SMSes for Thu 30 Apr 09

* HERE comes swine flu. It has no boundaries at all. Question – Is the Government doing anything to handle this? We have tourists every day. The time is now! – Mr Kapweya
 * THE Ministry of Health must start screening people from the swine-flu-affected areas! – Tomas
 
 Food For Thought
 * WAD wants compulsory national youth service for school leavers.

* HERE comes swine flu. It has no boundaries at all. Question – Is the Government doing anything to handle this? We have tourists every day. The time is now! – Mr Kapweya
* THE Ministry of Health must start screening people from the swine-flu-affected areas! – Tomas

Food For Thought
* WAD wants compulsory national youth service for school leavers. But that is not employment creation or a way of improving our failing education system. Or will that produce doctors, scientists, geologists, teachers, nurses, etc? The Swapo Party-led Government has banned the labour hire companies because they say they resemble the apartheid Swanla. Forced national service is the same as the colonial conscription. It is in direct contradiction with the Namibian Constitution’s Chapter 3, Article 21(1)(b), that states, ‘All persons shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and belief, which shall include academic freedom in institutions of higher learning’. WAD must initiate the business-related trainings and paying, job projects for the youth (‘The Ticking Bomb’), if it is serious.
* VERONICA (de Klerk) should do what she knows best – that is trying to empower women. Compulsory national youth service will not create employment. The youths will still find themselves back in the streets. Instead trained youths are dangerous because they can be used by politicians to unleash violence on innocent civilians just like (Zimbabwean President Robert) Mugabe did with his youths. Veronica must start income generating projects for the youths and that way she will earn our respect.

And Justice For All?
* THERE was an indication that Kukame would be a free man judging from the latest developments in the trial. This however was too much to imagine. Our justice system considers his rights, what about the rights of the little girl who suffered such a vicious, brutal rape and murder? Think of the families who have to live with this injustice and cruelty.

Taxing Times
* MRS Finance (Minister) what a joke! The Government promised to increase our salary but when we received our payslips it showed that the 12% you gave us just went straight to the Government tax. And you told us that the tax will be low. You put that whole money in the tax and social security and now I’m left with nothing but only transport allowance, which means the money promised us you just took it back in a way. Please publish my SMS Meme Gwen
* MAYBE it is an unfortunate oversight by GRN or a deliberate act to keep us begging. According to law, you are only entitled to save up to 7,5 % of your salary for the moment you call it a day, only to be taxed again, but up to 32% for income tax and VAT. It doesn’t make sense. You either had to look out for a job or apply for GRN grant.

The BIG Question
* ABOUT the BIG project. I would suggest the GRN please first start with unemployed people countrywide, as soon as possible. That’s how people survive elsewhere. – Katamile
* BIG Project is a joke. Who will be responsible for personnel admin? Keeping records, etc, of three million people?

Bouquets And Brickbats
* A BIG thanks to Nixon for helping us to save a porcupine in Robert Mugabe Avenue on Monday night. He was ‘einfach nur super’.
* ISN’T there a rule somewhere out there about abusing advertisements? MTC, can you please, please change that advert on NBC? I’m sure the whole nation has seen enough of it.
* MINISTRY of Gender Equality, you have done a good job at the career fair in Gobabis. Your officer at the stall have done it with style, we hope our school will organise a tour to Windhoek and hear more about your ministry
* THE casualty nursing staff of Katutura Hospital, are they being paid extra because whatever time you come they are busy like ants!
* IS The Namibian’s Kavandje dead? – Mapopo – ‘Kavandje’ is no longer working with us but he’s certainly not dead. – Newsdesk
* I WOULD like to say thanks to The Namibian for handling the case so sensitively.
* THE Namibian has an Internet forum which is sadly almost dead. Can you not promote the forum in your paper? Gwen? Do something!

In And From the Regions
* WE want our headmen to get more power to judge cattle smugglers and thieves to store our properties in our communities. – Boss Haiduwa.
* IS the donated school bus at Henties Bay a taxi? Governor of Erongo please investigate.
* CAN someone please help. Who is any way responsible for the Khorixas rural water development office? Please Governor help us. This office has failed us and we are really affected. Since August last year, when our windmill broke down, we have been without water and our livestock is suffering. Every time we report it at Khorixas office, we are told to wait. Until when? I don’t know, or we are told that they are waiting for feedback from Opuwo office. Our animals have been drinking in pans during the rainy season and become infected with all kind of worms. We are still waiting for Government officials to be given orders to do something for us urgently, because rainwater has dried up.
* NHE houses in Eenhana took so long to finish. The promises you gave us that they will be handed over to us in March are very empty. There is not even a sign of completion as per your new promise that says ‘very soon, in the 1st week of May’! Please stick to your promises as a national big company and your house quality is not so good nowadays. To the building inspector in town, please make sure that you always inspect the site for better housing.
* DR Libertina Amathila please see the suffering of the Oshivelo San people. Till when will we sit and sleep on the graves.

