National News – Page 433 – Windhoek Observer

15 Oct

Bullying is normal in Namibia

ObserverNational NewsBullying, Child, ICT, Namibia

A 14-year-old boy just killed a 15-year-old boy who, reports claim, was bullying him. Murder and violence can never be excused, but it must be understood with an eye towards curbing similar actions in the future. When anyone gets pushed to their breaking point, a reaction will result. And yet, most people push that truth away. Most Namibians do not correctly label bullying. They make excuses for brutality and ill-treatment. The battle against the bullies must start at home. As of now, in Namibia, bullying is normal. According to www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org, bullying is defined as when someone is being hurt either…

14 Oct

Dealing with asylum seekers in the new normal

ObserverNational NewsNGOs, UN High Commissioner on Refugees

The recent arrival of more than 50 refugees from the DRC and Burundi to Katima Mulilo raises questions during a pandemic. What is our adjusted policy to deal with untested, non-quarantined asylum seekers that rock up? As much as Namibia is noble for welcoming Africans running for their lives from violence in their home countries, the government’s first obligation is the safety and security of its own people. The influx of untested people that lack the capacity to follow national protective measures (no masks, no social spacing, and no handwashing) carries a risk for Namibians. Can we be our brother…

13 Oct

Boys with toys are dangerous

ObserverNational NewsGender Based Violence (GBV)

When boys have toys, they use them whether it is necessary or not. People manhandled, gassed, beaten and arrested over the weekend at a march in Windhoek were victims of police boys with their new toys trying to be macho. These poorly trained law enforcement officers had no idea how to de-escalate a complicated volatile situation. The protests of mostly young women and minors against Gender Based Violence (GBV) could have been managed in many different ways, but the officers involved preferred using their toys. And, of course, they made a mess of it. We have the suspicion that the…

10 Oct

Remove the crutch of foreign consultants

ObserverNational NewsAgribusdev, Namibia Civil Aviation Authority, Namibians

There is nothing inherently wrong with hiring qualified foreign consultants for a specific task. The problem is that the country surrenders to these consultants rather than inculcate the skills. We do not ensure that our own people learn what is being done by consultants so that we need not import the same skills set repeatedly. Until we commit to using foreign skills only as a tool to strengthen the country, rather than a crutch to weaken it, this will be a controversial issue. This issue is not new; many have been complaining about Namibian dependence on foreign skills for decades.…

09 Oct

The remains in the dunes

ObserverNational NewsShannon Wasserfall, Walvis Bay

The recent grisly discovery of human remains in a shallow grave at Walvis Bay near the C14 roadblock is a tragedy. This sad situation is one of many involving the death, rape, beating, and disappearances of young women in Namibia. When will we value women and girls enough to stop preying on them? While an official DNA test on the remains in the dunes must be done to legally make the identification, it has been widely speculated that Shannon Wasserfall, missing since April 10th, has now been found. The family and numerous friends of Shannon were actively reminding the nation…

08 Oct

Removing incumbents changes nothing …candidates in regions and local authorities should face direct elections

ObserverNational NewsNamibia

We trust that the regional electors of the various parties understand that Namibia operates under a party system. The individuals sitting on town councils and in regional bodies could be anyone; it is the party that holds the seat, not the individual. When people who have been holding seats are not returned via their primaries to vie for those seats again, the policies, (failed or not) will be exactly the same. If a region has no investments or high unemployment or escalating municipal bills or poor service delivery it is the party platform of the party of those on the…

07 Oct

It’s about competence first, then age

ObserverNational NewsNamibia, Namibians

The days of people in powerful positions who are incompetent, unskilled, unaware, and with no new ideas are numbered. Namibia is in desperate straits. Those chosen to lead in politics and business must be the best and brightest. No other criteria, including age, gender or ethnic background, should take precedence. There is no doubt that we have too many people in top positions in Namibia that have passed their prime. It is sad to see prize fighters or world-class athletes that stay on for too long. We all remember their past powerful performances and are saddened to see them limp…

06 Oct

PDM Youth – The death penalty solves nothing

ObserverNational NewsPDM, Popular Movement for Democracy (PDM)

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…

03 Oct

The embarrassment over the fish auction

ObserverNational Newsfish auction, fisheries, Government

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.…

30 Sep

Hold candidates accountable; demand the details!

ObserverNational Newscandidates

As the campaign season gears up for local and regional elections, it is time for the voting public to hold parties accountable and demand the details. People need to ask a simple question after every generalized comment made by political parties. “How do you plan to do that?” This question will separate the wheat from the chaff. Politicians must have a plan or strategy that makes sense. They must be recorded and held accountable when/if they do not deliver. It is easy to stand on a stage and say anything that pleases the crowd. Politicians often change their promises and…