SMSes for Wed 7 Jan 08

* TO read all these complaints about pay hikes is a waste of time. The best thing for us civil servants to do is at the ballot box. Put a cross where promises are not made. Our money is deducted for union fees and they are the ones who are quiet because they will benefit when they go to Parliament.

Food for thought

* Those ladies discussing violence against women on the NBC are not serious. To them those suffering are just statistics. Those in the Ministry of Gender and so-called organisations for women are only interested in the number of battered women to apply for donors’ money and pretend to care but don’t. If they did, why are abused women chased away from the shelters after staying there for a few days? Go and see for yourself.

Politics

* I FULLY agree that the Swapo government has lost it. But it happened long ago. People are just too naive to realise that they are being fooled. So many promises were made and not kept. It is all about self-enrichment – it is easy to blame everything on colonialism. Come on people, open your eyes, they had 18 years to turn everything around, but instead they conveniently blame everything on colonialism to cover their wrong doings.

* RDP, don’t tell us you will provide free education at primary or secondary school level. Because schools at these levels are already practically free. Private schools you cannot touch and they give the best education. Tell us you will increase the salaries of civil servants by a certain percentage or that you will cut tax by a certain percentage or that you will review the housing scheme of civil servants or that empowering civil servants that are capable of carrying out certain projects become a first option – only then will we consider voting for you. Otherwise you and Swapo are just the same. We would rather not vote at all.

* A MINISTER at Omutsegwondjamba in Oshikoto Region is using agricultural technicians to spray pest control chemicals over her mahangu field using taxpayers’ money, while poor Namibians suffer. She can afford buying pest control chemicals on her own and by doing so recruit and provide fellow suffering Namibians and her neighbours even with temporary jobs. ACC take action and look at those fat cats.

* WHY should Government buy fish from China for drought relief while we have plenty of fish in Namibia? Is this fish fit for human consumption and does the Government care about the poor? I will never trust Chinese food products or tolerate the favouring of Chinese companies over Namibian companies.

* KARASBURG town council why are the opposition and the ruling party councillors always agreeing on issues discussed in the council. There is something fishy.

Politicians’ salaries

* In a couple of months when campaigning they’ll (politicians) start with their empty promises: When what they are really saying is vote for us so that we can live well for another five years without ever doing a decent day’s work. How can the think that we will vote for them again when they time and time again come with the most hair-raising self-serving schemes ever. A 24% increase for political office bearers. What about other public servants or do they think that teachers, nurses etc do not deserve increases? You only think of yourselves. Can you please once do something to make it look like you care about this nation – the people who put their trust in you. Swapo has broken that trust once again. Shame on you for fooling us – even more shame cause we fell for it again.

* TO the civil servants: Are our leaders taking us for a ride or what? 24% for themselves. I think I’m going to remove my Swapo flag from my shack – what is the use? Criminals are making more money together with our ministers. This is getting ridiculous.

* COMRADE Pohamba you really promote corruption. How on earth can you increase the salaries of politicians before ours – soldiers and police? Give us the right to strike!

* WHY must political office bearers receive such a substantial increase? They are not doing anything. They just sit in the office phoning. People who do the actual work are overlooked. Ministers are already well to do. They have a lot of money that they have made for themselves. This is the only country where I see that ministers are in their positions for life. Just remember that we Africans have failed our people and we the African people need to stand up and pray for our country and ourselves.

* TO all who remarked about the salary increase of politicians: Do you know that they haven’t had any salary increase for 18 years?

* GOVERNMENT officials let’s down tools. Enough is enough. The poor remain poor, while the rich get richer.

* MR President can you hear the cries of your people. God have mercy on the suffering masses. Amen.

* WE as nurses have to resign in order to afford to buy cars and to pay our debts because our salaries are small change while the politicians who are already getting high salaries are only thinking of themselves and are now enriching them. How do you expect the hungry to be productive?

* HI the Namibians, what is wrong with the master of our country for just deciding to massage the backs of those who are close to him, what about us the soldiers of this country? We are the rest of us treated differently?

* REALLY this doesn’t tally – our teachers, soldiers, police officers and nurses need this 24 per cent or less. Not ministers who are already leading a life of luxury. Please our Government develop a culture of CARE. There are street kids, there are orphans who are struggling to get money to further their studies and the loan they get from the Government is not enough. Please our Government, the Lord will punish us if we happen to be selfish.

