SMSes Of The Day 12 March 2010

ON cutting down a fig tree at the new Leo offices, I propose to the Directorate of Forestry in the Ministry of Environment to make cutting down of any tree illegal unless permission was granted by the authorities (municipality, village council or village chief etc) to do so. Just like with culling of animals, a licence should be obtained before chopping down trees.
– Nature Lover

WHEN we teachers ask for parental assistance in education, we are not asking for parents to do classroom teaching but check if your child has done the homework and is studying at home. As a parent you cannot compare when you were growing up with schoolkids of today. Nowadays kids are too spoiled to care about their education. Parents teach your kids manners and we teachers can do the rest.- Worried teacherFood for ThoughtIS there a Consumer Watch to ensure these ‘no VAT’ things actually benefit the man on the street?FOR the paragon of perfect spelling. The Government and NGOs do not have the monopoly on misspelling. The ‘rooster’ provides an early call to all, including the private sector, who set the standard with street names.
Bouquets and BrickbatsTHANK you Ministry of Roads and Transport. The potholes in Katutura and Khomasdal are getting attention.- Natangwe.VIVA Kyamaracan Trust for fighting for our environment. Stop the ill-conceived farm in Bwabwata Park!I WOULD like to say how impressed I was with the quick and professional way the City Police dealt with my neighbour’s dog which escaped into the street and had me marooned in my house.NICE piece Christof (Maletsky), but don’t you think appointing Dr David Namwandi in any position at the Ministry of Education, especially at Higher Education, could be regarded (by the public) as a conflict of interest since he is the owner of the International University of Management (IUM)? Even if he resigns as the Vice Chancellor of IUM, he will still be the owner and could influence the awarding of student loans. Appointing him would be a big mistake, no matter how knowledgeable he may be on educational issues.Winnie Madikizela MandelaI AM shocked at the comments that Winnie made about Nelson Mandela. Gosh what a bitter old lady who is surprisingly lacking of wisdom at this point in time.WINNIE Mandela you said exactly what has been on my mind. Unfortunately I’ve never expressed this by writing to papers but just to a few friends.WINNIE Mandela sounds like a bitter old woman. Nelson Mandela, FW de Klerk are the envy of every African nation and if it were not for them South Africa wouldn’t have been the strong, stable nation it is today. What is it with our elder? I think the older they get, the more of a nuisance they become. She probably forgot all the scandals she was acquitted of. At least they were doing it for the greater goodDOES the ads dept of The Namibian have any morals left? The ad for rhino horn pills should never have been printed; if those pills are real you abet the sale of an illegal substance if not you are promoting a fake medicine. And tacitly you approve the slaughter of rhinos for use in sex pills. What is next? Ads for heroin?Note: We’ve noted your complaint and will check it out! – NewsdeskBYPASSING the Land Reform Act should be regarded as a serious offence. The lawyers assisting should be called to order and all the farmlands acquired in that way should be willingly offered/forfeited to the state with immediate effect and I suggest that the applicable line Ministries speed up the process. We don’t need dishonest farmers in Namibia.- Jay, OmaruruREV Willem Pieters and Mr Mini Uiseb I would like to acknowledge the great efforts that you two are making with your daily programmes on health and life skills (and moral values) on NBC’s Damara/Nama radio station. Gentleman may God bless you. Fellow youths it’s worth it, you won’t lose anything if you tune in at midday. From 2005 to date it has helped me change from a drunk, careless, violent person to a non-drinking, caring, humble, healthy, forgiving, considerate and responsible person. I’ll forever be thankful.Man of the Cloth(DR Abisai) Shejavali ought to have been as outspoken as he is about tribalism 20 years ago during the Lubango dungeon tragedy and Namibia might have looked different. He sided with Swapo, fired Swapo critics from the CCN and rose to the defence of the perpetrators of murder and violation of human rights. Truly what goes around comes around. Shejavali confess, now is your chance.DR Abisai Shejavali you have revealed the truth. This tribalism and segregation from Swapo started in exile. We will stand by you at all times. God is our right hand.IN defence Dr Abisai Shejavali: what you have said is observed by many, many people around.I WISH in this country there would be more true patriotic and brave people like Dr A Shejavali. This is the time we really need people of this nature. We are sick and tired of this divisive Omusati clique. They should really be ashamed of their acts. Viva Dr Shejavali! God is watching!DR Shejavali is just living by his old principles, that is to defend justice, peace and serve as the voice of the voiceless. You can attack, humiliate and condemn him. He will remain defending the defenceless and speak out for the truth. Ask South Africa. It is a matter of principles.PoliticsI WAS so moved by Mc Henry Venaani’s vision of the future of our country on the One on One TV programme. We need him to serve us as citizens.