee had been appointed.Mention was also made of the apathy of the Rehoboth community in their non-attendance of the event.I responded to that letter asking inter alia, what the problems were; how they had been solved; who were the involved parties in both the problems and the solutions; a response from both the aforementioned parties to state their respective cases and who the new management team was.I have received no response to date on any of the above-mentioned questions.Thus I would like to hereby ask for the response again.It’s after all easy to say that the community is uninterested in its affairs and yet when questions are asked, as in this case, no response is forth-coming.Another concern I would like to raise is that of the Oanob Dam.It is my understanding that the dam has been leased to individuals for a period of 99 years.I also understood that that there was an agreement to start a garden for the benefit of the Rehoboth Community at the dam.This has not realised to date and the dam had been in existence for quite some time now.It is a natural resource for the benefit of the community.I would like to know how much of the profits made is pumped back into the community i.e. does the community profit in any way from the use of this natural resource as a tourist attraction? It has been my experience that the average person cannot afford the fees charged for entry to the dam.Thus effectively making the use of this natural resource impossible to the community, which should really have a right to the use thereof.Please do not misunderstand.I am happy that such development has happened there and also applaud the development and the beautiful lodge etc. that have been created.My concern is that the very community who should have every right to enjoy this natural resource is cut out because they cannot afford it.(What does the Namibian Constitution say about the use of natural resources and foreign income?) Could someone please respond to these concerns?Kathy Hampe Rehoboth Community ClubIn that letter it was stated that the problems and controversy surrounding the Rehoboth Museum had been solved and that a new management committee had been appointed.Mention was also made of the apathy of the Rehoboth community in their non-attendance of the event.I responded to that letter asking inter alia, what the problems were; how they had been solved; who were the involved parties in both the problems and the solutions; a response from both the aforementioned parties to state their respective cases and who the new management team was.I have received no response to date on any of the above-mentioned questions.Thus I would like to hereby ask for the response again.It’s after all easy to say that the community is uninterested in its affairs and yet when questions are asked, as in this case, no response is forth-coming.Another concern I would like to raise is that of the Oanob Dam.It is my understanding that the dam has been leased to individuals for a period of 99 years.I also understood that that there was an agreement to start a garden for the benefit of the Rehoboth Community at the dam.This has not realised to date and the dam had been in existence for quite some time now.It is a natural resource for the benefit of the community.I would like to know how much of the profits made is pumped back into the community i.e. does the community profit in any way from the use of this natural resource as a tourist attraction? It has been my experience that the average person cannot afford the fees charged for entry to the dam.Thus effectively making the use of this natural resource impossible to the community, which should really have a right to the use thereof.Please do not misunderstand.I am happy that such development has happened there and also applaud the development and the beautiful lodge etc. that have been created.My concern is that the very community who should have every right to enjoy this natural resource is cut out because they cannot afford it.(What does the Namibian Constitution say about the use of natural resources and foreign income?) Could someone please respond to these concerns?Kathy Hampe Rehoboth Community Club