SMSes for Mon 12 08

* BOB Kandetu is a scapegoat: I am not a great fan of Bob if what was written in newspapers is true. But with that aside, how can Jerry Ekandjo call for Bob’s dismissal without checking his facts? Shouldn’t an investigation be done than fire whoever is responsible? I must admit that whoever put the RDP flag behind the President has no respect for the people of this country, but calling for a DG to be fired without proof is like citizens asking for ministers to be fired because civil servants in their ministries are abusing GRN cars or stealing. It was a horrible thing we all agree, but we need to find out who did it and fire that person. If Bob is that person or if we find proof that he was behind the plot, yes, fire him. I hate to think that we live in a country where major decisions are taken based on ‘hearsay’ or ‘suspicion’.

Food for thought

* MINEWORKERS Union of Namibia must talk to the Government for a zero tax on the mineworkers` pension and severance packages to those who are losing their jobs at mines due to the global economic crisis. For us to be able to create our own employment easily. Government give us relief, remember, it is election time. – Shavuka

* SOME Namibians are just blaming the Swapo Government for job losses in the fishing and mining sectors. For heaven’s sake can’t you see that the world economy is busy sinking? I know that the Government has a plan B. Wait and you will see.

NBC controversies

* THE RDP flag which was displayed on NBC TV during the State President’s New Year’s message on December 31 was none other than Swapo’s own elements with hatred to get rid of Bob Kandetu as it has been advocated for quite a long time. -Kautwima.

* THE flag was strategically planted to get rid of suspected RDP members. After all, NBC is a national broadcaster on paper alone. De facto, it is owned by Swapo. Hence the loud calls from that quarter!

* IS it not about time that someone tells Jerry Ekandjo that NBC is not the property of Swapo. He is after all only the Minister of Regional, Local Government and Housing, which has nothing to do with the NBC.

* HISTORY repeats itself. The RDP flag drama at NBC is a well-organised tactic by Swapo to get rid of Kandetu and others. During the colonial era South Africa and Koevoet used to blame Swapo for every incident which caused harm or death to the people. They used to plant bombs in the North and blamed Swapo. They did this so that the people can hate Swapo. But in the end all these tactics failed and Swapo became victorious. Swapo is repeating the same tactics to get rid off Kandetu and others. Mr Ekandjo said RDP disregard the rule of law and code of conduct for political parties. We all know which party is guilty of this.

* THE RDP flag behind President Hifikepunye Pohamba on NBC TV was no doubt a serious oversight. But then all Swapo leaders, including the President himself, wearing party colours and making party-political statements at almost every national event, should be taken to task. I’ve read many complaints about this, but to date no emotional tirade by the Swapo Secretary General on this issue.

* THE NBC Director General needs to resign along with the employees involved in the RDP flag saga. If he refuses, he should be fired. It’s the right thing to do. What happened is totally unacceptable.

* WHY is Jerry Ekandjo demanding Bob Kandetu be dismissed? When NBC accidentally showed a pornographic clip about three years ago, they didn’t fire Jerry Munyama who was NBC DG, they disciplined the producer who was on duty that night. So Swapo must think we are stupid. If anything they probably engineered the RDP flag incident to get rid of Kandetu.

* NBC is a national institution and does not belong to the Swapo Party. Any Namibian from any political party can work there.

* JERRY Ekandjo should think back. When the Government was sued millions because of his hard-headedness and his lack of legal knowledge, was he not fired? How many mistakes did NBC make in the past? Those are normal technical mistakes. We know that Swapo wants to own NBC for their election campaign. Too late for tricks, change is on the way. Bob Kandetu, don’t give up, you are there to serve the nation and not individuals. The nation is all the way behind you.

Politicians’ salaries

* This particular month of school fees, school clothes, hostel fees, Unam and Polytech fees and what not, will expose and depict the sorry financial state of civil servants. This is the month that cash loans are at their happiest. That our leaders, union leaders included, could turn a blind eye to this is mind-boggling. To even suggest that civil servants must wait until April fool’s day 2009 is tantamount to the rape of the mind. How do you demand and expect high performance from your staff when they are concerned about how they can give their children the education they deserve, when they are concerned about getting to work on time due to transport costs? How can anyone forget that that very same inflation that haunts the country’s elite is also haunting and severely affecting the civil servants. The very heart of Government is being subjected to inhumane treatment and yet it must improve it performance, I wonder how.

* 24% increase for MPs and they are smiling? We are crying now but year-end we will smile all the way to the polls.

* FELLOW Namibians, don’t always complain – you have the choice in 2009. Be mature and responsible when you make your choice.
-Waltraut

* IS the Prime Minister aware of the salaries soldiers in NDF earn? What is he planning to do after his salary hike? Sometimes I wonder if these people have soldiers in their families. Please help!

