SMSes Of Thursday 1 October 2009

* IT’S merely two months before elections. I am a registered voter who doesn’t belong to any political party. I think it is high time political parties stop dissing each other and start campaigning. It is what they have planned to better this country and the lives of its people that will help people like me decide where to sign my cross on November 27/28.

Food For Thought* THE Government should really improve the efficiency of public servants. Inspections should be done regularly and those found guilty should be fined their monthly salaries.* IF the leaders of the ruling party can change the Constitution to absent MPs from NA sessions, then why can’t it be changed to bring back the death sentence and corporal punishment?Politics* BEING a child of ‘war veterans’, I was very shocked to see my fellow ‘struggle children’ throwing sand and stones at the RDP convoy last Saturday in Oshakati. Fellow country boys and girls let us be patient while facing elections in two months’ time, because we don’t know who is going to win and eventually going to take our plight seriously because it seems nothing will be done before November.- Tommy Naholo, Omakangha* IF the Swapo Government is giving jobs to the liberation struggle children, jobs in different Government departments without experience required from them. I think all the unemployed should be given jobs if that’s the case. We all suffer and want equal treatment from the Government, if not so we will make our votes count by electing a party that practises what it preaches.- Concerned youth, Keetmanshoop* SHAME! N$2 million for so-called ‘struggle children’; zero for orphans, disabled and the old. If this is not vote buying, tell me what it is and I will call it that.Bouquets And Brickbats* LET me congratulate Cde Kazenambo for a very brilliant and rare bit of advice within our mighty Swapo, that we should stop blaming others. We should not blame our failures on the (colonial) past, because only we Namibians can develop our country, others will not do it for us. ‘We should stop blaming the whites and the colonisers. There exists a culture of blaming – it is time to blame ourselves, our psychology and our mind.’ At least others will soon start to realise the facts and acknowledge and follow soon. Hoor, hoor Swapo! Natuilongeni Hatu shitambulako.- MHH* CONGRATULATIONS Hon Deputy Minister of MRLGRD for withdrawing the blame from colonial government and the whites. Thanks for seeing our lack of participation in the development of Namibia. I as a youth of Namibia will urge our government to bring the skills and knowledge to us in urban and rural areas. We just need mindset empowerment.- Ramon /Gariseb, Karasburg* THANKS that your newspaper is always telling it as it is, not like others. I’m referring to the alcohol and suicide case at Swakopmund. You got info from involved people and not from gossipers. Do people know how incorrect information in the media hurts a bereaved family? I’m not a relative of those affected but a frustrated community member of this town who is sick and tired of people in Swakop who stay in glass houses, with their vulnerable children! * AM I the only person who finds the page 2 photo of the 14-year-old suicide victim inappropriate?* WHY is the people’s newspaper, The Namibian, not covering the story of the principal who [allegedly] impregnated his 16-year-old learner in Rundu? – The Namibian aims to report on facts, not rumours and innuendo. If the person concerned is charged in a court of law, we will report on it, or if we can get the appropriate information and confirmation. – Newsdesk* MTC, we thank you for giving free calls to your customers from 22h00 every day. Can you please move it before 20h00? Some people are misusing this offer and disturb others the whole night.* TO the person that was complaining on Tuesday 29 about the advertisement of MTC’s cellphone (LG). Are you serious? Advertisements are just normal. Don’t change the subject if you cannot afford the phone. We are enjoying that electronic advertisement. * I THINK it is high time that the University of Namibia consider bestowing an honorary doctorate degree in African Studies on Alexander J Kaputu for his immense contributions to Otjiherero culture and language as well as Namibian oral history. Mr Kaputu did extensive research in culture and language which benefited a lot of young people.- NKM OmukweyuvaSpy Bill* WILL it withstand the Constitutional test on freedom of expression and privacy breach? Invoke limitation clause …. * SWAPO parliamentarians are so arrogant and selfish following their own wishes by passing the Spy Bill without caring about their electorate’s input. Mind you that’s not democracy. Those are our servants that are there to do our wishes not theirs. Is that autocracy I see approaching from a distance? Watch out Namibia.- Tyrish* NAMIBIANS we are living in the information age. Let us acknowledge that the ‘Spy Bill’ is not unique to Namibia. For example, in South Africa all mobile phone SIM cards (including prepaid) now have to be registered in the owner’s name.- Do we imitate everything South Africa does? – News EditorCity FathersPlease …We can’t sleep, stop the noise!* CITY of Windhoek must do something. We have a problem in Eveline Street. We are not sleeping. Our children don’t have time to study, because of majukujuku. We, as a community, want the City of Windhoek to put a time for the businesses or patrol in Eveline Street. The problem is their music is very loud even after you have gone to bed.* PLEASE City of Windhoek. I read about interlocks being put in Longa Street, Otjomuise. We in Boston Street don’t even have pavement kerbs on the side. It has been like this for years now. Please do something.Running The Show* THE Golden Padlock Award should change the word from secret to inefficient. Let’s call it what it is, Home Affairs is a disgrace. How many more SMSes have to be sent, how long do the queues have to get, how high do our frustrations have to rise before the Minister will do something about a situation which falls directly under him. Or when will [President Hifikepunye] Pohamba take the Minister to task on the worst ministry in Government?Talking Taxis* CITY Police. It was announced that taxis have till the end of September to display the new signs. So far only one has the sign on its roof. We as law-abiding citizens hope that they will receive the same treatment we had with issuing of traffic fines. We hope that you will also lock them up as you did with us. We are waiting to see what you are going to do on October 1.In And From The Regions* MANY schools in the Ohangwena Region do not have chairs. Pupils are being taught sitting on logs especially schools in rural areas unlike schools in urban areas. Doesn’t this affect our learners’ progress? Why are they treated differently? – Oshaango* THE Otjimbingwe Traditional Council must start working towards the interests and development of the community. It is high time to so how high they can fly.- ConcernedHealth Matters* DESPITE living through the sixties, I never tried drugs, too busy working, my kids didn’t bother either. Can The Namibian publish some article so we can easily recognise signs that a child is taking drugs. I worry now for my beautiful grandchildren.General* WHAT are the procedures that one can use to send an event activity to the Youthpaper and how long does it take to be published?- Send an email to the Supplements Editor at johnathan@namibian.com.na or a fax to 061 279 602 before 13h00 on Wednesday. Publication of material depends on a variety of factors, including space. – Newsdesk* DEAR Editor, please something must be done at NYS. We are sleeping like goats in a very bad structure covered with pieces of tents.* WHY do the residents of Suiderhof have to be woken by a loud bugle call from the army camp at 05h00? We are sick and tired of this! This disturbance must stop!* I WANT our leaders in our Land of the Brave to stand up and tell the people who make alcoholic drinks to leave our Namibia very soon.Ministry of Education Responds* I JUST want to ask w
hy teachers are not giving a chance to those people who fall pregnant to go back to school after delivering.THE current pregnancy policy among learners in schools clearly states that the girl may continue with her education at school, until the time of her confinement or an earlier date on the advice of a medical practitioner or clinical sister. After giving birth and provided that a social worker is satisfied that the infant will be cared for by a responsible adult, the girl shall have the right of readmission to the same school within twelve months of date on which she left school. A new School Policy on Learner Pregnancy in Namibia is however on its way and the public will be notified.Public Relations Office