SMSes of the Day : Friday

* THE public are not nincompoops. Hence, the current SSC adverts cannot go unchallenged. In my opinion, it’s tantamount to incompetence and another attempt to squander thousands, if not millions of public funds by SSC Management and Commissioners when they invite a tender for consultants to compile and even implement the SSC Corporate Communications and Social Responsibility Strategy. Corporate Governance dictates that this function should be spearheaded by the Board of Directors (Executive and Non-executive) who usually establish standing or ad hoc committees assisted by the a secretariat. The Board will be responsible for the strategy while the Executive Directors under the visionary leadership of the CEO will be responsible for its implementation. Now they are delegating all these responsibilities to a consultant. How convenient! What happens to their fiduciary responsibilities as custodians of the Commission?

* THANK you Namibian Air Force for flying medicine, Mr S Muhammed for the bridge to Engela, while Namibian civil engineers obviously are waiting for a tender. * LET the rivers flow (Swakop River). Aren’t there strict laws against damming up rivers? Mines of Namibia, do you want to be responsible for the death of species that live downstream? Rivers reaching the ocean may be crucial to the sustainability of our sea life! Don’t just think about short-term rewards, but your child’s future! – KingBobCondolences* COMRADE Kala Gertze I salute you for what you did for Namibia. We will miss you; rest in peace. – ES WitbooiFood for thought* I HAVE a lot of respect for this young and vibrant ‘Talk of the Nation’ presenter. But I could not stand his unprofessional conduct towards Phil ya Nangoloh. As a friend, please apologise to the public and avoid such obvious and ridiculous bias.* YOUR Excellency, Father of the Nation Dr Sam Nujoma, the nation is crying. We lost our jobs with the closure of Ramatex. Would you come to our rescue, as you used to protect them (Ramatex) very much. Your silence in this case is deafening.* NAMIBIA is producing fish and beef but the two products are very expensive. Our leaders are just concentrating on exports and not the cost of what we consume locally.Thank you* I WOULD like to congratulate the First Lady for a job well done! I took my baby to the Robert Mugabe Clinic yesterday and to my surprise she was the nurse who attended to us and in a very friendly manner! That is what you call service at a health facility, especially for babies. Thank you our First Lady, we need more nurses like you.* CONGRATULATIONS Saeed Muhammed on your quick thinking and response to get a makeshift bridge at the Engela bridge. Your immediate action is commendable! Thank you.Update* WHAT happened to the dog that ‘gave birth’ to the kitten you reported on a month ago? Is the kitten still alive? Any latest developments please!* As the owner no longer wanted the animals, both dog and kitten were adopted into new loving homes. The kitten was very weak and died, unfortunately. The dog is now called Katiti and is recovering well. See last week’s Weekender for an ‘interview’ with Katiti. – NewsdeskPolitics in general* CONSIDERING that our post-Independence era has ushered in poor roads that cannot withstand the slightest of floods and that it requires foreigners from Pakistan to erect a rudimentary bridge over the stream of water that rendered a road useless, one wonders why Governor Uusko Nghaamwa of the deliberately impoverished Ohangwena Region pitched up at the disaster scene in full Swapo colours. The region needs a leader that is a 100 times better than you. You are partly responsible for Ohangwena Region’s under-development. As to the rest of Swapo Government, what plan do you have to ensure that a significant part of this water, which is ‘life’, is stored to avoid a lack of water in the near future?* I WANT to know why the opposition parties are so quiet about the floods if they really care about the nation? I think this is the right time to assist, rather than making empty promises. Congrats to our artists who have also shown their solidarity. – Ndeshy* SOME of us are truly ready for a sacrifice as our forefathers fearlessly did! We will never be scared to stand up for just governance, for the sake of our future generations! Warning: DO NOT underestimate the frustrations and will of the people.* IT seems Swapo and RDP will have to share power once RDP wins the elections next year, just as in Kenya, because Swapo is too stubborn and power hungry and will not accept defeat! Many lives will be lost, watch out!* I’M a supporter of the RDP and very worried about what happened to some of the places in Ohangwena Region, where the Governor told the headmen to stop RDP members from introducing their candidates to villagers. I thought each person had the right to join and support a political party of his choice.