SMS for Monday 06 JUNE 2009

* LET’S see: N$25 000 for the mayor’s entertainment, N$140 000 for Mr Niilo’s [Taapopi] entertainment and his team, N$143 000 for general entertainment, N$220 000 for staff social events, N$132 588 for refreshments, N$2,1 million for cellphone bills, N$215 000 for New Year’s Eve party, N$1,8 million for ‘special projects’. We have pensioners starving at the Katutura Old Age home but they were allocated N$ 47 000 only. Something is not right at the City of Windhoek! Please review your budget!
– Disgusted, Walvis Bay

* IT is incomprehensible why we are forced to pay higher rates for energy while so little is done for energy efficiency!

Food For Thought
* WAKE up Namibia! Education for All failed. While it was bedridden, ETSIP was born. ETSIP was admitted to hospital at age three suffering from a chronic disease called the work of consultants. Let us come up with an indigenous Education Reform Act!Dam For Sale
* AS an accountant I get very very concerned when I read about Dr Tobie Aupindi answering questions about the finances of the NWR. His statement that without assets no company can ever make a profit scares me. His only income is from assets, although not registered in the name of the NWR, like the parks and bungalows, etc The only solution is for the NWR to publish the audited financial statements. In the meanwhile our Minister of Finance must be instructed by the Cabinet to investigate.
General* VOTE for Sossusvlei and have all your Internet related activities monitored. This is just some marketing trap to collect your personal information. Just read the terms and conditions when casting your vote.* FOUR Angolan drug mules! Are these the people the Founding Father wants us to protect? Drug pushers, dealers, crooks? * DEAR Editor, please could you tell me what is the criteria to be buried at Heroes Acre? Who makes the decision and are all heroes of our past, regardless of colour or political affiliation allowed to be buried there, that they too can be remembered? I have a school project and would like to do mine on heroes of all races. Thanks.- A Student* THE advertisement of MTC cooking cellphones on NBC is really causing problems. Our kids are now trying out what they see on TV. Please, MTC change. Kids are cooking our phones now.* MR\\Gowaseb should please send some National Radio news readers on a reading and spelling course. Point of correction: It is Sankwasa James Sankwasa, not James Sankwasa James.
Politics
* I AGREE with the statement of Dr Elijah Ngurare on the list of senior officials in the Government, especially directors who do not adhere to the implementation of Swapo Party manifesto must pave the way for patriotic Namibians.From The House
* CASTRATING rapists. The most sensible motion made in our Parliament this year. I bet if you castrate five men rape will decrease with more than ninety per cent. Come on honourables, you are there to protect the nation. Make the law.* CASTRATION is not the answer for rapists. Rape does not stem from sexual desire but from a psychotic need to violate. Castrate women? Impossible! Castration means removing testicles (not the the penis as Nora seems to think) and though a lot of women have balls they sure don’t have testicles! * ON castration: please note it does not mean ‘the gun’ is removed. That is called amputation. Castration only removes ‘the bullets’. – AB* I AGREE with Nora Schimming-Chase that some parliamentarians make jokes when certain issues are raised in Parliament. It is disrespect and irritating Castration?No!Seal Culling * WHY are people against seal harvesting and happy with fishing and cattle slaughtering? * CAN people please understand that seal culling is necessary for the sustainable management of the seals. Clubbing them still remains the most humane way!* WHAT is the difference between seal clubbing and veal slaughtering? Do you think of the killing when you enjoy a nice lamb cut grilled to perfection? What about the karakul industry? How many jobs can we afford to lose in order to avoid cruelty to animals? What about the cruelty to the children of dismissed workers who might not be vaccinated, clothed or sent to school because of unemployment of their fathers ?* YOU are just feeling pity about seals,what about maasbanker, hake, tuna, etc. Namibians think twice!- Zoga Inkono, Walvis Bay * CAN someone please tell us exactly how much the mass seal slaughtering actually contributes to the national GDP, how many people it actually employs and how many people benefit financially.Bouquets And Brickbats
