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Gawaxab appointed BoN Governor

Gawaxab appointed BoN Governor

Staff Writer President Hage Geingob on Tuesday appointed veteran financial guru, Johannes Gawaxab as the new Governor of the Bank of Namibia effective June 1, 2020. “I congratulate you Johannes Gawaxab on your appointment and appreciate your willingness to bring your talents and experience of the financial services sector towards our tireless effort in building a united inclusive and prosperous Namibian house,” the President said. The move by Geingob to appoint Gawaxab to the helm of the apex banks comes after the head of state side-stepped long serving Bank of Namibia Deputy Governor, Ebson Uanguta who has been in his…
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Govt ponders Air Namibia, NWR, NAC bailout

Govt ponders Air Namibia, NWR, NAC bailout

Staff Writer Government, through the Ministry of Finance is considering a proposal from the Ministry of Public Enterprises to come to the aid of three parastatals which have had their operations severely affected by the global coronavirus outbreak. The three, Air Namibia, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) and Namibia Airports Company (NAC), are said to be in need of funding to meet their monthly wage bills, amounts expected to run into millions. This comes as Air Namibia is currently not generating any income after grounding its fleet, while NAC which generates revenues by managing the country’s airports has been forced to…
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Police to investigate Swapo over party

Police to investigate Swapo over party

Staff Writer Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday laid charges against the ruling Swapo Party for violating national lockdown regulations when it hosted a party to mark its 60th anniversary. The birthday party which was attended by current President Hage Geingob, Founding President Sam Nujoma and Former President Hifikepunye Pohamba among others has been condemned by the opposition party amid concern the action of the ruling party violated set down lock down regulations against gatherings. “How do you go against your own regulations as a party and government, and expect the citizens to adhere to the regulations. They contravened the…
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578,863 apply for N$750 grant

578,863 apply for N$750 grant

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

Vivo Energy Namibia boosts COVID-19 Fight with fuel donation

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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The Time Traveler: Fake news!

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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Observatory: Lockdown breeds hopelessness among northerners

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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SHOUT OUT: Something to think about in lockdown

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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COVID should change how the world views Africa

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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Don’t limit yourself to being good or bad

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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