Observer – Page 743 – Windhoek Observer

01 Sep

We have met the enemy and face defeat

ObserverNational NewsCovid-19

Namibia is waging the best fight it can against COVID-19. This is as good as it gets. But, death and infection rates are not going down. Perhaps, it is time to greatly reduce containment efforts and shift to prioritizing care for those who are symptomatic. The long-time substandard state of the public healthcare system has been exposed by this pandemic. Attempts to force citizens to set aside cultural norms and practice social distancing will not work. We are on the brink of economic collapse and cannot withstand any more restrictions. The spectre of hopelessness, mass unemployment, undernourishment, poor government service…

01 Sep

Telecom receives 72 CEO applications

ObserverObserver MoneyJerry Muadinohamba, Namibia Post & Telecom Holdings (NPTH), Telecom Board Chairperson, Telecom Namibia

Staff Writer Telecom Namibia says it has received 72 applications for its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position which has been vacant following the exit of Theo Klein. According to the government-owned telecoms operator, 13 of the applicants are female and 59 are male. “The board intends to have the recruitment and selection process concluded by end of September 2020, at which stage we hope to have identified a suitable qualified candidate to assume the role,” Telecom Board Chairperson, Jerry Muadinohamba said. The Muadinohamba-led board was appointed for a three-month period, effective 08 July 2020 to 08 October 2020. Government through…

01 Sep

Govt rules out SOE bailout … as Air Namibia remains grounded

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Public Enterprises minister Leon Jooste

Staff Writer Public Enterprises minister Leon Jooste maintains that the government has no immediate plans to bailout any State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) despite a number that have been hard hit by the negative impacts of COVID-19. This comes as SOEs such as Air Namibia have already raised alarm bells. The national carrier already had an existing precarious financial position which was made worse by the pandemic. Jooste, however, said the government going forward maybe be forced to come to the aid of some SOEs if the negative effects of COVID-19 become prolonged. “We are monitoring the situation continuously and assessing…

01 Sep

Parents support schools reopening – Ministry … as union approaches Prime Minister again

ObserverObserver MoneyEducation Executive Director, Erongo, Karas, Khomas, Otjozondjupa, Sanet Steenkamp

Andrew Kathindi The Education Ministry maintains that 64 percent of participants in its survey on the best way to proceed with learning amidst the pandemic indicated a desire to return to face-to-face teaching. This comes as Namibia National Teachers Union (NANTU) is set to meet the Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa on Tuesday to voice its displeasure at President Hage Geingob’s announcement that grades 0-9 should reopen for face-to-face teaching on 7 September. According to the Ministry, it received feedback from 18,000 respondents. Of these 8,712 were parents; 4, 778 teachers and 2,820 learners while 1,565 were community members, drawn mostly…

29 Aug

Couch Cat: SQUISH is not bad

ObserverUncategorisedCouch Cat, SQUISH

Jackie Wilson Asheeke My daughter Martha turned me on to these baby food squeeze pureed fruit packets called, “SQUISH”. OK, before you write me off as weird, let me make my case. I am trying to deal with the fact I am more sedentary in my remote work these days of lockdown and staying away from people as much as possible. As a result, I snack and nibble too much. Being brave, I have cast chocolate out of my life (boo-hoo) and I am munching on fruit as often as I can. (The mineolas these days are great!) I am…

29 Aug

Most political parties are chips from same old capitalist block

ObserverUncategorisedcapitalist, Yours Truly Ideologically

YOURS TRULY IDEOLOGICALLY: Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro “All the natural resources and the means of production must ultimately be owned publicly,” reads an article from what had come to be known as the “yellow book”, a booklet outlining Swanu of Namibia’s objectives for the liberation and reconstruction of Namibia. It does not end there but further enumerates this party’s revolutionary intents post-colonial. Its blueprint for the radical socio-economic transformation of the country. “Free enterprise activity in certain sectors of the economy may be allowed for a certain period of time, provided it is considered beneficial to the national economy and the people’s…

29 Aug

Not retiring to the penthouse…

ObserverUncategorisedThe Time Traveler

The Time Traveler: Hugh Ellis As pictures go, you wouldn’t expect a graph I was sent by a retirement fund to be dramatic enough to warrant a column in a newspaper, but here we are. On the x-axis was time, specifically my future age if the ‘Rona or other misfortune does not get me before 55 or so. On the y-axis was the amount of money my pension fund would have to pay me monthly, should I retire at any of the said ages. A horizontal grey line represented, in real terms, 75 per cent of my current salary –…

29 Aug

Medical doctors are not God

ObserverUncategoriseddoctors, Oshakati State Hospital, State hospitals

Jackie Wilson Asheeke Doctors are not GOD. But, both the doctors and patients don’t act like they believe this. I read a story of a young mother now suing her doctor and Oshakati State Hospital. She feels her precious baby’s death after receiving medical attention was caused by negligence. The young mother seems to have not known what was being done to her baby or why. The courts will have to sort that out. But there have been increasing tales of medical horror in the news. This matter must be addressed. The medical profession is difficult and challenging, especially now…

29 Aug

‘Good Riddance’ is not the appropriate response

ObserverNational NewsSecretary-General Sophia Shaningwa, Swapo Party

Swapo Party Secretary-General Sophia Shaningwa was quoted as saying that the resignation of Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leaders and members from the party on Heroes’ Day was a relief. She said they never supported Swapo anyway. The details around that entire chapter are extensive. But, a glaring issue that remains on the table is that members of the party who disagree with the leadership are a burden to be joyfully shed. There is no internal Swapo platform to work through differences; there is only the exit door. Nowhere in the world does everyone agree with everything. That standard cannot be reached.…

29 Aug

Gvt suspends solidarity, wealth tax plans

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Solidarity Tax, sovereign wealth fund, wealth tax

Andrew Kathindi The solidarity wealth tax which was proposed over two years ago by then Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein has been dropped due to lack of support, the Agriculture, Water and Land Minister has revealed. In its place, a “proper” wealth tax was proposed before his change in portfolio; however that too was met with opposition and has since been put on the back burner due to COVID-19. Finance Ministry spokesperson Tonateni Shidhudhu said the wealth tax has been set aside to focus on other options. “The Wealth Tax and the Solidarity Tax were just ideas to augment the revenue…