SMSes for Mon 19 Jan 09

* WHAT? How can we pay tax on our savings? Government is forcing us to become a spending nation instead of a saving nation! Look at the world economy, those who never saved are those suffering. Leaders please think it through, allow us to save to add to the meagre State pension you give and for our children.

* WHAT? How can we pay tax on our savings? Government is forcing us to become a spending nation instead of a saving nation! Look at the world economy, those who never saved are those suffering. Leaders please think it through, allow us to save to add to the meagre State pension you give and for our children.

* WHY is everyone quiet about the exorbitant taxes we are paying? All we get is 65% of what we have rightfully earned? This is daylight robbery! Don’t we at least have the right to question where all that money is going?

Food For Thought
* WHY do we need pharmacy as a profession if general practitioners can do the pharmacists’ jobs? Someone studied for five years to become a pharmacist, while others will only apply for the licence to dispense medicine. If this is the case why don’t we just give the licences to dispense to our brothers and sisters in the streets to cut the problem of unemployment short? GPs, let’s show respect to the other profession!
– Martha

* WHILE Herbert Jauch talks about unemployment insurance, Bro Hengari of the Mineworkers Union of Namibia talks about funeral benefits! Wake up Hengari! The NUNW plans to take to take the idea of unemployment insurance to the Ministry of Labour, while it is always quick to join the chorus of Swapo structures when making rhetoric political statements. Insurance companies, we want to be insured for the day when we are retrenched, not for funerals. Unions take care of the workers. Stop pleasing your political bosses!

* NAMIBIANS, let us boycott the idea of tax on savings! It is ridiculous! What are we going to be left with for survival in this highly inflationary economy? We have mouths to feed and our kids’ futures are in our hands and they depend on how much we save today. Anybody who is a parent will know what I am talking about.
– Jolokeni

Kudos
* YOUR reporter Nangula Shejavali did a commendable article on top of SMSes sent to you, about job losses at mining companies. Comrades Jauch, Hengari and Kaaronda must lead the calls on our Government to give relief by reducing or zero-rating the mineworkers’ severance pay and pensions. The relief must be given to those who lost their job due to the current economic downturn since August 2008. This is urgent and will provide the safety net they are talking about, by providing decent lump sum payments, especially for those of us who want to start own businesses, thereby creating a number of jobs in our country.
– Shavuka

* THANKS a lot Herbert Jauch. You are really thinking for the poor and voiceless Namibians. Your articles and letters are always useful for my understanding.
– R. Seibeb, Walvis Bay

Politicians’ Salaries
* HONOURABLE Venaani was one of the MPs who at every corner would ask Prime Minister about salary improvements for political office bearers! Now that he got what he wanted he is trying to play holier than thou! Shame on him!

* THE issue of salary increments for both politicians and civil servants were submitted and approved during the 2008/9 budget discussions. Why did Venaani keep quiet and is now calling for a special discussion on it? Please make sure you will participate fruitfully in the upcoming budget debate. Don’t try to fool innocent people.

* WHY is the Prime Minister against the statement of McHenry Venaani about salary increases for civil servants? It’s true that our salaries are too low. The statement of Venaani was not about politics – he was talking the truth. PM please do your work fairly and remember the money will not come out of your pocket.

* FOR Mr Venaani to suggest urgent review of civil servants salaries is not irrelevant because it is a fact that we are suffering. We need politicians like him. Prime Minister can deny it but time will come when we will know who is irrelevant in this matter.

* HOW does the inflation specifically affect MPs to get 24% increment, while 75% of their expenditure is covered through allowances such as for cars, fuel, cellphones, domestic help etc plus S&T.

* THERE will never be any transformation with the current leadership in Namibia. Our leaders are rather hungry and angry old men and the younger ones are greedy and incompetent. They spend most of the time blaming each other or the colonialists for what happened in the past, rather than concentrating on constructive issues concerning the development of our people. Where are the people: the student movements, the workers and their unions, the unemployed, the youth and their organisations? It is time that civil society organises, stands up and be taken seriously. The 24% for the MPs and other top brass should not happen at all.

* MY fellow Namibians! Please stop blaming Swapo for the development of this country, and 24% salary hike for politicians. It is better to complain about the high salaries of MDs, CEOs, directors at parastatals and private companies. MPs are getting less than these people. Just imagine an MD earning N$100 000 per month compared to minister who earn N$22 000 a month.

