SMSes Of Thursday 19 November 2009

* FELLOW Namibians please take note that elections are not about which political party wins but whether you win by voting for a certain political party. Elections are about what benefit we individuals will get by voting for a certain party. Elections are not sports games where you support a team that does not change anything in your life. Elections are a life-changing democratic exercise. We must all make the right choices this year.

Food For Thought* TRUE leadership would entail apologising for accepting the Chinese bursaries, acknowledging it was a major error of judgement, and returning them.Bouquets And Brickbats* I WANT to compliment the ECN on recruiting many disabled people as polling officials for these coming elections, especially in the Otjozondjupa Region.- Siegfried* CHIEFS and Cleaners: corruption is so deeply rooted that leaders are no longer able to see it; it is only felt by the poor. People with integrity are few; Norman Tjombe is one of them.* CHIEFS and Cleaners. Thank you Mr Norman Tjombe for a clear analysis of our society. It is encouraging to read such bold language from a member of the previously disadvantaged.* I SALUTE Norman Tjombe for telling the nation the facts about how our leaders are looking after themselves only and forgetting about the vulnerable. The same applies to the various BEE groupings. Always the same names with inside information and relatives in high places.* MR Tjombe thanks for the stunning article. Keep it up!- Johnny* HANDS up for such a true democratic leader – Norman Tjombe! Could you please plan a ‘democracy workshop’ for Members of Parliament early next year? Proud of you.- Hertha.* MR Norman Tjombe, how I wish you could run for the presidency in this country. I followed many if not all your articles and they all make deep sense. If our leaders’ hearts are not moved by your articles, then I tell you as a nation we are doomed. I always concur with you; we surely need leaders of your calibre and I hope and pray that the ‘swords’ will not point your way and that you will not be labelled unpatriotic. Sê dit soos dit is, my bru.- Otakhayi Kailemba* I FULLY support Norman Tjombe’s opinion on Tuesday. It is unfair and shameful for our Government to organise a quick response for the Chief who can be assisted by her subjects, while hundreds of our poor citizens continue to suffer and die with no help. These are people that are voting for the leaders. Please Cabinet be fair.- Swapo supporter* I WOULD like to thank the human rights lawyer and the director of the legal assistance centre. You are one in a million.- DH Karibib.* IF we had the Tom Alweendos, Norman Tjombes and the likes within the top structures (President, etc) of our Government, we probably would have been in direct comparison with the USA and other top world economies by now.- Nado* I HEARTILY support the complaint made that the Government pays its accounts late. I wrote to the editor of The Namibian some months ago. The letter was published, thank you. But there is no change and no visible attention given to the issue by any ministry. Government officials often eat and sleep at our little guesthouse for weeks and it is up to six months before Government officials consider us worthy to receive our agreed amount. Many repeated phone calls and faxes cost a lot of time and money and appear to achieve nothing. – Also tired of waiting and waitingElection Fever* I HAVE a brother who is being detained at Windhoek Central Prison as an awaiting-trial inmate in E section. He told me that he and all the other people in the section where not registered to vote. And that only some of the sentenced inmates were registered. These people, most of whom are Namibians, want to exercise their right to vote. Whoever is, or was, in charge of the registration process at Central Prison, did not do a proper job. It’s those inmates right to vote and they just took it from them which is unfair.Politics In General* IS Ariel Sharon of Israel still living?- As you probably know Sharon, then Israel’s prime minister, suffered a massive stroke four years ago. He is in what his doctors define as a ‘persistent vegetative state’, not precisely brain-dead but incapable of doing much more than occasionally wiggling his toes when asked to do so by a physician (from wikipedia). – NewsdeskGeneral
* WHAT is that frenzy about blood diamonds? Considering the total amount of diamonds mined and cut in the world, the share of these stones is quite low. Interestingly nobody takes a closer look at the common diamond cutting and polishing industry, how people are exploited and how a luxury good is produced from slave labour. This business is already dirty enough and blood diamonds are simply the cherry on top.A nativity scene* THE word Christmas was formed when the first Mass was celebrated to remember the birth of Christ. Thus, please do not write the word as ‘X-Mas’ if you are a Christian. – I have to say that I personally also dislike the use of ‘Xmas’! – News EditorHealth Matters* MINISTRY of Health, what is the threshold for ARV treatment for private and State HIV-AIDS patients in Namibia? What are the regulations?- ThlabaneloChildren Of The Struggle* I AM very disappointed by our Government. They only look at one side. People from exile are the ones who will be given the 8 000 posts while those who don’t have parents are suffering a lot. They should divide those posts. We also need bread.* WHY is the Namibian Government giving the jobs to the children of the liberation struggle? Some of them, when they came back to the country aged between a few months and five years, started school together with the kids inside the country and some managed to pass, some failed. Now the authorities are dividing them into two groups, with one getting the jobs and the others left feeling hopeless. Why almost 20 years after Independence are liberation credentials still an issue? They all got a chance but they failed. Why is it when our kids look for jobs, they are asked to produce qualifications while others only need repatriation forms? – Concerned citizen.High Flying* CAN someone please talk sense into the heads of the management of Air Namibia! Did they do a feasibility study on the new routes introduced to Lusaka and Ghana? But why should they care? The Government will bail them out as usual!Labour Issues* PLEASE Namdeb, speed up your negotiations.* PLEASE Nantu if you want teachers to become members by paying N$50 every month, negotiate good salaries for teachers. Kids will continue failing. Teachers are discouraged by the current salaries. That’s why education has been hit by a brain drain. Please do something. If the Government continues paying teachers like now, our education system will deteriorate.And Justice For All* ANIMAL cruelty: It is sad to realise we are in country where animal cruelty is tolerated. Mr Tjikuere from Okarara, you do not deserve to be considered a human being for the gruesome act of cutting off the dog’s ears and tail. Shame on the courts for giving a fine of only $200 as punishment.* TO the ‘human being’, the ‘man’ from Okakarara, who cut off that poor dog’s ears and tail, may you rot in hell! And even start suffering on earth! Animals depend on humans to take care of them, not ill-treat them!Education* THE lack of bursary offers for conservation and environmental studies is saddening. It shows how far Namibia is in dealing with nature. Please let’s be fair.- Helmuth* IT’S not the Ministry of Education’s responsibility to teach your children about God! It is your responsibility as parents! It’s also your responsibility to take your children to church!* MINISTER of Education, Monday the 16th at Swakopmund Secondary School, Grade 9 pupils about to write exams were instructed to write a subject which they were supposed to write on Friday the 20th. How is that possible? And if timetables were changed shouldn’t these children be told before hand. The Head of Department apparently got instructions from the regional office. This is a big concern!- Frustrated parent, SwakopmundIn And From The Regions* I AM tired of empty promises. How long is it going to take for the Oshigambo-Eenhana road to be tarred?* NORED when will you have a normal supply of power for Oshikango? Do you realise that power failures in Oshikango are hampering business? When will you do something about it?* PUBLIC transport. Why did the Government suspend the bus service between Dordabis, Leonardville and Aminuis? We have been greatly inconvenienced. Please reconsider your decision. * WHO is paying the water bill for the tap at the entrance to Ariamsvlei border post? Because people from restaurant, clearing agents and private people are using the tap.