Page 944 – News Stand

02 Mar

600 Seaflower workers set to lose jobs again

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyTunacor

Andrew Kathindi and Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Altogether 597 factory workers under a government fishing quota for employment deal entered with Tunacor , are again set to lose their jobs when the existing agreement expires this month , it has emerged. Tunacor, awarded 4 000 tonnes worth of quota valued at over N$6 million by government in exchange for absorbing the Seaflower Pelagic Processing (SPP) retrenched workers, has revealed that it only has 50 openings in the company, which the employees were free to apply when the existing deal reached last December expires this month. The deal, struck between Fishcor’s board, the…

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…

26 Feb

Masisi jets in for desalination plant talks

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyBotswana, Namibia, president Hage Geingob, President Mokgweetsi Masisi

Maria Hamutenya Namibia and Botswana are still moving ahead with plans to set up a joint desalination plant at the coast, with President Mokgweetsi Masisi having jetted into the country on Thursday for a one day working visit with President Hage Geingob. The visit is Masisi’s second visit to the country in two months. Although exact details of the meeting, held behind closed doors, were sketchy, Masisi is said to have been invited by Geingob to meet unnamed investors interested in funding the project, a development confirmed by the Botswana President through his social media. According to Masisi, Namibia has…

26 Feb

Dark days loom for Government ministries …as government owes City N$82 million bill

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, Government, Harold Akwenye

Andrew Kathindi The Windhoek Observer can reveal that government is in arrears of over N$82 million to the City of Windhoek (CoW), a position which saw electricity disconnected at more than eight government ministries and agencies on Thursday. Government’s woes are, however, expected to mount as CoW has vowed to continue with disconnection at other ministries next week. “The total debt owned by Government is N$ 82 million to date, although the suspension of electricity services was scheduled to start yesterday (Wednesday), it has only commenced today and will continue next week,” City spokesperson Harold Akwenye said. On the individual…

25 Feb

ALI Celebrates its 100th group of leader graduates

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedAfrican Leadership Institute

FNB, through the FirstRand Namibia Foundation and the African Leadership Institute (ALI) recently celebrated the 100th group of leaders who completed their training and received their NQA accredited Certificate in Transformational Leadership. Amongst these leaders were Ministry of Health and Social Services leaders from Oshakati, Omaruru, the Omaheke region and Katutura Hospital. Revonia Kahivere, CSI Manager of the FirstRand Namibia Foundation recognized the collaboration the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) and ALI which has been successful for more than five years, resulting in more than 50 health administrators and leaders being armored with the power to effectively raise…