Observer

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578,863 apply for N$750 grant
22 Apr

578,863 apply for N$750 grant

ObserverObserver Money,
Staff Writer The Ministry of Finance says as of Monday it had received a total of 578,863 applications for the Emergency Income Grant. According to the ministry 234,345 of the applications have been approved, translating to total payments of N$176.76 million. The Emergency Income Grant (EIG) is a once-off payment of N$750 in cash per qualifying person introduced by government through the Ministry of Finance to assist individuals on the basis of having lost income or experienced difficult circumstances during the COVID-19 lockdown periods. The grant according to the Finance ministry seeks to provide interim relief for the most vulnerable…
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Vivo Energy Namibia boosts COVID-19 Fight with fuel donation
21 Apr

Vivo Energy Namibia boosts COVID-19 Fight with fuel donation

ObserverUncategorised, ,
Vivo Energy Namibia, the distributor and marketer of Shell branded fuels and lubricants in Namibia, has contributed N$150,000 worth of fuel (about 13,200 litres) to support the mobility of the Ministry of Health and Social Service’s Emergency response teams countrywide in a bid to further mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The company has also pledged to use selected Shell retail sites around the country; to provide free softdrinks to members of emergency response services on duty during the extended lockdown period. This contribution is worth N$48,000, and brings the total donation to the Ministry of Health and…
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20 Apr

The Time Traveler: Fake news!

ObserverUncategorised,
Hugh Ellis In this Covid-19 crisis, it was only a matter of time before fake news would rear its ugly head. No, a brand-new vaccine is not on the market in France (at bare minimum, another 18 months of research to make sure it is safe and it works, lie ahead). That picture you may have seen, supposedly of French doctors and policemen celebrating the new vaccine, was actually taken in Spain some years ago. Bananas are a nutritious fruit, but there’s no proof that eating them dramatically reduces your risk of contracting Covid-19. There is no evidence Covid-19 was…
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20 Apr

Observatory: Lockdown breeds hopelessness among northerners

ObserverUncategorised,
Clementine Tjameya Amidst the Covid-19 outbreak, families are forced to be together in their homesteads, with nothing to do but stare at each other and grow tired of each other’s company. It is tough. Parents in the north are complaining about what to do with bored, troublesome younger family members. Everything about social distancing goes against our nature as human beings. We are social beings. We need each other and the community at large in order to function well. Community co-dependency is not that noticeable in the cities because everyone is within their high wall fences and watching television or…
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20 Apr

SHOUT OUT: Something to think about in lockdown

ObserverUncategorised
Jackie Wilson Asheeke Allow me to give you something positive to think about during the extended lockdown and COVID restrictions. We need to start calming ourselves down, accepting what has happened, following all rules assiduously, and begin preparing our bank accounts and hearts for the Post-COVID financial earthquake that is on the way. As I contemplate my own fears with my 82 year old, very fit and active mother in Delaware in the USA being cared for by my sister and her husband who are working from home these days, I will not let fear and panic take me for…
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20 Apr

COVID should change how the world views Africa

ObserverUncategorised,
French Doctors Jean-Paul Mira and Camille Locht on live French TV gave their nod to testing re-engineered COVID vaccines in Africa. They claim that the entire continent of 52 different countries and over 1.2 billion souls have no virus protective equipment and no intensive care units. World outrage over these racist comments has been severe. Could COVID be the springboard for people to unite as equal human beings and refute those who see Africans as second class? Google Josef Mengele. Read about his views on human ‘test subjects' to find new drug treatments. Then, view or read the complete comments…
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20 Apr

Don’t limit yourself to being good or bad

ObserverUncategorised
Thandi Kawerama I’ve recently decided to revisit one of my favorite TV shows, Avatar. It’s a 2005 classic which follows the journey of a 12 year old boy who has to learn how to control the element: water, earth, fire and air. While watching the show I felt the elements were akin to the different emotions people experience every day. I was reminded that emotions are neither good nor bad but are all part of the human experience. In the fictional world, people who are able to manipulate the elements are limited to mastering only one, but the Avatar can…
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Rent pressure mounts
20 Apr

Rent pressure mounts

ObserverObserver Money, , , ,
Staff Writer A rent default crisis is looming come month-end. A number of individuals and businesses have been negatively affected by the outbreak of the coronavirus. They will struggle to meet their monthly rent payments. The country’s precarious position will also cause a bulk of homeowners to struggle to service their monthly home repayments. This comes amid mounting job losses due to the government-imposed lockdown to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation is compounded by an already weak economy. Financial services company, Cirrus Capital estimates the country could lose as much as N$2 billion per week. This is due to…
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Namibia lags in Covid 19 testing
20 Apr

Namibia lags in Covid 19 testing

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Staff Writer Former Health Minister and National Coordinator of the Covid-19 task team, Bernard Haufiku says with the current low number of Covid-19 tests conducted in relation to the population and disappointingly high level of people movement, the country cannot confidently say it’s on top of the pandemic in Namibia. According to Haufiku the country should have carried out 5,000-10,000 tests by now, more than a month since the country announced its first positive case in March. “The less than 500 tests we have carried out so far is nothing in relation to our population. We should at least have…
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Tabling of national budget postponed
06 Apr

Tabling of national budget postponed

ObserverObserver Money, ,
Newly appointed finance minister Ipumbu Shiimi has confirmed that the 2020 Appropriation Bill will be delayed until further notice. The decision is a direct result of the state of emergency declared by president Hage Geingob on 18 March 2020 in response to the deadly and fast-spreading COVID-19 virus. Meanwhile, the finance ministry has requested all government entities to comply strictly and to continue utilizing proper authorisation procedures, as well as to continue applying prudent financial management measures during the state of emergency and beyond. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 analysts have been calling for a massive stimulus package to mitigate…
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