* I AM a prison warden with a gross salary of N$2 000 and end up with N$1 300 after deductions. After a long month of being insulted and degraded by the mad inmates I cannot even buy food and pay my rent, but now only those who already have are given an increase of 24%. This a big disappointment to the whole public and to prison wardens in particular.

* WE as civil servants should fight for our rights and equality with regards the 25 per cent increase of political office bearers. We are treated unfairly – let’s down our pens, tools and strike for better benefits too.

Education

* PLEASE Government don’t subsidise private schools. That will only lead to the downfall of the few good schools we’ve left. Just build more schools instead of increasing MP salaries and leave the private schools alone.

* In response to the Grade 10 problem. Parents ask yourself, is it really the education system or teachers who are in the wrong or is it the learners themselves? Take time and talk to your kids because if a school attending child is on the street 80% of his/her time during the week and drunk on weekends then there must be something else your child wants except education. Keep your kids off the streets and possibly than we’ll see better results. Just a thought.

* TEACHERS at Okongo Primary School in the Ohangwena region you are really doing your best in teaching our kids. Keep it up.

* PLEASE, when it comes to marking external exams, all Oshindonga team leaders should be replaced. They are unnecessarily strict. Check Oshindonga Grade 12 higher level results and you will see that no student scored 1. New people, please.

* PEOPLE education in the Swapo-led Government is a failure. They are so ashamed to allow results to be printed in newspapers – afraid of comparisons and criticisms. Who’s at fault now? Is it still the South African government to blame after 19 years? Education get real and get rid of the deadwood.

* THE grade 12 examinations have been localised, so what is so difficult to release the results early for students to plan their future ahead of time. Can you please release the results immediately!
– Grade 12 writer

* VAN Rhyn Primary School requires original birth certificates for Grade 1 pupils when the school opens because parents make fake copies for their 5-year-olds for admission.

* PLEA
SE Khomas Regional Educational Director, we need a subject advisor for Oshindonga and Oshikwanyama for Khomas schools. No direction is given, no workshops held and official visits undertaken to schools. Do you expect teachers to deliver?

War in Gaza

* WHY is Bush supporting the cowardly invasion of Gaza? When Russia went to war with Georgia, they said it was disproportionate force that Russia was using. Our Government should cut all ties with Israel. Hamas is a liberation movement just like all political parties who went to war to free their countries. Viva Hamas!
-Brian

* WHY is the world so quiet when Israel steals Palestinian land? If someone stole from you would you keep quiet? Why is Israel stopping people from worshipping at sacred sites? If you were prevented freedom of religion would u keep quiet?

* ARMED with rockets and automatic weapons tanks and planes Israel is killing innocent children.

Bouquets and Brickbats

* WELCOME back The Namibian newspaper and happy new year. I will see my comments being read all over the country again. My voice has become known through your paper.
-Baloyi

* NATIONAL Youth Service supervisor thanks for sending Letta Erasmus and Veronica Tjati to the Kamanjab health clinic. They did a great work at the clinic. The girls were hardworking, well mannered and showed respect to the community. This shows that NYS can produce good quality youth. May God bless them to reach their goals and become successful in life.

General

* WE always hear of shortage of nurses at Government hospitals. But those of us who have just completed our nursing studies last year have not been appointed and told to wait until September. But there are old nurses who have been pensioned are still working. We want to take over! Dr Kamwi do something.

* WE the nurses are earning peanuts with a four-year qualification, while people in other professions are earning far more than us. Progressing to the next level is not possible because old, unhealthy nurses are allowed to come back after retirement, but most of them are so useless just sitting in offices while we are doing the job.

* NBC TV no doubt lacks professionalism, especially when it comes to news broadcasts! Please show foreign news in full like SABC and the rest do.
-Benedict, KHP

* PLEASE Usave Shoprite at Oshikuku – Provide a parcel and a quick service counter, especially at the department of fruit and vegetables. Nobody is assisting at the weighing scale. Please improve!
-Nakudenya E.

* ALLOW me to express my concern about conditions in Okahandja Park. What has happened to the promises made about the installation of electricity and toilets? While these promises have not been fulfilled people are eating fresh food and watching TV.

* CAN somebody at the Prison Service please explain to us where the money is that was budgeted for overtime? While the financial year only ends in April our overtime claims were cancelled in November. Is this not fraud?

* TEACHERS’ Union of Namibia in collaboration with Mortgage Wise from South Africa promised loans to teachers and even requested us to pay in N$202,29 to process the loan application in the first week of December 2008. Up to now nothing happened. Please Mr Jansen, we want you to give us feedback on this matter. We feel betrayed and robbed.
– Concerned teacher