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Govt negotiates desalination plant price tag
07 Oct

Govt negotiates desalination plant price tag

ObserverObserver Money, ,
Helena Johannes Government is currently engaged in negotiations with Orano Resources (previously Areva Resources Namibia) over the N$3 billion price tag placed on its desalination water plant, as it renews interest to acquire the facility, Minister of Agriculture Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein has revealed. The government deal is expected to be carried out through water utility, NamWater, should the parties find common ground. “It is overpriced and we are not taking up the offer, however we are in the process of negotiating with them for price reduction,” Schlettwein said. The government renewed interest comes after more than five…
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Namibia ponders auctioning all fishing quotas
07 Oct

Namibia ponders auctioning all fishing quotas

ObserverObserver Money,
Andrew Kathindi Government is considering auctioning off all fish quotas for future allocations, and not just its portion kept for governmental objectives, Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi has revealed. This possible government action comes from the Presidential High-Level Panel on the Namibian Economy (HLPNE), which was appointed by President Hage Geingob last year. The Panel has the scope to consult and make recommendations to the President on the Namibian economy. It recommended that government auction off its fish quota for governmental objectives. These quotas were, in the past, handed to Fishcor to facilitate their disposal. Last week Shiimi revealed that the…
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06 Oct

PDM Youth – The death penalty solves nothing

ObserverNational News,
A passionate announcement by youth leaders of the Popular Movement for Democracy (PDM) calling for the introduction of the death penalty for perpetrators of gender-based violence, rape and human trafficking is grossly misguided. The death penalty is not a deterrent to crime and does nothing to address the underlying causes of why these crimes occur. Rather than calling for the death penalty, the PDM YL should demand that the public give evidence in court. They should insist that specific cultural beliefs and traditional practices that demean women be eliminated. They should demand state financing for support for rape victims. It…
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‘Every BODY Counts!’…as bodily integrity and autonomy campaign kicks off
06 Oct

‘Every BODY Counts!’…as bodily integrity and autonomy campaign kicks off

ObserverObserver Money, ,
Moses Magadza WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – Justice and equity fell into sharp focus on 1 October when the AIDS & Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) launched a campaign to call for the realisation of the rights to bodily autonomy and integrity in Southern and East Africa. The rights to bodily autonomy and integrity presuppose the ability for everyone to have dignity and agency to own and take decisions and make choices – including those related to Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) - over one’s body without regard to external pressures. Dubbed ‘Every BODY Counts!’ and launched virtually, the regional campaign…
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Ramatex property still under litigation
06 Oct

Ramatex property still under litigation

ObserverObserver Money,
Helena Johannes After 12 years since the closure of Ramatex Textile Namibia by the Malaysian Ramatex Textile and Garment Factory, the property is still under legal dispute, City of Windhoek Property Manager Sheridan Simpson has revealed. “The sale of Ramatex is still pending before Court,” she said. The liquidators of Ramatex Textile Namibia and the Municipal Council of Windhoek have been involved in litigation since 2009 after the company was placed under provisional liquidation on 8 May 2008, and the newly appointed liquidators informed the City of Windhoek the next day that they elected to continue with the lease although…
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NSFAF distributes connectivity devices for online learning
06 Oct

NSFAF distributes connectivity devices for online learning

ObserverObserver Money, ,
Helena Johannes The Ministry of Higher Education in collaboration with the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) has spent nearly N$2.3 million for the installation of ICT infrastructure as part of the laptop and data connectivity devices initiative at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), NSFAF acting Chief Executive Officer Kennedy Kandume said. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, October 5, 2020 held at NUST, Kandume said the government in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education will eventually spend N$19.3 million for the laptop initiative and data installation at higher education institutions and the distribution of…
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Auditor General dismisses Vilho’s claims
06 Oct

Auditor General dismisses Vilho’s claims

ObserverObserver Money, , ,
Andrew Kathindi The Auditor General, Junias Kandjeke, has said that the adverse report his office gave the Defense Ministry is not solely based on the competence of the auditor, but on the findings of the auditor based on information provided by the auditee. This comes after the Minister of Defense, Peter Vilho, last week in parliament said that he was unimpressed with the quality of auditors sent by Kandjeke to inspect the military’s books. “Let me state it categorically clear, that the audit opinion is not solely based on the competence of the auditor, but on the findings oThe Auditor…
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03 Oct

The embarrassment over the fish auction

ObserverNational News, ,
The happy dances being done some weeks ago about N$628 million supposedly ‘earned’ in a government fish auction were grossly premature. There were statements made that "now we know the value of our fish stocks." Comparisons to the over-played investor conferences that generated similar glowingly huge numbers of investments "received" (but were not), are apt. No matter how embarrassing it all has been, it is not the whole story. The first win on this, the egg-on-the-face notwithstanding, is that auctioning the fisheries quotas is a good idea. It should be done permanently. The rules for such auctions, however, must change.…
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03 Oct

No to BIG Brotha’ Jauch

ObserverUncategorised,
Jackie Wilson Asheeke Namibia is drowning economically. The IMF is on the way to strangle our fiscal free will. Many of our industries have suffered major collapses. People are on half salaries or furloughed with no salary. Now, here comes the demand for BIG yet again. This baffles me. I feel like the ship is sinking and someone in the boat is demanding that everyone must have free shoes. Herbert Jauch, Chairperson of the Economic and Social Justice Trust has consistently supported BIG. Bravo for this principled position. But, on the issue of BIG, we part company. Handing out free…
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03 Oct

The Thin Blue Line

ObserverUncategorised,
The Time Traveler: Hugh Ellis I sincerely hope the Minister of Justice is wrong. The State of Emergency set up to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic was lifted last week on the night of September 17th. If Namibian social media is anything to go by, the next few days were filled with partying, drinking, non-mask wearing and lack of enforcement of social distancing and sanitising requirements. On September 19th, Minister of Justice Yvonne Dausab tweeted: ‘I too am very concerned. People have completely thrown caution to the wind. Parties are abound. Funerals are crowded. Music is loud. Masks are in…
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