* INSTEAD of increasing politicians’ salaries, we ask for an increase in the number of schools in Namibia. Parents stand up for the real rights of our children to ensure a future with even better politicians.

* THE 24% increase is a senseless move. Poor Namibians are struggling to make ends met. Water is more expensive than ever, food prices are skyrocketing. Yet, political elites who get everything free from the Swapo-led Government are the one to receive such an increase. Mr President, you need new advisors.

Labour Hire Hypocrisy?
* EKANGO is taking over from Africa Personnel Services. It seems like a joke. APS is gone and now a new labour-hire outfit is established known as Ekango Retail Solution, which has three small companies namely Itumba, Wapaleka and Ilonga Construction under it. People are forced to leave their jobs with no payment. I want to know the difference between APS and Ekango, which operated at Meatco under APS? Can the Ministry of Labour tell us what is going on here? If you want to get more information please do not hesitate to come to the Trade Centre at Kleine Kuppe any day.

Politics In General
* SOME governors, mayors and counsellors in the North who are trying very hard to confuse the peace-loving nation of the four northern regions that the peace of this country is at stake because of RDP. These people are promoting hatred among the communities. This is just because they are scared of losing their positions to the RDP. Some of these people were not elected by the communities. They were imposed on them, which is unconstitutional. Who is against peace and stability in this country? Who does not want peace? Some of these people never carried weapons and did not suffer. Surprisingly, they are the ones who are promoting war through Oshiwambo radio morning call-in programme. They are supposed to talk about development, education etc. etc. We all love peace and stability, that is why we fought till Namibia got independence. Peace is not in danger and it will never be in jeopardy because of the party, which was formed constitutionally. Stop confusing the people.

* WHERE is the Swapo think tank? I think the think tank was established to advise their leaders! Please help Minister Jerry Ekandjo, he is going too far on the Bob Kandetu issue.

* TODAY the basic human rights of people in the Gaza strip and Zimbabwe are being raped with impunity by bloodthirsty and ruthless leaders with the blessing of veto-wielding world powers. The UN has become such an irrelevant body in this whole saga. It is time for the citizens of the world to stand up and fight for a new world order to change the status quo. Yes we can!

Education
* WINDHOEK Vocational Training College made news last year for overcharging fees at
registration, but no investigation was concluded. This year they are back at it again with the same scheme. Please Ministry of Education help stop this self-enriching scheme.

* WE must stop blaming Grade 10 learners only for failing. We all contribute to this problem – parents, neighbours, teachers, education officials and political office bearers.

* EDUCATION Director of Omusati Region, did you know that many learners in most schools in Omusati region are squatting on classroom floors? Do something please.

* NAMCOL director can you please bring a centre to Tsumkwe for us to register and write exams at Tsumkwe for Namcol Grade 12 exams.

* IT is high time that we take Government and private schools to court for the violation of the constitutional rights of our children to education.

General
* YOU do not get old, bold pilots. The coastal cowboys with their low-flying machines are just another aviation tragedy waiting to happen. Thanks for addressing this issue.
– Lilo

* INSPECTOR General of NamPol – please promote all members with diplomas to Warrant Officer ranks and those with degrees to inspector ranks. There are a lot of academically qualified members in the force who are under-ranked and under-utilised. How will we achieve Vision 2030 if we avoid and sideline people with the necessary skills? Training and Development Unit do your work and forward those records to the Head Office, you have them. Some commanders are jealous, especially when juniors possess better qualifications than themselves. In some cases those members are far better qualified than their commanders, hence they don’t recommend them for promotions. I know, one will argue about other promotion criteria that must be met. Yes I know, but we have members who have met all those criteria. Positions are hanging vacant, even at their units/stations.

* PLEASE prison services, what’s going on? Overtime was suspended before the end of the financial year, recruits who completed training around September don’t have uniforms and they are still getting recruits’ salaries three months down the line. Someone please come to their rescue.

* DOCTOR Nkandi-Shiimi was hoping someone would beg her to stay, but the truth is people were relieved! This cat and mouse game has finally come to an end! Mr Kahuure, you did the right thing.

* CAN your newspaper please run just a mini-survey among patients being dispensed medicine by private doctors? Ask the patients if they would prefer to get their medicines from their doctor or pharmacy? Too often the patient, who is main focus in health setting, is left out in decisions that affect them directly.
-Bernard

* NATIONAL Youth Service must stop recruiting. What is the need of recruiting many people, while there are many without jobs? Those people are doing everything for the Government.