Observer Money – Page 175 – Windhoek Observer

16 Oct

No plans to close Fishcor

ObserverObserver MoneyFinance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi, Fishcor, Public Enterprise Minister Leon Jooste

Andrew Kathindi Public Enterprise Minister Leon Jooste has no plans to close the doors on Fishcor after the Fisheries and Finance Ministers vowed to forge ahead with auctioning off quotas it previously allocated to Fishcor. Earlier this month, Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi announced that government only managed to get a paltry $8.4 million from an initial N$627.9 million worth of bids for its fishing quotas. This however has not deterred the Fisheries and Finance Ministry as they will forge ahead with a new round of auctions. “I believe that there are various options available to continue with the operations of…

16 Oct

Govt approves 100% passport fee hike

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs Executive Director Etienne Maritz

Clifton Movirongo The Ministry of Home Affairs has received government approval to increase passport application fees by 100 percent. The cabinet approval will see fees increase from the current N$200 to N$400. Ministry of Home Affairs Executive Director Etienne Maritz told the Windhoek Observer the planned price hike comes as the validity period for the passports has increased from five to ten years, with more pages included in the booklet. “Inflation and the cost for the passports are the major reasons for the increase. So, we are still in the process as our legal people are busy drafting the proclamation…

15 Oct

Namibia opens more borders

ObserverObserver MoneyFrans Kapofi, Home Affairs minister, Hosea Kutako International Airport

Clifton Movirongo Namibia has opened four more entry/exit points in the country as it moves to relax its COVID-19 border restrictions in a bid to revive the tourism industry and ease cross-border trade conditions. The move by the Home Affairs ministry comes as Hosea Kutako International Airport was designated as the sole entry/exit point in the country under the tourism revival initiative. “Tourists and travellers can now enter and depart the country by land and sea through the reopened borders, subject to applicable health regulations. The provisions have only been made for Ariamsvlei, Katima Mulilo, and the Noordoewer border posts…

15 Oct

DNA test confirms Shannon’s remains

ObserverObserver MoneyDNA, Shannon Wasserfall

Andrew Kathindi Police have confirmed that the remains that were discovered in a shallow grave in Walvis Bay on Tuesday 6 October are those of Shannon Wasserfall. “On Friday, October 9, 2020, a breakthrough was made on the basis of fingerprint comparison which resulted that a print (not completely decomposed) from the human remain is identical to the fingerprints on the application form of identity of a certain Shannon Ndatega Wasserfall,” Head of the Namibian Police Criminal Investigations, Commissioner Moritz !Naruseb said. This comes after 28-year old Azaan Madisia was detained before being officially charged with murder and obstruction of…

15 Oct

GBV protestors demand govt meeting …as questions swell around PM’s promises

ObserverObserver Money#ShutItAllDownNamibia, Gender Based Violence (GBV), Justice Minister, Yvonne Dausab

Andrew Kathindi Organizers of the protest against gender-based violence (GBV), which has been ongoing since last week, have threatened to continue with “disruptions” should government fail to meet them for an official engagement. This comes after government was forced to implement several new measures in the fight against gender-based violence in a response to a petition handed over to government through the Justice Minister, Yvonne Dausab, on Thursday last week. The organizers have requested to meet government in order to strengthen the measures that were announced by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa in parliament on Tuesday 13 October. “To facilitate such…

14 Oct

COVID-19: WHO urges MPs to unite and build strong health systems

ObserverObserver MoneyDr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Members of Parliament, SADC Parliamentary Forum

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – The Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has implored SADC Members of Parliament to unite and build resilient health systems, saying they are “the best defence against any health emergency”. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the plea on Sunday in a pre-recorded video message to MPs virtually attending the 47th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. He stressed that unity among the region’s lawmakers regardless of political affiliation as well as collaboration of member states would galvanise national and regional responses to the pandemic. COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more…

14 Oct

Namibia reports 31 new Hepatitis E Cases

ObserverObserver MoneyHepatitis E Virus (HEV), Namibia Red Cross Society

Clifton Movirongo Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) continues to spread in the country, with 31 new cases reported from 06-17 September 2020 compared to 29 cases reported in the previous reporting period, 10-23 August 2020. According to the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), as of 20 September 2020, a cumulative total of 7,966 HEV cases were reported since the outbreak was declared in December 2017. Khomas Region according to Ministry of Health figures accounts for the highest number of cases at 62 percent followed by Erongo Region with 21 percent of the cases. The remaining 17 percent of reported…

14 Oct

Government promises rafts of GBV reforms

ObserverObserver MoneyMinister of Justice, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa Amadhila, Yvonne Dausab

Helena Johannes The government has been forced to implement a raft of new measures to fight Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country as a response to a petition that was handed by protestors to Minister of Justice, Yvonne Dausab last week. Some of the new measures will include the establishment of a Sexual and GBV Offences Court, reviewing of sentencing laws for sex offenders, expedition of current murder and sexual offence trials, reviewing current prisoners in the correctional services system in order to separate known repeat offenders, capacitate forensic investigators and experts and the provision of remote and mobile…

13 Oct

COVID-19 wakeup call: Vice President

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Namibia’s Vice President Nangolo Mbumba

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – Namibia’s Vice President Nangolo Mbumba has said that the ongoing COVID-19 is “a wakeup call” and the SADC Region’s Members of Parliament must adapt to the new norm. He made the remarks when he officially opened the virtual 47th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum on Friday. “It is evident, that COVID-19 pandemic is a wakeup call to all of us - Governments, Parliaments and the citizenry all over the world. In the rude rush to respond to the novel pandemic, in some instances, responses were knee-jerk and suffered from experimentation,” the VP…

13 Oct

Kudos for Namibia’s COVID-19 response

ObserverObserver MoneySADC PF Vice President Senator Isaac Mmemo Magagula, Vice President Nangolo Mbumba

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – Namibia’s response to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has drawn praise and admiration, with a top delegate during the 47th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), saying it “offers priceless lessons to be shared”. While thanking Namibia’s Vice President Nangolo Mbumba for officially opening the Plenary which was held virtually from last Friday, SADC PF Vice President Senator Isaac Mmemo Magagula, hailed Namibia for innovatively using data and science to respond to the pandemic. “It would be remiss of me not take this opportunity to salute the Government of the Republic…