* MAYBE Mr Kanime should also explain why when the CoD was registered, the Head of State and Swapo where informed. What is so special about the RDP now?* SWAPO Party leaders are true freedom fighters. RDP, leave Swapo alone.From the regions* PLEASE citizens, we know it’s our right to criticise but we should criticise constructively. I am referring to the one complaining about lack of development at Outapi. On the contrary, Outapi is considered one of the fastest developing towns in the country. We must try to be realistic, or the concerned citizen had not recently come to the town. It is true we need development but I think the pace is still good compared to where Outapi was at Independence. Let’s differentiate between politics and development.* PEOPLE should not eat fish from water from around the flooded areas, because the fish feed on the content that comes from the flooded toilets as well. You will get sick from that.* IT’S good that Ramatex closed at this time! At least those people can go and give a hand to our grandmothers in the North. One-way free ticket to go help flood victims!* DUE to floods in the country, many communal farmers have lost their livestock and plantations. Can the Minister of Finance pleas relax VAT on all food items sold?* THE Oviritje concert groups, please when you come again to Walvis Bay try to be serious with your shows. No more drunkenness and unnecessary things on stage. We paid for the show.Education* WHY is the Ministry of Education still admitting science and mathematics students at education colleges and at the university, while there are people suffering in the street with diplomas and degrees? The Ministry of Education must give us feedback on this matter.* PERMANENT Secretary of Education, our children spent four years at Unam, received degrees, but are still unemployed. If there are no jobs, why did Government provide them with training, since job-related experience is a big challenge facing them. Or who is responsible?* THE University of Namibia must abolish the BA Tourism Degree with immediate effect, as one can’t find a job armed with this degree. We were fewer than eight who graduated with this degree this year, but not one of us has so far secured a job. This is an embarrassment that after four years of dishing out our thousands of dollars to Unam it’s good for nothing.* IS the Ministry of Education aware that some learners can’t be readmitted because there are not enough classes at some schools e.g Akayupa Combined School in Okalongo circuit. Is it fair that some pupils are allowed to repeat while others are not?* SOME school principals don’t know why they are appointed to be school managers. This is because they are afraid of visiting education officers as well as Government stores asking for information about their schools or making a follow up on things they ordered, which did not reach their schools. Inspectors of Education should educate their principals on how to carry out their duties. – Lineekela* I WOULD like to be assured about who is responsible for bringing electricity to schools? Should it be the principal or the constituency councillor doing it? We are having facilities which not use at Oshana Primary in Oshikoto because of a lack of electricity. – NdapexGeneral* RAMATEX and City Saving and Investment Bank are two institutions Namibia learnt a hard lesson from. One can only hope that this experience will be remembered.* I WANT the Ministry of Safety and Security to consider its staff members, who are poorly paid especially: Police officers with the rank of Constable are mostly affected. Their salaries are very low and they are working in difficult situations day and night. When promotion comes it [allegedly] goes to the girlfriends of senior officers who only have two to three years’ experience, while there are hard-working Police officers with ten years’ experience.* I WONDER how long it will take for the Government to consider our salaries. The current salaries of Policemen and -women are so low that they cannot even afford to buy houses. For how long should we suffer? The Government must compare our salaries to that of the City Police.* NAPWU, please negotiate for better salary hikes for public servants as you do when negotiating for parastatal employees. The cost of living continues to increase, prices of goods and services including basic commodities follow the same trend without the corresponding increase of average income. Please don’t wait too long, while your members are suffering.* SEEING that MTC is so confident of their network, I hope they put their money where their mouth is and compensate users for the non-availability of GPRS for the last 2 days.