Blog – Page 855 – Windhoek Observer

19 Jun

Union denies deal on Pick n Pay retrenchments

ObserverObserver MoneyNamibia Food & Allied Workers Union (NAFAU), Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group

Staff Writer It has emerged Pick n’ Pay could have jumped the gun by announcing plans to retrench 500 employees without reaching an agreement with the Namibia Food & Allied Workers Union (NAFAU). According to Nafau, the union and the retailer owned by the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, were still to engage over the company plans and the retrenchment announcement took it by surprise, a position confirmed by company. This also comes as it emerged that Pick n’ Pay had only communicated plans to retrench 450 employees to the union and not the 500 announced. “We are not in…

18 Jun

President Geingob’s Philosophy is paying off

ObserverUncategorised

…the case of Namibia’s COVID-19 response Lameck Odada Like any other country in the world, Namibia is also dealing with the outbreak of COVID-19 and trying to alleviate what has become a pandemic. With confirmation of the first two cases of COVID-19 in the country on March 14, 2020, President Hage Geingob declared a State of Emergency on March 17, 2020 and directed an immediate lockdown that lasted for 38 days. Among many other crucial decisions was the cancellation of the 30th Independence Day public celebration. Infections flattened at 16 cases with no new cases reported for 45 days, until…

18 Jun

Who decides the meaning of free education?

ObserverNational NewsEducation

Education ministry executive director (ED), Sanet Steenkamp made a remarkable statement (if she was quoted correctly). She said that free education does not necessarily mean that all the needs of learners will be catered for by the government. While we admire the education executive director for managing a very tough job, we must take issue with her here. The ED does not have the remit to tell Namibians what the constitution means. That question is one for the courts. Article 20 (2) of the Constitution says that the State shall provide reasonable facilities to render effective the right to education…

18 Jun

BoN cuts Repo rate to 4%

ObserverUncategorisedDeputy Governor, e Bank of Namibia (BoN), Ebson Uanguta

Staff Writer The Bank of Namibia (BoN) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has cut the Repo rate from 4.25 percent to 4 percent, a move which translates to a cumulative 2.50 percentage point reduction since the beginning of the year. “This decision was taken following a review of global, regional and domestic economic and financial developments. The MPC is of the view that at this level the rate is appropriate to continue supporting domestic economic activity while at the same time safeguarding the one-to-one link between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand,” Deputy Governor of the Bank of Namibia,…

18 Jun

Namibia records two new Covid cases

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Minister of Health and Social Services

Staff Writer The Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula on Wednesday evening announced that Namibia had recorded two additional positive cases of Covid-19 ,bringing the total number of cases to 36. According to the minister, Case 35 is a 26-years old Namibian male, resident of Walvis Bay, who went to the Walvis Bay hospital on 15th June 2020 complaining of cough, difficulty in breathing, headache and fever since the 14 June 2020. “He was picked up by the ambulance on the same day and taken to the hospital. He was screened, swabbed and then admitted in isolation ward.…

18 Jun

Lack of land hamstrings NHE

ObserverObserver MoneyNational Housing Enterprise (NHE), NHE, Public Private Partnership (PPP)

Andrew Kathindi The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) says the lack of land has been a hindrance in delivering on its mandate. Speaking to Windhoek Observer, NHE corporate communications manager, Eric Libongani, said the NHE has no special access and has to compete for land just like private developers, in a country where the scarcity of viable land for housing development is a challenge. “We do not want to look like we are pointing fingers but I think what is critical, we need to realize that the institution that is given the sole mandate on behalf of government to construct houses…

18 Jun

Fishcor boss speaks out

ObserverObserver MoneyFishcor, Paulus Ngalangi

..as Case 33 poses a conundrum for police Andrew Kathindi Fishcor General Manager for Finance Paulus Ngalangi on Wednesday spoke out over his links and involvement with a Covid-19 positive South African suspect arrested by the police in Windhoek’s City Centre over the weekend. Ngalangi whose term ended as Fishcor’s Acting boss in May, said he had transported the suspected who is now in police custody “as a favor” to an unidentified friend and enlisted the services of a police officer, who has been arrested. “I was asked by a friend to collect a gentleman who was stuck with transport…

17 Jun

Nekundi’s taint affects Geingob

ObserverNational NewsFishcor, Veikko Nekundi

In 2017, Deputy Minister of Works and Transport Veikko Nekundi received N$20,000 from a law firm being investigated for receiving and transferring money connected with the Fishrot scandal. And yet, in 2020 he is sworn in as a Member of Parliament and appointed to a deputy minister’s portfolio. We wonder what vetting procedures are undertaken when people are selected for high office. An appointment to serve the country as a Member of Parliament, minister or deputy minister must only be extended to those who hold the highest level of integrity, honesty and love of nation. But, that is not enough.…

17 Jun

Your small business can adapt to COVID-19 hindrance

ObserverUncategorisedBank Windhoek, Covid-19

Loide David The International Monetary Fund’s latest Global Financial Stability Report indicates that financial systems have already felt a dramatic impact during the COVID-19 crisis. In the United States, one of the hardest-hit countries with over two million COVID-19 cases, the effect of the pandemic on businesses has caused it to register close to 40 million job losses. Most of these job losses are from small businesses. Small businesses are privately owned establishments, enterprises, sole proprietorships with fewer employees, and less annual revenue than a regular-sized business or corporation. In a Namibian context, the commercial bank’s regulator, Bank of Namibia,…

17 Jun

Ngwangwama appointed NWR Managing Director

ObserverUncategorisedDr Matthias Mpareke Ngwangwama, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR)

Staff Writer Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) Board of Directors has appointed Dr Matthias Mpareke Ngwangwama as the substantive Managing Director effective 1 April 2020 for a period of five years. Ngwangwama has been acting Managing Director of NWR since 23 April 2019 following the exit of Zelna Hengari. Ngwangwama is no stranger to NWR, having been the longest-serving Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the hospitality company, before taking over as the Chief Officer: Strategy and Projects within the organisation two years ago. "As a board we know we have made the right choice. Being a PhD holder in Business Management…