Hangana pumps N$34m into vessel renovations

Hangana pumps N$34m into vessel renovations

Staff Writer Hangana Seafood, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group has announced that it has completed the refurbishment of one of its vessels, M.F.V Erica at a cost N$34 million. The revamp which took about a year to complete, included the installation of a new main 8-cylinder engine from Belgium as well as new winchers from Spain and a split net drum system which allows for more efficient switching between trawls, which according to Fleet Manager at Hangana Seafood, Christie Sitzer will extend the lifespan of the Erica by another 20 years. The upgrades on the electronic…
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Dundee donates to Grootfontein Municipality

Dundee donates to Grootfontein Municipality

Staff Writer Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb has extended its support to the Otjozondjupa Region, Grootfontein community by donating personal protective equipment (PPE) to the value of N$30,500.00. The donation was handed over to the Grootfontein Municipality Chief Executive Officer, Kisco Sinvula, at the Grootfontein Municipality head office. Sinvula thanked Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb for the support provided, with the aim to defeat the global pandemic COVID-19. The donated PPE will serve as safety gear for the health care practitioners at the Grootfontein Community Isolation Center and as a preventative measure to curb the further transmission of COVID-19. The delivered PPE…
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Fishing rights awarded

Fishing rights awarded

Staff writer The Ministry of Fisheries has awarded 104 fishing rights for various species. Information gleaned by the Windhoek Observer shows that, 30 of the rights were awarded for hake, 30 for horse mackerel, five for monk, five red crab, and five for rock lobster among other species. Various successful applicants have been contacted by the Ministry since Friday to accept their rights. This comes as over 5,000 applications were submitted by various entities to be considered for fishing rights in 2018. The full list of the successful applicants is expected to be published soon. Already the government has entered…
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The Time Traveler: Dear white people…

Hugh Ellis The latest racist outrage in Namibia was two white men killing a black man over allegedly stolen glue. This incident happened at Otjiwarongo last week. The Police have arrested two suspects, Jonathan Patrick Myburgh and Jannie Jansen van Vuuren, and charged them with murder. Meanwhile, the Henties Bay municipal council has agreed to consider taking down the macabre hangman’s noose monument at the town. This strange monument was set up in the 1970s to warn people not to litter on the beach. But it would obviously remind most black people, and many whites, about how Hereros and Namas…
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Couch Cat – baking your own bread

Couch Cat – baking your own bread

Jackie Wilson Asheeke In pandemic lockdown, I began to rediscover my old skills for baking bread. It was like dusting the cobwebs off my inner mind. But, I enjoyed it every step of the way. My momma taught me about using yeast and baking bread when I was a little girl. But, I was the youngest so my job was to set and clear the table after all meals. My older sisters did the cooking and baking with momma. So, I put those lessons aside for an entire lifetime and resurrected them when I lived in Ethiopia for four years…
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Culture must be a podium not a noose

Jackie Wilson Asheeke Tradition and culture must be tools to celebrate history, language and the stories of the past. Tradition must be a podium for bringing people together, not a noose or whip to force them in line. In Namibia, there are too many infuriating cases, when tradition and culture are cherry picked and used as a sexist sledge hammer to oppress women who are marginalized within a community. When a ‘tradition’ favors someone, they are all for it; when it doesn’t, they are quiet. This weakens the entire concept of respecting tradition. The recent story of a criminal headman…
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Are the youth any better?

When we see those involved in the Fishrot debacle, we see that male youth empowerment is well underway - in the wrong direction. The rhetorical anthem of anyone seeking political kudos always includes youth SME loans, youth bursaries, more NSFAF loan money, and the usual vague comments in speeches about helping youth advance. Given that the majority of the population in Namibia is below 39, this makes sense. But, have the youth prepared themselves to build a better Namibia? Or is it all about self-enrichment? The younger people in lucrative power positions are overwhelmingly young men. Are the shouts about…
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Namibia faces essential drugs shortage

Namibia faces essential drugs shortage

Andrew Kathindi Namibian pharmacies have accused South Africa of hoarding essential medicines, a move which has negatively impacted their availability to Namibian patients. On 27 March, following the declaration of the state of national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa, South African Minister of Trade and industry, Ebrahim Patel introduced new export control measures on essential goods such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers, face-masks, gas masks, other breathing appliances, hydroxychloroquine, antisera and other blood fractions, vaccines for human medicine and medicaments. “I understand why the decision was made; it was to ensure that they don’t run short. And if we were talking…
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Dos Santos bank stake up for sale

Dos Santos bank stake up for sale

Staff Writer Angola's former first daughter Isabel dos Santos indirect stake in Bank BIC Namibia Limited is up for sale with other shareholders in the bank reportedly to keen to acquire the shares. Dos Santos who currently stands accused of theft, corruption and money laundering by Angolan authorities, is reported to be a majority shareholder in the banking concern, with a 42.5 percent shareholding. “We can confirm, however, that the shares currently held indirectly by Ms dos Santos are still for sale but how this is done is a matter for shareholders to decide,” Bank Bic said in response to…
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When ‘deep regrets’ are not enough

The country is abuzz with comments on the Facebook rant of Corien Steenkamp, a second-grade assistant teacher from Hillside Christian College in Walvis Bay. The mere thought that someone with such guttural racist beliefs is anywhere near children, is extremely disturbing. She has made a statement that she deeply regrets her racist rant. Does she regret the fact that she is holds racist beliefs or that she was caught doing so? These are two very different things. We believe everyone is very sorry when they get caught. Very few are actually sorry that did the nasty deed in the first…
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