- Tostao, Walvis BayPension QuestionWILL the Kuleni Fund Administrators please do the honourable thing and offer shares to current GIPF employees under the new company. Offering shares to GIPF employees will be in line with Swapo Party’s goals and objectives of eradicating poverty, equal wealth distribution and own wealth creation.- Theo Aluta GurirabWE the teachers don’t support the move of our pension to Kuleni. Let’s get half of it to pay off our houses.CAN the CEO of GIPF tell us when this Kuleni was established and by whom, using whose money (without their knowledge). We the workers want part of our pension.NO wonder Mr Nevonga and his Napwu fail to implement or finalise the regrading of clerks, his attention is being given to Kuleni.Running the ShowPLEASE Prime Minister can you put CCTVs in each office to monitor how civil servants react towards their clients and reply to phone calls. The majority of civil servants do not have manners and respect towards their fellow citizens. Hope my suggestion will be considered. It is the best idea to heal this disease.I AM questioning the criteria used to select members of parliament in this country. We need more people with intellectual capability to represent our nation in parliament. People like Dr Abisai Shejavali and Kazenambo Kazenambo are the right ones for those positions. These people have the nation at heart and these are the people we want and need in this country. Our lovely country is really in a serious state.Adults Only!WHY no adult entertainment on DStv? It amazes me how people want to always control what others read or watch! If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.IF parents think their kids don’t already have access to pornography content, they need to open their eyes! Almost every young person these days has a mobile phone that enables internet settings. There are thousands of cellphone pornography sites on the web that they, your kids, are viewing at every opportunity! To say DStv will corrupt your kids is wrong, they already are, stop fooling yourselves! If you don’t believe me get your child’s phone and go through their ‘bookmarked’ sites: you will find them there. At least DStv give PIN restrictions that you can activate to stop them viewing, there are no restrictions to such (internet) sites!DSTV should consider African culture before the decision.I HAVE no objection if some people want to ‘Get their groove on’ watching the porn channel, but don’t expect me to finance it! They should apply for it and get charged extra. It will be cheaper than visiting sex shops and street corners! So DStv NO to the new channel if I have to finance it!- OpenMindedButSomehowConcernedPLEASE (Gender) Minister (Marlene) Mungunda stop that pornography on our TVs . We don’t want it, it will only encourage more rapes and sexual abuse of woman and children (girls and boys too). I’m fully behind you.In and From the RegionsMALTHOHE Village Council get a sewerage truck soon and the drains can stop over-flowing.WHY does the Grootfontein State Hospital reserve car parking for doctors only? What about other staff? Must we park in the sun? All of us are government employees using our own personal cars.I WONDER what happened to the Kavango Trade Fair last held in 2006! Ministry of Trade please investigate.WHY can’t the Rundu Town Council permanently employ people to clean up rubbish in the streets?n WHY do the authorities at Okahandja allow cattle to graze within the corridor of the main road?WE people with disabilities and with kids who are also disabled from Gobabis need to be cared for. We need jobs.