SMSes for Wed 06 Mar 09

* WE need to see the bigger picture when pondering the BIG question. Rather than N$100 for individuals we ought to see N$800 disposable income per household (with 8 eligible members). Add to that aged household members on a GRN pension and you easily have N$1 600 to N$2 000. At village level BIG could be injecting N$50 000 into the local micro-economy on a monthly basis.

* WE need to see the bigger picture when pondering the BIG question. Rather than N$100 for individuals we ought to see N$800 disposable income per household (with 8 eligible members). Add to that aged household members on a GRN pension and you easily have N$1 600 to N$2 000. At village level BIG could be injecting N$50 000 into the local micro-economy on a monthly basis. The windfall from that is massive for rural development and job creation. What the civic society needs to do is launch intensive social training and preparations to avoid all the money ending up in the pockets of oumbashu barons. Banks/Post offices can help people save by extending services. There aren’t three million unemployed working age Namibians who would qualify for BIG benefits as suggested on this page.
* MPs must leave the Anti-Corruption Commission to do its work, as per its mandate. We, the public, want to know who is being investigated for corruption, mismanagement, theft. We have the right to be informed since we are paying the MPs and ACC as well. Why are you so nervous about the ACC now? I hope it’s not because you are afraid of being exposed since some of you are being investigated. My advice to you is to please keep your hands away from corruption and never take something that belongs to the government for personal use!
* YOUNG Namibians wake up. You are not gaining anything from improvised histories. We need progress. Most countries fought for their freedom, but ours is a getaway ticket for our leaders not to perform.

Food For Thought
* CHILDREN of the liberation, show some respect! Everyone in Namibia needs a job.
* WHY are we using alcohol too much? If you look in this country, most people who abuse alcohol are the youth. We say the GRN has to create work for us, what will happen if they get a job? I don’t think most of the youths have a future. I don’t think 2030 will have the youth who will lead this country. Let us fight against alcohol if we want to develop.

Kandjengedi Bridge Chaos
* CHILDREN born in exile who blocked the road at Okandjengedi should be arrested. They caused public violence. I think there is someone behind these children.
* SWAPO kids, who do they think they are? I arrived late at my relative’s funeral on Friday because of their silly trick at Kandjengedi bridge. Please let my voice be heard. Please I am tired of this nonsense. They should try to work for themselves instead of doing illegal roadblocks.
* I AM very worried and angry with these big men and women born in exile and claiming to be children of Swapo. With the incident that happened at Kandjengedi, blocking the road was a silly thing to do. I felt sorry for poor nurses who were delayed by them while people are dying in the hospitals. Our parents suffered too while they were in the country and some were even killed, but all we did was study very hard to be successful. They never wanted to study hoping they would get free employment? What type of job will be given to unskilled people? Now that they call themselves Swapo children, will they regard their babies as Swapo grandchildren? They should learn to be responsible and patient please. Our Swapo Party brought us peace and they don’t need to disturb that.
* PEOPLE who take infants to potentially violent protest actions should not blame the Police if said infants get teargassed!

Cassinga
* RESPONDING to an SMS that appeared on Thursday in The Namibian about the child pictured with former president (Sam Nujoma) at Cassinga .The question was whether the child is alive or not. That lady is alive and in good health. – Antie – Thank you very much for your response. I wonder if you could ask her if she could contact us? – News Editor
* PRESIDENT (Hifikepunye) Pohamba and Founding President (Sam) Nujoma both addressed Cassinga Day on May 4. The occasion was the same but the message could not be more fundamentally different: Pohamba was forward looking; Nujoma was deeply frozen in the past, ready for a fight against non-existing enemies who are committing crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. This spectacle of one government ‘2’ presidents is a source for confusion and embarrassment. Nujoma should therefore perform ceremonial functions not make policy outbursts that are in contradiction with Government policy.
* ON Cassinga, I want the Government to erect a tombstone with the names of the deceased. No respect was given to our people, nothing was given to families. Now you want to give some people money. Set something with names. You have them. It is useless to talk about and not do good. Any historical grave with names. – Agnes
* I LOST all my children in Cassinga. Is the Government going to pay me as they are paying ex-combatants? How about those who lost their parents in Namibia during the war?

Youth
* COMPULSORY youth service installs discipline and other moral values in youth, please make it compulsory for all school leavers.
* COMPULSORY youth service, the best plan ever, because it will not only alleviate unemployment but also reduce crime and poverty go ahead, you have my support. Thank you!