* MINISTERS’ salary increases should be performance based. Let the public vote like a poll! -Daniel

* WHEN some writers of your SMSes want to advance their political agendas, they must use convincing arguments. One of your writers in Thursday’s paper wants to turn the clock against Swapo because of politicians’ salary increments. The truth is whichever way he/she turns, all politicians are going to benefit and not only Swapo MPs.

* I FAIL to understand why some people are complaining about the 24% salary increase for ministers. Let the ministers get their pay hikes! What you should do is to put pressure on your trade unions to negotiate for better salaries for all civil servants and leave the politicians and their salary hike alone.

* THOSE who are complaining about politicians’ salaries increase stop doing so. The politicians have financial needs to meet just like any individual. If you are dissatisfied, join RDP and come November we will show you who we are in Swapo. The nation is happy with delivery of Government and their increase must not be used for cheap politicking and campaigning. In Swapo, we tolerate no nonsense.

* I FULLY agree with my colleagues. Government officials stand up and fight for your rights. Tools down please. We at the grass root level are the ones who are working very hard for the success of each ministry. Please colleagues open your eyes. Let’s stand together. Tools down. Enough is enough.

* WHAT is the NUNW and SPYL stance on the discriminatory 24% salary increase for MPs? Or could it be in your future career interest? Hurry and negotiate for the ordinary public servant. Stop the double standards and gullible act.

* WE should stop moaning about the 24% increase. Come election day we will go in a numbers and faithfully re-elect Swapo. They will win hands down. Why, because we are blind. We will forget all the wrong doings of Swapo. Do you see how the flags of the faithful hang? What has Swapo done for them – ZERO.

Politics in general

* PLEASE allow me to air my view to the nation. Does the Government have any policy of solving the problem of unemployment? Our politicians are always wasting time on preaching hatred instead of development. I hope people will open their eyes and everything will be visible. Let’s have a competitive political play ground.

* Congratulations to Mr Kosie Pretorius for having been named the
IBA Man of the Year. As there can only be one recipient for such an award, and as a number of other deserving Namibians – black, white and coloured – immediately come to mind, there will naturally be questions on whether Mr Pretorius was indeed the most deserving. However, considering his long standing parliamentary career, mostly as leader of his party, and his constructive contributions in Parliament since 1990, one cannot begrudge him this distinction, irrespective of whether you agree with his political views or not. Also, he was judged on past, and not future, accomplishments.

* COMMENTING on the comment about the award given to Kosie Pretorius. I salute ABI for giving Kosie the award. He’s a true Namibian! A man of his word, who did not change his views to suit anybody. There is unity in diversity! Kosie I do not support your political ideals, but I respect your character. All Namibians cannot be expected to have the same views, only a fool would like all Namibians to be the same!

War in Gaza

* NAMIBIAN Government, who is going to listen to you condemning the Israeli government. People will start listening when they see you are serious with regional issues (Zimbabwe). Start by calling Mugabe to order.

* HOW contradicting, ‘Nam breaks Gaza silence’ but they are silent about Zimbabwe. Why not remind SADC and the AU of their responsibility towards the people of Zimbabwe.

* THE Government’s concern about Gaza is window dressing, because when Mugabe kills fellow Zimbabweans the silence is deafening!! Shame on them all.

* THE world media are painting a deceptive picture on war in Gaza. Yes the death toll is 670, but you forget to mention only 25% of those were civilians. The other 75% were Hamas militants. What Israel is doing is self-defence.

* ISRAEL will leave Gaza if Hamaz stops bombing Israeli civilians and honour the cease-fire agreement!

From the regions

* MR Henock ya Kasita, ever since you have put up your electricity poles at Oneshoko village in 2006 and promised us to connect it, you fail to do so. Please do something

* PLEASE this is new year, we need development in Grünau. At least a mobile police station and clinic. We need also the town to be developed. I need NBC to visit the said place to see how people are suffering – they only depend on pensioners’ money. Please Government do something!

* COME and see our recently built tarred road between Tandaveka to Engen. The road has not yet been inaugurated officially, but yet full of potholes.

* IN the interest of the Otjituuo community I wish to alert the Minister of Health that the clinic building which they started to build in August 2007 is still incomplete after the construction was stopped in August 2008. Please follow-up we need our building.

* MR President I just want to ask you one question – how do you sleep at night knowing that so many people in the South sleep hungry and everything goes to the North. I know the Government had plans for the south but we have already waited so long.

Bouquets and Brickbats

* I GOT my new Standard Bank credit card on the 30th of November last year and started using it the next week in Mauritius. Just got back from holiday in South Africa. I used both my debit and credit cards at various places and shops in Namibia, South Africa and Mauritius without any problem. Thank you Standard Bank for years of excellent service.