- AP Fortuin.The Caprivi Regional Land Board is being used to advance tribalism and is biased regarding the unfair ratification of communal land rights. Certificates have been issued to people in disputed areas even before the High Court pronounces itself on the matter. The Communal Land Reform Act was introduced so that there can be a uniform process in fair distribution of land for the whole country. Many people in Caprivi have been applying for land rights since 2003 and are still waiting. Land boards were meant to strengthen and work together with Traditional Authorities in land administration but this does not happen here in Caprivi. I therefore call on relevant authorities to investigate the activities of the land board and call them to order for all the citizens to enjoy the fruits of Independence.Health MattersWINDHOEK Central Hospital knows nothing of the widely publicised free kidney test. Can you please find out why are they in the dark?EducationCONCERN from Ongwediva College of Education Home Science specialists. We would like to know why the MoE does not include Home Science posts when it is releasing the teaching posts circular? And why the subject is only offered to few schools in he North of the country?WHY can’t Government use the Ramatex buildings as a training centre for plumbers, electricians etc so that those who didn’t pass Grade 10 can learn to do something?CERTAIN hostel workers invite husbands and boyfriends to come and have breakfast and lunch while the kids are suffering. They must cook at home for their husbands and leave the kids food.THE kitchen workers at Elias Amxab Combined School hostel in Kunene region are having a tough time cooking on a fire with those big pots while there are electric pots inside. Can the principal make some arrangement with the Ministry of Works please. Those pots have been standing around for almost nine years.IF a university is to be a place to foster free thinking with the ultimate aim of developing a country then surely Unam should allow open debate regarding the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and not follow a party line?WHAT happened to the teachers who did the job out of love? When only two out of 30 learners failed? Nowadays only five pass out of 38. Ministry of Education please?Education is vitalIT is a common, but illegal practice that schools increase school fees without applying for approval from the Permanent Secretary of education. Even if they did apply and their request was not approved, they keep charging parents the new increased amount. The ministry should make those schools who are are guilty of such practices pay the money back to parents and discipline those principals who make themselves guilty of such practices. Next time parents should ask for a copy of the letter signed by the PS before paying any increased amounts.TO the principal of Makalani Primary School, Grootfontein, please talk to your teachers. We know they can beat the learners, but the way they’re beating our kids is totally out of order. How can a teacher beat a learner until he or she falls down? That is unfair. Please I want a big improvement very soon.- Kautondokwa, GrootfonteinWE teachers in Ongha circuit are frustrated by many things. Lower primary teachers are forced to supervise study instead of doing remedial with their slow learners.ORBAN Primary school please conduct fund raising events in English, the official language. Not all parents understand Afrikaans!NBCNBC! Why don’t you call in teachers one day for Talk of the Nation to clear up the issue and make the lawmakers understand what teachers are going through, just in case they do not understand. Former teachers such as (Isak) Katali and (John) Mutorwa failed to defend the plight of teachers in Parliament.Please HelpTRADE Centre please do something about your air conditioning units. They are too noisy at night resulting in disturbed sleep to most around your area. Not enough sleep results in low work output and many other problems eg low buying power.Service PleaseMTC your services have been frustrating for the past few weeks. Do you have more customers then what you can actually handle? Remember you’ve got competition!MTC Walvis Bay why is it that you sell to us 3G enabled cellphones in your postpaid packages but there is no 3G reception in the suburbs Kuisebmund and Narraville? It’s a known fact that the majority of your customers live in those areas.MTC’S data services need to provide additional human power to speed up service. Clients wait up to two hours. Besides there are no toilet facilities.I AGREE that FNB should change its slogan to ‘ how can we frustrate you’. I struggled to use on line banking all afternoon of March 10. The service was not available and not helpful after reporting and complaining!OK Foods Outjo please cover your cooked food for the sake of your customers’ health.Lost and FoundI FOUND a document for Mr Uirab Otto Jan from Otjimbigwe. Contact me at 081-148-5214.I PICKED up the driving licence of GL Hainana. He must contact me at 081-286-8072 or 208-8006 during working hours.I FOUND documents for Mr Jafet Erastus at Maerua Mall in Windhoek. Just SMS 081-322-2329.