Observer Money – Page 195

01 Sep

Govt rules out SOE bailout … as Air Namibia remains grounded

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Public Enterprises minister Leon Jooste

Staff Writer Public Enterprises minister Leon Jooste maintains that the government has no immediate plans to bailout any State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) despite a number that have been hard hit by the negative impacts of COVID-19. This comes as SOEs such as Air Namibia have already raised alarm bells. The national carrier already had an existing precarious financial position which was made worse by the pandemic. Jooste, however, said the government going forward maybe be forced to come to the aid of some SOEs if the negative effects of COVID-19 become prolonged. “We are monitoring the situation continuously and assessing…

01 Sep

Parents support schools reopening – Ministry … as union approaches Prime Minister again

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyEducation Executive Director, Erongo, Karas, Khomas, Otjozondjupa, Sanet Steenkamp

Andrew Kathindi The Education Ministry maintains that 64 percent of participants in its survey on the best way to proceed with learning amidst the pandemic indicated a desire to return to face-to-face teaching. This comes as Namibia National Teachers Union (NANTU) is set to meet the Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa on Tuesday to voice its displeasure at President Hage Geingob’s announcement that grades 0-9 should reopen for face-to-face teaching on 7 September. According to the Ministry, it received feedback from 18,000 respondents. Of these 8,712 were parents; 4, 778 teachers and 2,820 learners while 1,565 were community members, drawn mostly…

29 Aug

Gvt suspends solidarity, wealth tax plans

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Solidarity Tax, sovereign wealth fund, wealth tax

Andrew Kathindi The solidarity wealth tax which was proposed over two years ago by then Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein has been dropped due to lack of support, the Agriculture, Water and Land Minister has revealed. In its place, a “proper” wealth tax was proposed before his change in portfolio; however that too was met with opposition and has since been put on the back burner due to COVID-19. Finance Ministry spokesperson Tonateni Shidhudhu said the wealth tax has been set aside to focus on other options. “The Wealth Tax and the Solidarity Tax were just ideas to augment the revenue…

29 Aug

Namibia placed under national curfew ..as the country opens borders to tourists

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyArandis, president Hage Geingob, STAGE 3, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob has extended stage 3 lockdown measures currently in place across the country’s 14 regions for an additional period of 14 days. The President has also extended the curfew, which was introduced on 13 August and currently being enforced in Erongo and Khomas regions, between 8PM and 5AM daily, to all 14 regions across the country. This comes as Geingob announced that Namibia has recorded five more COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the national death toll to 65. Namibia currently has the highest rate of new infections per population on the continent, and there are now confirmed…

28 Aug

Fish quota auction raises N$630m

info_e12wt4csObserver Money

Staff Writer The government has raised N$628 million from the auction of its fishing quota as part of efforts to generate income to fund COVID-19 related expenditure, the Ministry of Finance announced on Thursday. Finance minister, Iipumbu Shiimi said the auction had attracted increased scrutiny amid transparency concerns after it was announced. He said, “Section 3(3) of the Marine Resources Act, Act No 27 of 2000 as amended, makes provision for the State to utilize or harvest marine resources to advance any social economic, cultural or other governmental objectives in the public interest.” The minister reiterated that government had managed…

28 Aug

‘Good riddance’: Shaningwa on resignations

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyAffirmative Repositioning (AR), Job Amupanda, Knowledge Iipinge, Panduleni Iitula, SWAPO

Andrew Kathindi Swapo party Secretary General (SG) Sophia Shaningwa has said good riddance after a number of opinionated, outspoken youthful members, including Job Amupanda, officially resigned as members of the ruling party on Wednesday. The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader along with a number of former Swapo party youth league members, including Walvis Bay constituency councilor Knowledge Iipinge, officially left the party in a coordinated effort on Heroes’ Day, attributing their decision to not wanting to be associated with the “corrupt” Swapo party. Shaningwa, however, welcomed their departure, stating that it was a “headache off her shoulders as a Secretary General…

26 Aug

Tourism revival measures announced

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Forestry and Tourism, Immigration, Minister of Health and Social Services, Minister of Home Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Safety and Security

Staff Writer The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has announced protocols guiding the international tourism revival initiative which comes into effect next month. The initiative is a government plan aimed at providing a lifeline to the country’s tourism sector which is on the verge of collapse due to the closure of the borders as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. This announcement comes after two failed attempts by government to open the borders to international tourist arrivals due to increases in infection rates in different parts of the country. In addition, the working group of the…

26 Aug

No special treatment for Fishrot seven . . . as Windhoek Central Prison cases break 100

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCommissioner General, COVID, Erongo, Henties Bay, Raphael Hamunyela, Windhoek Central Prison

Andrew Kathindi Head of the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) Commissioner General, Raphael Hamunyela has ruled out any special treatment for the Fishrot seven amid rising COVID-19 cases at Windhoek Central Prison where they are currently incarcerated. “Our mandate is to ensure the safe, secure and humane custody of inmates. We do not mistreat any person. And we also do not offer special treatment to any intimate. All the people, when they come to the correctional service are treated equally. You are just an inmate; you are not given any other title,” Hamunyela told Windhoek Observer. He added that the high-profile…

25 Aug

Corona disrupts RDP corruption investigations

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyHealth Minister Kalumbi Shangula, Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)

Andrew Kathindi President of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) Mike Kavekotora has said that the party’s internal investigations of party members Brunhilde Cornelius and Nicanor Ndjoze, who are fingered in bribery allegations, have been disrupted by the recently imposed travel restrictions in Windhoek. Last month, Cornelius, who is the RDP Secretary General and City of Windhoek (CoW) councilor, claimed in a report by Al Jazeera that Ndjoze, RDP’s secretary for transport had offered her a bribe so that she would not oppose a 5G partnership between the City of Windhoek and Chinese mobile giant Huawei. “We have asked…

25 Aug

Police warn over rising COVID cases . . . as Windhoek numbers continue to rise

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyKhomas regional police commander Joseph Shikongo

Andrew Kathindi Khomas regional police commander Joseph Shikongo has warned that if residents don’t adhere to curfew rules, the president could issue new rules that would take the city back to stage 2 of the State of Emergency lockdown. The entire country is currently in Stage 3 of the lockdown. However on 12 July, Erongo and Khomas had to adhere to a curfew from 20H00 to 05H00 as decided by President Hage Geingob after cases in the capital city began to rise at an alarming rate. “Right now, there is no guarantee. I had a meeting with the governor of…