* MTC please bring back the promotion of collecting used recharge vouchers, where a person could return 10 vouchers and receive free N$10 airtime. – Chaela, Swakopmund* DEAR Gazza and GMP crew, in the name of music please don’t attend a show if you have intentions of spoiling it. We paid to see the Kwaito master and fellow Namibian artists. Join them or leave them alone. – Tilo* HOPEFULLY this time the Herero chiefs will also ask the former Western Contact Group, the UN and hopefully also Russia and Cuba to help them pursue the German government to pay reparations to the Hereros and Namas and all affected communities.* LET the rivers flow (Swakop River). Aren’t there strict laws against damming up rivers? Mines of Namibia, do you want to be responsible for the death of species that live downstream? Rivers reaching the ocean may be crucial to the sustainability of our sea life! Don’t just think about short-term rewards, but your child’s future! – KingBob Condolences * COMRADE Kala Gertze I salute you for what you did for Namibia. We will miss you; rest in peace. – ES Witbooi Food for thought * I HAVE a lot of respect for this young and vibrant ‘Talk of the Nation’ presenter. But I could not stand his unprofessional conduct towards Phil ya Nangoloh. As a friend, please apologise to the public and avoid such obvious and ridiculous bias.* YOUR Excellency, Father of the Nation Dr Sam Nujoma, the nation is crying. We lost our jobs with the closure of Ramatex. Would you come to our rescue, as you used to protect them (Ramatex) very much. Your silence in this case is deafening.* NAMIBIA is producing fish and beef but the two products are very expensive. Our leaders are just concentrating on exports and not the cost of what we consume locally.Thank you * I WOULD like to congratulate the First Lady for a job well done! I took my baby to the Robert Mugabe Clinic yesterday and to my surprise she was the nurse who attended to us and in a very friendly manner! That is what you call service at a health facility, especially for babies. Thank you our First Lady, we need more nurses like you.* CONGRATULATIONS Saeed Muhammed on your quick thinking and response to get a makeshift bridge at the Engela bridge. Your immediate action is commendable! Thank you.Update * WHAT happened to the dog that ‘gave birth’ to the kitten you reported on a month ago? Is the kitten still alive? Any latest developments please! * As the owner no longer wanted the animals, both dog and kitten were adopted into new loving homes. The kitten was very weak and died, unfortunately. The dog is now called Katiti and is recovering well. See last week’s Weekender for an ‘interview’ with Katiti. – Newsdesk Politics in general * CONSIDERING that our post-Independence era has ushered in poor roads that cannot withstand the slightest of floods and that it requires foreigners from Pakistan to erect a rudimentary bridge over the stream of water that rendered a road useless, one wonders why Governor Uusko Nghaamwa of the deliberately impoverished Ohangwena Region pitched up at the disaster scene in full Swapo colours. The region needs a leader that is a 100 times better than you. You are partly responsible for Ohangwena Region’s under-development. As to the rest of Swapo Government, what plan do you have to ensure that a significant part of this water, which is ‘life’, is stored to avoid a lack of water in the near future? * I WANT to know why the opposition parties are so quiet about the floods if they really care about the nation? I think this is the right time to assist, rather than making empty promises. Congrats to our artists who have also shown their solidarity. – Ndeshy * SOME of us are truly ready for a sacrifice as our forefathers fearlessly did! We will never be scared to stand up for just governance, for the sake of our future generations! Warning: DO NOT underestimate the frustrations and will of the people.* IT seems Swapo and RDP will have to share power once RDP wins the elections next year, just as in Kenya, because Swapo is too stubborn and power hungry and will not accept defeat! Many lives will be lost, watch out! * I’M a supporter of the RDP and very worried about what happened to some of the places in Ohangwena Region, where the Governor told the headmen to stop RDP members from introducing their candidates to villagers. I thought each person had the right to join and support a political party of his choice.* MAYBE Mr Kanime should also explain why when the CoD was registered, the Head of State and Swapo where informed. What is so special about the RDP now? * SWAPO Party leaders are true freedom fighters. RDP, leave Swapo alone.From the regions * PLEASE citizens, we know it’s our right to criticise but we should criticise constructively. I am referring to the one complaining about lack of development at Outapi. On the contrary, Outapi is considered one of the fastest developing towns in the country. We must try to be realistic, or the concerned citizen had not recently come to the town. It is true we need development but I think the pace is still good compared to where Outapi was at Independence. Let’s differentiate between politics and development.