The President’s Package

IN the Namibian of the 23rd September there was a front page an article entitled “Nujoma Package Unveiled”.

In that article all the benefits are outlined as to what the head of state will receive after his retirement. I’m concerned and worried at the way the Cabinet is treating the current President after his retirement by the luxury allowances they are offering to him.Is the President not an ordinary civil servant like others? Because if one retires then you receive your pension package and no other fringe benefits are offered to you.Now in this case extra allowances are offered like telephone, water and electricity and fuel consumption that will be covered; also vehicles, housing and travelling expenses that are being catered for by the Namibian government.Is that fair to the wellbeing of the inhabitants of the country? Did the National Assembly consider the economy of the country in the long run before making such provisions? Will this practice be applied to every head of state who’s retiring or what will be the case? While the indigenous people of the country are suffering we can’t bear the cost of these luxurious offers in mind while our economy is not very strong.It’s high time that we start spending these huge sums and share the resources with the grassroots and marginalised ones, rather than invest in someone whose life is already insured.How will we close the gap between the have’s and don’t haves (upper and lower classes) if this kind of practice is going on? We have to adopt the policy of redistribution of income and wealth.I will be happy and glad to see the inhabitants in the 21st century enjoying the fruits of their own resources because these raw material belongs to them, the rightful owners, and they are also entitled to have a share in this banquet.Last, please let us consider the wellbeing of our own people who are suffering from poverty and famine and other social issues because we claim to be Africans who have an Ubuntu philosophy (meaning that we are dependant on each other) but it seems nowadays we are more anxious about ourselves than others.Let’s take the initiative ourselves as a nation to bear the burdens of others and not to wait for someone from abroad to come and assist us in fighting and combating these ethical obstacles.Let us share the resources equally among us because all of us deserve that.J Sem Via e-mailI’m concerned and worried at the way the Cabinet is treating the current President after his retirement by the luxury allowances they are offering to him.Is the President not an ordinary civil servant like others? Because if one retires then you receive your pension package and no other fringe benefits are offered to you.Now in this case extra allowances are offered like telephone, water and electricity and fuel consumption that will be covered; also vehicles, housing and travelling expenses that are being catered for by the Namibian government.Is that fair to the wellbeing of the inhabitants of the country? Did the National Assembly consider the economy of the country in the long run before making such provisions? Will this practice be applied to every head of state who’s retiring or what will be the case? While the indigenous people of the country are suffering we can’t bear the cost of these luxurious offers in mind while our economy is not very strong.It’s high time that we start spending these huge sums and share the resources with the grassroots and marginalised ones, rather than invest in someone whose life is already insured.How will we close the gap between the have’s and don’t haves (upper and lower classes) if this kind of practice is going on? We have to adopt the policy of redistribution of income and wealth.I will be happy and glad to see the inhabitants in the 21st century enjoying the fruits of their own resources because these raw material belongs to them, the rightful owners, and they are also entitled to have a share in this banquet.Last, please let us consider the wellbeing of our own people who are suffering from poverty and famine and other social issues because we claim to be Africans who have an Ubuntu philosophy (meaning that we are dependant on each other) but it seems nowadays we are more anxious about ourselves than others.Let’s take the initiative ourselves as a nation to bear the burdens of others and not to wait for someone from abroad to come and assist us in fighting and combating these ethical obstacles.Let us share the resources equally among us because all of us deserve that.J Sem Via e-mail