Uncategorised – Page 46

04 Mar

Sustainable finance, a catalyst for Namibia’s recovery

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedCovid-19, Standard Bank

Marco Triebner The Covid-19 pandemic has heightened the focus on climate change and financial instruments that promote sustainable economic development. The pandemic has impeded Namibia’s growth and demanded new approaches to economic development. It has also highlighted the importance of sustainability and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues. It is noted that pressure is building on financial institutions and non-banking financial institutions, asset managers and corporates to give more attention to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in their day-to-day operations. We believe that Namibia is primed for a sustainable finance boom, given its potential in the renewable energy…

04 Mar

FNB Klein Windhoek to close, other great opportunities for customers

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedFNB Namibia

FNB Namibia has announced it would close the Klein Windhoek branch, effective 13 March 2021. “After examining branch profitability through our strategic planning review, we decided it was prudent to close a number of our branches throughout 2021. This approach is based on branches becoming less profitable, while the offer of additional electronic services has enhanced operating efficiencies. Our customers have adapted to all our electronic options and we are optimistic that we will retain our customer relationships because of these online and mobile banking services,” said Rodney Forbes, FNB Executive Officer: Points of Presence. Forbes added that there was…

02 Mar

The New Normal: Cyber Security During COVID-19

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedCovid-19, Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF)

Martin Hamukwaya The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has in recent years increased the shift and reliance in the use of information technology for our staff and members. When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Namibia and subsequently invoked the lockdown, it encouraged the use of many other effective ways the Fund can offer services to our members from the comfort of their homes. This effectively changed the way we operate at GIPF, which now translated into “The New Normal”. The “New Normal”, provides our members with assurance that they will be attended to without necessarily having to visit any of the…

02 Mar

Driving the value-add agenda on a budget

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedbudget, Driving

Eli Gentle After the deal closes, what next? Go create value! Depending on the context, you may suddenly find yourself behind the wheel of a large, urgently needed change program (e.g., digital transformation) or a small, targeted intervention that no one saw coming (e.g., salesforce incentives). In many small and emerging markets, the value creation agenda (be it wide or narrow in scope) must be delivered hands-on, while staying within a shoestring budget. Two things can help you deliver on budget while sparing a few precious hours in your packed days: 1. Invest in the capabilities of your portfolio company…

27 Feb

Air Namibia demise, SOEs privitisation Grandmaster plan of Capitalism

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedAir Namibia demise, Grandmaster plan of Capitalism, SOEs privitisation

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro With the country still reeling from the shock of the fait acompli of the liquidation of the national airline, the dust thereof shall yet to settle for now if ever, the country is now also reeling from another shock. The privitisation of a number of State Owned Enterprises(SOEs). It does not need a rocket scientist to see that the liquidation of Air Namibia, is part of a grandmaster plan of privatisation involving SOEs like the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport), Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP), Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), Telecom Namibia and the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco). The…

27 Feb

The Time Traveler: Gun culture

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedAnglo-Saxon, Gun culture

Hugh Ellis I had a weird experience on YouTube recently. I’m into music, so I had liked and watched several videos of a music instrument store in Texas called ‘Alamo Pianos’. It seems the Alamo - a Texan fort that a small group of white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant American settlers once defended against a horde of Mexican troops - is a touchstone word for US right-wing groups. Soon the YouTube algorithm flooded my recommendations with large, bearded white men taking about defending their homeland, family, traditions, and of course, their ‘right’ to own and shoot guns. Some YouTube gun content is…

27 Feb

We are not in crisis- Meatco CEO

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedMeatco, Mwilima Mushokabanji, Rainer Ritter, We are not in crisis

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri With the continued demise of public enterprises and a difficult operating environment, our Reporter Kandjemuni Kamuiiri’s interviewed Meatco’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mwilima Mushokabanji (MM), on the state and future of the company. Below is an extract of the interview. WO: Is Meatco under any threat that could see it fold in the short to medium term? MM: We were either going to adapt or perish and as management, we decided to adapt. For Meatco management we are not in a crisis, it’s something that we already saw into the future and we have put up systems, processes…

27 Feb

Dausab takes up sex offender’s registry legislation

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedsex offender’s registry legislation, Winnie Moongo, Yvonne Dausab

Andrew Kathindi Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab says a sex offender’s registry will be implemented by March next year, following up on a motion by Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliamentarian Winnie Moongo, which lapsed last year. Dausab told Windhoek Observer that her intent to take it up the matter, was to stop repeat offences. “The intention of such a proposed law is to protect our vulnerable communities, including adults from being subjected to future sexual assault and harassment. It is also meant to shame them, so that the victim is not the only one that carries that burden,” she said. “Whether…

27 Feb

Air Namibia’s troubles mount …as transportation commission seeks its license

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedAir Namibia’s troubles mount, Hage Geingob, National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), Transportation Commission of Namibia (TCN)

Andrew Kathindi Air Namibia’s troubles could be compounded after a source at the Transportation Commission of Namibia (TCN), revealed that an application to revoke the airline’s license is still to go ahead. “A lot of events have overtaken everything, and that will be guided by that. But as it stands, the matter is still in court, it’s not done yet,” revealed the source. A court matter heard on 2 February to revoke Air Namibia’s license was postponed to 12 March. This is the second attempt by the commission to cancel the national flag carrier’s license over the last twelve months.…

26 Feb

Capricorn Group profits down N$118.8 million

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedCapricorn Group, Thinus Prinsloo

Staff Writer Capricorn Group released its interim financial results for the six months ended 31 December 2020 on Thursday, where it reported a N$118.8 million decrease in the group’s profit from continuing operations, relative to the pre-COVID-19 comparable period. “This year-on-year decrease is mainly due to interest margin compression and increased impairment provisions. Lower interest margins are a result of unprecedented interest rate decreases enacted by central banks to counter the slowdown in the economy. Increased impairment provisions resulted from the extremely challenging economic and market conditions in the wake of imposed lockdowns and other responses to the pandemic”, said…