SMSes for Thu 29 Jan 09

n THE cattle herders removed by GRN from Ukwangali area in Kavango region are exactly the farmers that need land south of the ‘red line’. These cattle herders are entitled to commercial farms fit for cattle grazing and they can be introduced to modern organic techniques of rearing cattle.

n THE cattle herders removed by GRN from Ukwangali area in Kavango region are exactly the farmers that need land south of the ‘red line’. These cattle herders are entitled to commercial farms fit for cattle grazing and they can be introduced to modern organic techniques of rearing cattle. Now all Ministers are non-performing weekend farmers, while the genuine landless have no place to stay or graze their cattle. Former revolutionaries and liberators have transformed their selfless struggle into a culture of eating first before you give to your children. It’s unAfrican to have a fat stomach while everybody else looks lean and tiny!n RAMATEX was a blunder caused by the negligence of the City of Windhoek. Now we must pay for its clean-up. I urge the Honourables Jerry Ekandjo and Albert Kawana to call for the immediate dismissal of His Worship the Mayor as they did for Bob Kandetu.Food For Thoughtn THE Ministers of Labour and Health should explain to the nation what is going on. Also the Parliament and National Assembly should tell us what they are doing. The consequences of the Labour Act and that of the Medicines Regulation Act are national scandals to say the least. Could these two ministers not see the effects of the acts they introduced to parliament and NA? No medicine after hours and the HIV-AIDS programme in limbo with a 24% increase in salaries for job well done! As for Parliament and National Council, what do you debate? You just rubberstamp acts and get pay raises! I have heard of ministers resigning in some countries for lesser mistakes to acknowledge responsibility. When will if ever happen here. In fact this is what I expect from (US President Barack) Obama. Not money but for Africans to realise that we capable of anything including accepting responsibility and resigning instead of waiting to be reshuffled or fired. The two ministers have a right to give their side of the story and we are waiting. n HOW can the results of the SADC-Zimbabwe issue be explained when they came out announcing the timeline regarding the meeting outcome while the MDC, the party to the outcome, is complaining! The following is my opinion: It seems that the SADC leaders went to this meeting as the allies of President (Robert) Mugabe rather than as mediators. They all went to force MDC to accept Mugabe’s plan. This is not the first time. Once more, SADC is our leaders’ club to back one another up, no matter what. They (SADC leaders) are not neutral, and hence, they do not qualify as referees/mediators in southern African political issues. What they have proven themselves to be qualified in is suppressing the opposition parties, no matter the people’s choice. Politicsn POLITICIANS what are the symptoms of despotism?- Musimban IT started in Taiwan, it is still in process in Greece, it succeeded in Iceland. As Namibians let’s peacefully ask the current government to resign.n HON (Mc Henry) Venaani, you are such a man of the people. You did a wonderful thing to have raised your voice in favour of civil servants’ salary increment. Thumbs up for you. Zimbabwen WHAT have we come to when Africa’s so-called liberation icon, Robert Mugabe, represents nothing more than brutality, plunder, and blatant disregard for the rule of law. While holding Zimbabwe to ransom, Mugabe is playing a cynical end game, seeing how far he can provoke the world and SADC. Probably he can’t believe his luck so far. n NO ONE was born a president. We have seen some changes all over the world. George W Bush went. Tony Blair left. (President Robert) Mugabe must follow them. What is he waiting for?Salary Debaten WE should get our arithmetic right. A 24% increase across the board for political office bearers and GRN employees cannot be seen as giving civil servants a rise on par with the top cadre. There is a huge difference between 24% of N$150 and 24% of N$40 000! If we are serious about bridging the gap between the poorest of the poor and the rich (we are notorious for having among the most skewed wealth distribution in the world) we would give the lowly paid guys a larger percentage than the high earners. Otherwise we are just widening the gap. n MR President (Hifikepunye Pohamba)! I would love to thank you for the massive 24% salary increase, but my concern is that it’s only benefiting those in higher positions. If I make an example of a civil servant who is at the level of Grade 1a or 2a, and if you compare that to a staff member who is at the Grade level 3a and those of the management cadre, the difference is massive. Where is the vision towards 2030, if the gap between the rich and poor is stretched by the Government?- Pandu Taxing Questionsn I AM requesting the Hon Minister of Finance to introduce tax-free bonuses to civil servants like in the private sector.* Some companies deduct bonus tax throughout the year so that their employees can get a full bonus cheque. No bonuses are tax free, however. – Newsdeskn MINISTRY of Finance, taxes must be equal. My colleague and I, we were employed at the same time with the same level and our salaries are the same. When it comes to bonuses, they used to deduct more money from me. I do not have any more insurances or loans on my payslip. The ministry must look at this.