Page 736 – News Stand

06 Apr

Itula deems Namibia’s reliance’on foreign expertise risky

info_e12wt4csNational NewsItula deems Namibia’s reliance’on foreign expertise risky

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Independent Patriots for Change Leader, Panduleni Itula yesterday said it is risky for Namibia to depend on foreign expertise. He said this during the daily Windhoek Observer live broadcast, in which he further added that the country’s dependence on foreigners and their skills is an indication of a failing government. “Our reliance on foreign skills is extremely dangerous. It is not only denying young people employment, but it is also denying us the necessary revenue that we need to put in our coffers for which we can extract revenue for our essential services. It is absolutely embarrassing,” he…

06 Apr

Only five percent of Namibians can afford legal costs

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedOnly five percent of Namibians can afford legal costs

Martin Endjala Staggering statistics by Minister of Agriculture Water and Land Reform, Calle Schleittwein suggest that only five percent of Namibians can afford legal costs.The Minister said that these statistics do not paint a good picture of the government, particularly when it continues to regulate, fine and criminalise people that contravene the laws of the land. “We continue making more regulations and we criminalise them and when punished these people are left to pay for extremely expensive legal costs,” the minister said. The Minister shared these sentiments yesterday during the parliament session where he argued that these legal costs have…

06 Apr

Nangolo ropes in Namandje to save her job

info_e12wt4csNational NewsNamibia’s Minister of Justice, Only five percent of Namibians can afford legal costs, Yvonne Dausab

Niël Terblanché Yvonne Dausab, Namibia’s Minister of Justice will have her decision to withdraw Eva Nangolo’s appointment as Legal Aid Counsel challenged by prominent Lawyer Sisa Namandje Nangolo, who finds herself in the midst of a tribal slur fiasco has roped in the high-powered lawyer’s help to challenge the justice Minister’s decision about her future at the Directorate of Legal Aid. In a letter addressed to the justice minister, Namandje states that his office received urgent instructions from their client to advise on the validity of the decision she took on the 4 April 2023 without giving his client an…

06 Apr

More Fishermen facing retrenchments

info_e12wt4csNational NewsManaging Director of Etosha Fishing, More Fishermen facing retrenchments, Volker Paulsmeier

Niël Terblanché The moratorium that has been placed on the harvesting of pilchards in Namibian waters has again left hundreds of fishermen from Walvis Bay with the bleak prospect of unemployment. The Managing Director of Etosha Fishing, Volker Paulsmeier, in a short statement, acknowledged that the company has given the Labour Commissioner a formal notice about the company’s intent to lay off 30 permanent and 420 seasonal workers. “The company has given notice to the Labour Commissioner on the 31st March 2023 of its intention to terminate contracts due to operational requirements as is required by the Labour Act (Act…

06 Apr

Learner’s woes discussed at Ministerial level

info_e12wt4csNational NewsLearner’s woes discussed at Ministerial level, Moses Nghitotelwa

Stefanus Nashama Moses Nghitotelwa, a learner at the Oshikunde Combined School, who complained about walking long distances to attend classes on an empty stomach, will possibly be allowed to stay in the hostel facility, after education authorities took up the matter. The Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Anna Nghipondoka said Nghitotelwa should approach the Regional Education Director to help him find accommodation in the hostel, rather than walking 14 kilometres per day to attend classes. Nghitotelwa(19) however says he was left with no choice but to walk seven kilometres from his home in the Omhito village to the school…

06 Apr

Namcor board suspends Mulunga with benefits

info_e12wt4csNational NewsNamcor board suspends Mulunga with benefits

Niël Terblanché Immanuel Mulunga, the Managing Director of the National Petroleum Corporation, has been suspended by the state-owned company’s board of directors. In a statement released yesterday, the board said that the suspension is effective 4 April 2023. “We wish to inform our stakeholders that the board has resolved to place our Managing Director, Immanuel Mulunga, on suspension with immediate effect pending an investigation,” the board said. Following Mulunga’s suspension, the board has elected and appointed Lionel Matthews as Acting Managing Director for an initial period of six months. He is the current Financial Manager in the Ministry of Finance.…

05 Apr

Modern day slavery in Namibia

info_e12wt4csMainFisheries Observer Agency, Modern day slavery in Namibia, the Namibian Police

Niël Terblanché An investigation by various international bodies launched into the use of slavery or trafficked humans to serve as fishermen in Namibian waters will eventually result in criminal charges against the Namibian registered owners of two fishing vessels. The 60 fishermen were rescued in September 2022 after officers of the Fisheries Observer Agency, the Namibian Police and immigration officers got involved. Although the incident caused huge embarrassment for Namibian authorities because the country is a signatory to various programs to end human trafficking, the government has promised to assist international bodies in their investigation into the allegation of modern…

05 Apr

State House maintenance conundrum

info_e12wt4csNational NewsDemocratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), George Simataa, State House maintenance conundrum

Niël Terblanché Allegations that the Namibian Cabinet has had to find an alternative venue for its regular meetings because of a situation of disrepair at State House as a result of international sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) have been disparaged by a variety of officials. A North Korean company was responsible for the renovation of State House and it is alleged that the sanction package aimed at the country and its businesses is causing difficulties at the Office of the Presidency. The sanction package was originally initiated by the United Sates of America and their allies…

05 Apr

Poultry ban lifted

info_e12wt4csFeaturedAlbertina Shilongo, Poultry ban lifted

Niël Terblanché Namibian businesses that deal in poultry and ostrich products will again be able to import these products from Ireland, after the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza halted the process five months ago. The Chief Veterinary Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Albertina Shilongo yesterday announced that the import and in-transit movement of live poultry, birds and poultry products could again be imported to Namibia. “The import ban was imposed as a result of an outbreak of the avian influence that was reported on 12 November last year,” Shilongo said in the statement. According to the statement, Ireland was declared…

05 Apr

PDM displeased with government’s high operational budgets

info_e12wt4csNational NewsMaximalliant Katjimune, PDM displeased with government’s high operational budgets

Martin Endjala Popular Democratic Movement Member of Parliament, Maximalliant Katjimune is disenchanted with the government’s high operational expenditure over the development budget, citing that this practice is one of the main contributing factors to youth unemployment in the country. “The operational expenses are always more than the developmental budget. How are we going to achieve tangible development if in all sectors of the operational expenditure always far exceeds the development budget?” he asked. Katjimune said it is high time that government starts looking at reducing the operational budgets in all ministries, given the fact that most of the operational budgets…