Blog – Page 742 – Windhoek Observer

23 Oct

Couch Cat – ancient music is spirit medicine

ObserverUncategorisedCouch Cat

Jackie Wilson Asheeke I have been cleaning out cupboards and store rooms with a vengeance lately. I had completely forgotten about an old suitcase full of the ancient music cassettes that used to be critically important to my music listening joy about 25-30 years ago. I also found a huge box full of CDs. And I found a small zip bag with two old MP3 players. It is amazing that these tapes, CDs and old time digital devices used to be the center of my entertainment life in their time. But now, they are spider web magnets as digital music…

23 Oct

Choosing a PG is not a beauty pageant

ObserverNational NewsJudicial Service Commission (JSC), NGO

We are opposed to a public runway display for serious, professional legal candidates for the post of Prosecutor General (PG) A public interview process for the PG job is counterproductive. It can lower the dignity of the position and does not address the concerns about corruption in political appointments. Let the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) do their expert work according to the criteria. They should make their recommendations to the President in confidence. We do not accept that the appointment of the outgoing PG, Martha Imalwa over 17 years ago was tainted in any way. Allusions to this as if…

23 Oct

GBV protestors to review govt pronouncement …still demand a state of emergency

ObserverObserver MoneyCabinet, Gender Based Violence (GBV)

Andrew Kathindi Gender Based Violence (GBV) protestors said that they are still demanding that a state of emergency be declared over GBV in the country, but will study what the “threat to humanity” government pronouncement entails. This comes as the Cabinet on 23 October, approved that government pronounces GBV as a threat to humanity and that Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa should issue a Parliamentary Statement to that effect. This declaration would be instead of the proposed declaration of the State of Emergency. As part of the list of demands in a protest petition to government earlier this month, which included…

23 Oct

Grade 9 national examination cancelled

ObserverObserver MoneyExecutive Director in the ministry of Education Art and Culture Sanet Steenkamp, National Examinations Assessment and Certification Board (NEACB)

Helena Johannes Executive Director in the ministry of Education Art and Culture Sanet Steenkamp has confirmed that the Grade 9 external examination will not be administered in this academic year. “The Ministry recommended the rationalization of the curriculum to 70 percent of the original school syllabus content for Pre-primary and Grade 1-9. Due to this adjustment, the Grade 9 semi-external examination will not be administered in this academic year,” she said. This comes after the new school curriculum for junior and senior secondary schools introduced in 2019 had pupils who passed Grade 8 in 2018 enter Grade 9 in 2019,…

23 Oct

We must live with COVID …but we must not pretend it is gone

ObserverNational NewsCOVID, WHO

The president’s recently announced steps to further re-open Namibia as a country, society and economy are welcome. The year 2020 has been an unprecedented financial disaster for Namibia as a whole. We all have taken a major hit. Governments had to respond in the way that science and their best guesses dictated; they are doing their best. The danger with reported deaths and recorded new infections decreasing is that people think COVID is ‘over.’ People think that life can go back to the way it was before the outbreak. We must never lie to ourselves. Whatever was happening ‘before’ is…

23 Oct

Hints to get your mortgage approval

ObserverUncategorisedBank Windhoek, Loide David, Market Research Analyst

Loide David Attempting to purchase a house without a plan in place can be a challenging situation. As a first-time homebuyer, you will need to prepare in advance. The steps below can help you buy a home more conveniently and reach the best outcome possible. Preparation: Before you start with the application process, you need to understand how banks assess the application; the required documents, and, most importantly, the costs involved in the entire process. For instance, besides the property's actual price, there are other costs, such as transfer duties and conveyancing fees, which you will need to keep in…

23 Oct

Asset managers roped into GIPF initiative

ObserverUncategorisedGovernment Institutions Pension Fund’s (GIPF)

Staff Writer Six Namibian asset managers are currently taking part in the Government Institutions Pension Fund’s (GIPF) incubation assets management programme, which commenced in 2019. The six are Catalyst Investment Managers (Pty) Ltd, Euboea Investment Group (Pty) Ltd , Arysteq Asset Management (Pty) Ltd ,Mumi Investment Managers (Pty) Ltd ,Mopane Asset Manager (Pty) Ltd (previously ZAQ Asset Management) and Artis Investment Management (Pty) Ltd. Under the initiative, each of the six managers were allocated N$700 million, with N$4.2 billion committed for entire programme. The programme according to the fund, aims to address the need for active beneficial participation of Namibian…

23 Oct

Govt lacks will for rent controls – Job

ObserverObserver MoneyAffirmative Repositioning Movement (AR) leader Job Amupanda, Government

Clifton Movirongo Affirmative Repositioning Movement (AR) leader Job Amupanda, who advocates for the establishment of rent control in the country amid concerns about high home rental costs, says government has no plans to implement the proposal, five years after officials agreed to it. Amupanda told the Windhoek Observer that he is still pushing for the implementation of a viable Rent Control Board with the authority to reduce rental rates. The youthful leader complained that no action has yet been taken by government. “Of course, they never wanted to implement rent control regulations in the first place and that is not…

23 Oct

Kahimise open to staying at CoW …as his departure day looms

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek (CoW), Robert Kahimise, Windhoek Mayor Fransina Kahungu

Andrew Kathindi The outgoing Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the City of Windhoek (CoW), Robert Kahimise says he may consider staying on as head of the municipality should council engage him, subject to certain conditions. This follows media reports that stated that the Swapo Khomas regional executive committee was trying to get CoW councilors to convince Kahimise to stay on. Quizzed on whether he would consider the opportunity to stay on should he be approached by Windhoek municipality councilors, the CEO left the door open. “That depends. I’ve handed in my notice, I’m serving my notice up to end of…

22 Oct

The 800 pound gorilla in the room

ObserverNational NewsFinance minister, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR)

There is no doubt that Minister of Finance Iipumbu Shiimi has to drink from the dual poisoned chalices of taking on the Finance portfolio in the middle of a severe economic recession and then COVID-19. The 800-pound gorilla in the room is that after the smoke clears, there remains a budget deficit of N$17 billion. How will we fill that gap? The mid-year budget review announced yesterday is, at the end of the day, only a plan; it is not money in the bank. It declares what the government should earn and what it will spend in a particular period…