* PEOPLE should not eat fish from water from around the flooded areas, because the fish feed on the content that comes from the flooded toilets as well. You will get sick from that.* IT’S good that Ramatex closed at this time! At least those people can go and give a hand to our grandmothers in the North. One-way free ticket to go help flood victims! * DUE to floods in the country, many communal farmers have lost their livestock and plantations. Can the Minister of Finance pleas relax VAT on all food items sold? * THE Oviritje concert groups, please when you come again to Walvis Bay try to be serious with your shows. No more drunkenness and unnecessary things on stage. We paid for the show.Education * WHY is the Ministry of Education still admitting science and mathematics students at education colleges and at the university, while there are people suffering in the street with diplomas and degrees? The Ministry of Education must give us feedback on this matter.* PERMANENT Secretary of Education, our children spent four years at Unam, received degrees, but are still unemployed. If there are no jobs, why did Government provide them with training, since job-related experience is a big challenge facing them. Or who is responsible? * THE University of Namibia must abolish the BA Tourism Degree with immediate effect, as one can’t find a job armed with this degree. We were fewer than eight who graduated with this degree this year, but not one of us has so far secured a job. This is an embarrassment that after four years of dishing out our thousands of dollars to Unam it’s good for nothing.* IS the Ministry of Education aware that some learners can’t be readmitted because there are not enough classes at some schools e.g Akayupa Combined School in Okalongo circuit. Is it fair that some pupils are allowed to repeat while others are not? * SOME school principals don’t know why they are appointed to be school managers. This is because they are afraid of visiting education officers as well as Government stores asking for information about their schools or making a follow up on things they ordered, which did not reach their schools. Inspectors of Education should educate their principals on how to carry out their duties. – Lineekela * I WOULD like to be assured about who is responsible for bringing electricity to schools? Should it be the principal or the constituency councillor doing it? We are having facilities which not use at Oshana Primary in Oshikoto because of a lack of electricity. – Ndapex General * RAMATEX and City Saving and Investment Bank are two institutions Namibia learnt a hard lesson from. One can only hope that this experience will be remembered.* I WANT the Ministry of Safety and Security to consider its staff members, who are poorly paid especially: Police officers with the rank of Constable are mostly affected. Their salaries are very low and they are working in difficult situations day and night. When promotion comes it [allegedly] goes to the girlfriends of senior officers who only have two to three years’ experience, while there are hard-working Police officers with ten years’ experience.* I WONDER how long it will take for the Government to consider our salaries. The current salaries of Policemen and -women are so low that they cannot even afford to buy houses. For how long should we suffer? The Government must compare our salaries to that of the City Police.* NAPWU, please negotiate for better salary hikes for public servants as you do when negotiating for parastatal employees. The cost of living continues to increase, prices of goods and services including basic commodities follow the same trend without the corresponding increase of average income. Please don’t wait too long, while your members are suffering.* SEEING that MTC is so confident of their network, I hope they put their money where their mouth is and compensate users for the non-availability of GPRS for the last 2 days.* MTC please bring back the promotion of collecting used recharge vouchers, where a person could return 10 vouchers and receive free N$10 airtime. – Chaela, Swakopmund * DEAR Gazza and GMP crew, in the name of music please don’t attend a show if you have intentions of spoiling it. We paid to see the Kwaito master and fellow Namibian artists. Join them or leave them alone. – Tilo * HOPEFULLY this time the Herero chiefs will also ask the former Western Contact Group, the UN and hopefully also Russia and Cuba to help them pursue the German government to pay reparations to the Hereros and Namas and all affected communities.