- Walvis Bay ResidentObaman DEAR Editor, in connection with Obama speech question, despite weeks of preparation, the speech is still read from two transparent thin boards placed on both sides to allow the President to turn left and right and maintain eye contact with the audience. I thought this was useful to share as I saw it during the campaign period. – You are absolutely correct! They’re called teleprompters. Some people can use them well and look as if they’re not using them at all; others struggle to master the art. – News EditorChildren of the Strugglen WE as children of the war veterans, we call our father [Founding Father] Dr Sam Nujoma to come and talk to us. Please we need you. – War Vets’ Kidsn I THINK the Government must do something not only for ex-combatants’ children but also us whose our parents didn’t go to exile? – Alina, OtjozonduEducationn MY concern is this: Does the Government give study loans to students studying at private institutions and what process do we have to take to get those loans or bursaries? – MJ, Windhoekn HOW can someone who failed Grade 10 register for Grade 12? Namcol please stop it.n MINISTRY of Education. Grade 12 failures. We are young and willing to further our studies. We are the ones filling the bars, streets, prisons, everywhere, also at Herero mall. Would you please stand up for us as you did for Grade 10’s as well.Bouquets and Brickbatsn VIVA One Africa TV. I am a regular One Africa TV viewer and am proud of them. I only have one request though. Can you please be so kind and show us the daily and weekly programmes because sometimes I need to know what is following next. Please it will also be nice to have weekend movies. One Africa you are top. Viva AGAIN.n I WOULD like to thank The Namibian for bringing us the best news. Keep it up.- Otil ZIn And From the Regionsn FOR the five past years nothing has been done for us at Werda and Otjokavare in the Sesfontein constituency concerning electricity, drought relief food, water supply. It seems only those at Sesfontein benefit.n I WANT to hear from NamWater, Onankali. We live at Okaale in Omthya and our water has been closed for four weeks now without any notice.n GROOTFONTEIN is in a mess: poor and rich are complaining. No developments are coming to this town. The three shops selling food are very expensive. Honourable Governor for Otjozondjupa come and listen to our cries. Electricity also is very expensive. If you buy for N$100, you get 72 units. n PS of Health and Social Services, Mr Kahuure, why don’t you send the students who finish nursing and other c
ourses back to their regions after completing their studies? Instead they are sent to other regions far from their families. And after spending a year in the hospital’s nurses’ home, they are told to go out and look for houses or flats to rent in towns such as Lüderitz.n COUNCILLOR Ndjambula we need electricity at Onkulumbala, Onantulo and Oshali. What happened to the electricity project and why people were refunded their money? ACC Alertn THE Namibian newspaper you are the best newspaper in Namibia. Please help me publish my concern as soon as possible. Why does the Social Security employ people from only one group? Please ACC investigate this issue, our degrees are seen as useless.- Windhoek ResidentLabour Issuesn SO, Government is happily using labour hire, while they outlaw it? What a load of hypocrites! Shame on you!n WHY did it take the Government 18 years to realise that people are exploited by labour-hire companies? Those who served as Ministers of Labour have failed this nation. They must resign or be dismissed. They totally forgot what the liberation struggle was for. Namibia is ever sinking. Leaders wake up! n WHAT is going on in our country? Are the companies using the labour-hire consultancy not paying for the service? If so then they must use that money and pay the workers. What don’t we understand?n WHAT’S the problem? Why can’t all HIV service personnel start working from March 1 under a new contract? Same person, same place – business as usual. Only that they can receive a 20% better salary because the profit of the labour-hire company is cut out.n I’M curious as to how law and policy makers can miss such an oversight that could affect 1 400 health workers? Were they too focused on gaining political points?Sportingn IS ‘Hitman’ planning to visit all the regions because his victory is for all Namibians?- Lenny* Yes, Paulus Moses has said he will be visiting all the regions.n IF NBC cannot afford a recorded fight of ‘Hitman’, Mr DG raise funds for the next fights. We also want to see, not only hear!Generaln DEAR editor, can you or anybody reading this SMS explain for me the meaning of (sic) which I always see in the newspaper. Please help me with the meaning of it.* ‘Sic’ is a Latin word meaning ‘as is’ or ‘just so’. The [sic] comment in a quote is used to indicate that a person is quoted accurately, mistakes and all, and that the mistakes have not been made by the newspaper. – News Deskn DOG owners of Hochlandpark’s Barbet Road and surrounding streets, please ensure that your dog does not run in the streets at night. Other dogs inside yards bark non-stop at these dogs ‘patrolling’ the streets, causing noise and disturbance. Please residents, why do you keep a dog if it is not there to protect you and your property? May we sleep in peace in future. Perhaps we should report the owners to the City Police. n CITY Police, please do not wait until something drastic happens in St Helena Street in Rocky Crest. As inhabitants of this street we humbly ask you to patrol this area in the morning hours, between 02h00 and 05h00. Our houses and cars are broken into and valuable things are stolen plus damage is caused. Even radiators and fans are stolen from parked cars. Our lives and that of our children are in danger. Please City Police, patrol this area. If needs be, you can arrange a meeting with the residents of this street. ThanksService Pleasen NEW electricity installation with Windhoek municipality takes ages while it costs a fortune. This is poor service delivery. Shake up please.