Politics In General
* JACOB Zuma, ANC leader, was endorsed overwhelmingly by the South African electorate. He came back a long way, after being sacked as VP by Thabo Mbeki, after exposure in the Shabir Schaik corruption trial. Later charges of unprotected HIV rape were thrown out. At Polokwane the populist deposed Mbeki and later sacked him as president. The Scorpions were disbanded and the NPA forced to drop charges. This is a miracle! Some say Zuma is ‘Jesus’. Who is the real Zuma? The one with the halo or the one with the question mark?
* DOES that mean only African leaders are to be taken to the international court? Or when will George W Bush be judged for the Iranian and Afghanistan bloodshed? – Ashamed at injustice!

Old Soldiers
* WHY give one veteran N$50 000 when you can share that between two people and satisfy more people?

Running The Show
* TO the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources. Where can I buy fish for cheap because most of the fish is being exported and fish has become expensive to buy? The newly formed Fish Consumption Trust does not even help because we cannot afford the prices.
* MINISTRY of Home Affairs, we were told that the ID card would only take two weeks, but why are we still waiting for almost three months.

Bouquets And Brickbats
* COMRADE President (Hifikepunye) Pohamba thank you for coming to Okahandja. The municipality managed to get Okahandja very clean in only nine days, something they could not manage in five years. Please put the interests of the town first. To the residents please keep the town clean now, don’t litter the streets and the rest of town. Again, thank you Comrade Pohamba
* THIS serves to congratulate Comrade Sam Nujoma on your achievement of a Masters in Geology, for leading our revolution, leading us through the process of nationhood. Pandu pandu Nujoma!
* I WAS much impressed by Col Hafeni Hamutenya of the NDF’s reply to an article of Alexactus Kaure about the need to have a NDF in place. The Colonel’s letter was well articulated and held ingredients of both professionalism and military firmness. What Kaure wrote is politically nauseous and too ghastly to contemplate. It is like Kaure is challenging our Armed Forces to start offensive campaigns against our neighbours. But that was a good reply. I salute you colonel, Sir! – Major He-wolf FF H, Onembaba
* BRAVO to The Namibian for taking up the issue of wrongly spelt street signs. Before Independence I always felt insulted when I looked at wrongly spelt road signs in indigenous languages. I would imagine there would be a quality control process before the sign actually goes up.
* THANKS to the newsdesk for replying to my comment about the cartoon strip. I am fully aware of differences in sense of humour and but it sometimes seems as if the artist is running out of ideas – his drawings are great, though – he’s welcome to phone me for some. There are many current issues which can be hilariously expressed in a versatile media like a cartoon strip. Bravo to The Namibian for defending its own, though. Keep up the good work. – Thank you! We appreciate your views and input. – News Editor
* I AM baffled by the separation of your Notable Quotes into a first section and a section ‘From the history books’. In the first part (ostensibly contemporary) you quote prehistoric people like Confucius, yet Von Goethe, Thatcher and Mandela are consigned to the historical section. Nixon is from history while Lincoln is not! Or is the first part rather for all-time ‘classics’? – What we try to do here in the main section is to give a selection of quotes (local, regional, international) while the ‘From the history books’ is directly linked to an event on that particular date. – Newdesk

General
* CAN anyone please tell me when the competition in Supa Strikas that ended on April 30 will have their draw for the winner? Please publish this. – This competition is run directly by Supa Strikas and they usually publish that information with the competition. Please look out for the next issue. – Newsdesk
* THE ‘stilling basin’ now being constructed in Acacia must be costing a tidy sum, while it is for the benefit of Acacia homeowners only. The developer made a huge profit, and it was widely reported that he never complied with Council storm water requirements. Who’s paying for this? Windhoek residents?

Labour Issues
* WHAT about us who graduated in HIV-AIDS counselling with Unam, but are still sitting home without job! GRN must do something please.
* IS it good for farm owners to deduct all the expenses (from workers) which are more than the salaries. One has kids to take care, and you didn’t pay us for months. This is unfair.
* COMRADES we have maintained peace and stability for close to 20 years in our country, then let us create employment opportunities. We can initiate a forum by inviting all our (Swapo) party regional coordinators and each region come up with proposal. Thanks. – Tibilisi

Education
* HON (Nangolo) Mbumba the Onesi SS School is still closed after the floods. Our children will fail this year. – Concerned parent, Omusati Region
* IS Hope Education Trust in Rehoboth funding all students from Rehoboth?

Sporting
* WONDERFUL results in the NPL (premier league)! Is it not time to select the shadow national team? – EMPK

In And From the Regions
* I REALLY want to know what the police regional commander in the Karas Region is doing to improve the driving skills of his members. At Aroab Police station they have written off two Police vehicles in a space of four months, a brand new silver Toyota VVTi was the first one and now again another one.
* THE road between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo is too long and most of accidents are happening by day and night. Therefore NamPol must provide at least two permanent roadblocks for controlling transport to save lives of the nation. – Nashimba Mexy