* HATS off to Udjombala JSS teachers, for taking our Grade 10 children to Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station over the recent weekend. This I believe facilitates their learning, especially in the field of science. I wish you courage and wisdom to do the same to the rest of the learners. – A very thankful parent* NBC Acting director general: If Sesfontein is not a priority to have a TV and radio service, which place is the high priority in Namibia. Tell us if we do not qualify, and do it publicly.* NBC what happened to our favourite drama series ‘The Ties That Bind’? * WHY is it that ‘Camila’ is allocated to be broadcast for an hour, but it only plays for plus minus 40 minutes? NBC should stick to its decisions and we do not like what they air afterwards. We want a full hour’s broadcast of ‘Camila’ as it was supposed to be. – E Shinana* THE Minister of Finance and Mr Tom Alweendo of the BON try by all means to stimulate the economy where as the municipality and the commercial banks try by all means to stifle it. We need a co-ordinated approach if we seriously want to mitigate the effects of global recession.* TO those complaining about shoddy bank service, remember: banks are not founded for the benefit of the customers but for the benefit of the shareholders. Every day your money is kept back is a day more they can lend it to someone else. A cheque made out by a ministry needs as much ‘clearance time’ as one of a common citizen. To check whether that ministry has funds? Bah! Berthold Brecht wrote: ‘What is the worse crime? To rob a bank, or to found a bank?’ – HardyRest In Peace MJ
* PEOPLE can be such hypocrites! When Michael Jackson was alive and in need of support, he had no friends surrounding him. Since he died, everybody’s claiming to have been his friend, especially these so-called celebrities. Where were you then? Friends stand up for one another. We all contributed to his demise whether we want to admit it or not. Let his death serve as a lesson to everyone. We killed him people! – Disappointed fan* I HOPE the cash-strapped public broadcaster (NBC) will make enough cash by selling the MJ’`s visit to the Land of the Brave DVD even before the pop icon’s funeral and start giving us (TV licence holders) quality for our money. RIP MJ.* MICHAEL Jackson Tribute. There are stars, there are superstars, there are megastars, and then there is MJ. There never was better, there never will be.- GH
* MICHAEL Jackson was a talented musical icon. Michael Jackson is no more with us. He was a man that helped people by giving then love. May his soul rest in peace.*THE other day I was watching Michael Jackson’s music videos with my family. I was confident that there wouldn’t be half naked ladies paraded in the name of music. That guy was purely selling music. We parents should ban even Namibian ‘artists’ who degrade ladies like that, not only from our homes, but from our national TV.Running The Show
* PLEASE Minister Kamwi could you come forward and explain to the whole nation what went wrong with your ministry on Thursday, July 2, when the patients at Windhoek Central Hospital went the whole day without food until 19h43 in the evening. Is the ministry running out of money or what? Please give the tender to other companies which can manage to provide food to your hospitals.*HONOURABLE Deputy Minister of Finance (Minister Tweya) please do something about Rundu’s Receiver of Revenue. Maybe they will hear you because you are from there. Income tax directives are always delayed in that office and it has a serious impact on people. * AS a concerned citizen, I hereby would like to know from the Minister what steps are going to be taken referring to he horrific incident at Oshakati State Hospital.City Fathers, Please
* MUNICIPALITY of Windhoek, as a resident I am concerned about the way the receipts for our houses are written up when one has paid the bill. Can’t the municipality clear the bill which is paid immediately and only the remaining balance be shown. Because I paid my account in May clearing it. When I went there in June the whole amount that I paid still appeared. When I asked, a pen was used to cancel this. This really should not be done like that!* CAN our municipality please build speed-reducing bumps in Aristotle Street Academia. This ‘race track’ is treacherous for humans and animals alike!Health Matters*Dr R Kamwi Minister of Health, are you aware that Outapi CDC has had no doctor since April 2009? Please check!In And From The Regions
* CAN the regional health director for the Erongo Region please tell us when the Okongue clinic is going to be constructed. We have been waiting for eight years now. * PLEASE help Health Inspector of Omaruru! Is it healthy for us the customers of Omaruru Spar to inhale every day the sewerage waste water in front of the building?* CAN NBC please do something! There are only three local radio station in Maltahohe namely Nama/Damara, Afrikaans and German. Please we also want to listen to our own language stations like Oshiwambo, Otjiherero and national radio.