Election Rights
* AN earlier SMS refers. Yes, it is not a crime not to participate in the elections because staying away is a way of protesting or expressing your unhappiness with the contesting politicians – if there is no alternative. But voting is a responsibility of all persons in a democratic country. Having freedoms and rights can be a motivating factor. If you do not benefit it is because you do not vote for a political party that has promised you to benefit. It is better to make sure you have read all the parties’ manifestos in order to make an informed decision. Not participating (voter apathy) is a threat to democracy. Let’s vote for change this year (2009)! – Steven Mvula, human rights activist

Politics In General
* JUST in general. Swapo stands for South West Africa People’s Organisation. Can’t the Swapo comrades or board of Swapo change the Swapo name to Nampo – Namibian People’s Organisation? After all it’s no more SWA, it’s Namibia. – Swapo member

So What?
* SO what if a man wants three wives or if a woman wants 12 husbands. As long as they all sleep in one bed, it should be OK. No cheating.

General
* THE picture of Dr Sam Nujoma holding a baby survivor of the Cassinga massacre, out of my interest in history, as a young Namibian, I just want to know who the baby is? And is she/he still alive. – We are trying to track down the picture you mention in our archives and will see what else we can find out for you. – Newsdesk
* BEING a soldier myself, being away from my family for over 10 years, I couldn’t agree more with the SMS on divorces caused by couples being separated because of work. However, I am afraid should these suggested arrangements be agreed upon, there will be tribal defence/security in the country, which isn’t healthy at all!
* WHY is it that most of the horrendous crimes are committed by ex-prisoners. What’s happening in prisons? It’s clear that the current prison system has failed the Namibian nation. It’s time that correctional and rehabilitation methods be introduced in our prisons. If we as a nation wish to be prosperous we should stop being reactive and be proactive if we want to be competitive in the global economy.
* PLEASE, how much if I want to change names on my birth certificate?
* TO the person who has a problem with Windhoek street names like ‘strasse’ and ‘straat’ please show some respect. In Namibia there are born Afrikaners and Germans. It is not about pleasing this or that person. And also remember as a proud Namibian I will never please any country. It is better to honour. And do you know that Germany (East) has been helping Namibia since the time of the liberation struggle. Finally Namibia’s struggle was never about street names and allowing so many foreigners on our beautiful Afrikaans and German named streets. Respect.

Education
* SINCE when does a person graduate from Unam and not go up on the podium? When did they change? Why was it changed and why were we not informed? Where is the transparency? What was the point of going if we were not going to be honoured as in all those previous years!
* IN Thursday’s report on (Founding President Sam) Nujoma’s graduation the ‘staff reporter’ raised a question about the content of the candidate’s dissertation. I wonder how many prospective employers actually demand to see and take the trouble to read the theses of aspirant employees. This country is indeed awash with Mickey Mouse degrees from obscure foreign institutions and some PhD theses (available in PDF on the Net) would hardly stand the test as 3rd year project reports.

Road Hogs
* I WOULD like to bring to the attention of the car hire companies operating from HKI airport that their drivers are an absolute danger to anybody using that road. They overtake on blind spots and double lines and have no respect for others. Please do something before somebody dies on this road!

Health Matters
* MINISTRY of Health, please monitor the behaviour of your staff at Okuryangava Clinic. One staff member needs to know she is injecting people not pumpkins. – Worried patient

Labour Issues
* POLICE officers are also human. They also have the right to live with their family. Please take this into consideration when transferring them Mr Inspector General.

Service Please!
* MINISTRY of Home Affairs staff please change your service. If you are not being rude then you are not in the office to help.
* IF the councillor of Samora Machel could only know how painful is it for one to go and help him or herself at the riverbed, and how dangerous it is. We at Greenwell Matongo really need toilets please. – Namukwayu
* ARE Cell One managers in Windhoek aware of the disorganisation and dissatisfaction of customers that’s going on at the Tsumeb branch? I was recently a victim amongst many (three of my family members also) who had to put up with unfair debit order deductions of ridiculous amounts! Service officers refuse to accept responsibility for negligence and as a result customers feel we can’t trust Cell One anymore. No one seems to have answers to our queries here! Once you sign a contract they only understand the money language, to hell with proper service. – Very disappointed customer!