Observer Money – Page 199

31 Jul

Unions happy with Hage’s school decision

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyNamibia National Teachers Union (NANTU), president Hage Geingob

Andrew Kathindi Namibia National Teachers Union (NANTU) said it is satisfied with President Hage Geingob’s decision to suspend face-to-face teaching for grades 0-9 countrywide. This comes after the union has been in meetings for the last two days over a possible call for the closure of schools out of concern for the rising number of cases around the country. “What directed our focus is the health and safety of everyone involved. The over-populated phase is grade 0-3. Schools that are in the rural and urban areas are not the same. Most of the schools in the northern regions are accommodating…

31 Jul

Fishcor hunts for CEO

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyFishcor, National Fishing Corporation, Public Enterprise Governance Act No. 1 of 2019.

Staff Writer The National Fishing Corporation (Fishcor) which has been operating for more than five months without a substantive head following the arrest of Mike Nghipunya in February has begun the hunt for an interim Chief Executive Officer. The company’s new board is serving for six months until January 2021 and is led by Mihe Goamab II. The successful CEO candidate can either come from internal or external applicants and will receive a 12-month contract, with a possibility of renewal, “upon satisfactory performance.” “We are two weeks into the duration of the Temporary Board mandate and we are appraising the…

31 Jul

New measures for Stage 4 . . . as tourist quarantine conditions revised

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyArandis, Covid-19, Stage 4, Swakopmund, Walvis Ba

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob has declared new measures for stage 4 lockdown restrictions as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country. While the rest of the country will remain under Stage 4 of the lockdown state of emergency restrictions, Erongo Region and the towns of Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Arandis will remain unchanged in Stage 3 until midnight on Monday 31 August. As for the other 14 regions, public gatherings have been reduced from 250 to 100 persons, along with a list of new measures to help battle the spread of COVID-19, including the suspension of face-to-face teaching…

31 Jul

Govt bureaucracy risks lives at Katutura School

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Katutura school

Staff reporter A Katutura school, llGaroeb Primary School, still remains open due to government’s bureaucratic processes despite a teacher having tested positive for COVID-19. This risks the health and lives of learners, teachers and their immediate families. Information gleaned by the Windhoek Observer reveals that a school teacher who had been ill after developing COVID-19 symptoms came to the school on Tuesday to sign her leave form. “She came to the school on Tuesday to fill in her sick leave application form, after the principal called her in to do so. Before that, she was coming to the school the…

31 Jul

Nghipondoka draws the line ahead of announcement

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyArts and Culture, Ministry of Education

…as teachers unions meet Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture has maintained its announcement on the final stage of the resumption of face to face teaching on Friday will not be swayed by teachers unions. This comes as the ministry and unions have found themselves on opposing ends on various occasions when it comes to class resumptions, with the Namibia National Teachers Union (NANTU) and other unions held up in consultations Thursday, amid indications that they want to call for the suspension of all face-to-face teaching. The final phase of face-to-face teaching includes the grade 8 to…

29 Jul

COVID-19 claims another victim

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyHealth Minister Shangula Kalumbi, Windhoek

…as virus unleashes on Windhoek Andrew Kathindi COVID-19 has claimed another victim as the death toll rises. This brings the death toll to nine in the country as the virus continues to spiral upwards. There are concerns about government’s ability to clamp down on the trend. “I am reporting a COVID-19 related death from Walvis Bay. A 44 year-old female presented to Walvis Bay State Hospital on 21st July 2020 with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. She had other chronic medical conditions. She was tested while on admission and the results came out positive. Her condition gradually deteriorated and we lost…

29 Jul

Govt’s loan repayment dilemma

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCirrus Securities Economist, Eurobond, IMF, Robert McGregor

Staff Writer Namibia’s plan to borrow from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help finance its N$21.4 billion deficit could create a repayment predicament if the N$4.5 billion loan is granted. This comes as it emerged that the majority of government debt maturities lie in the next few years, with the first Eurobond maturing in late 2021. “The timeline for repayment is the only real area of any concern, being in 3¼ to 5 years – right between Namibia’s two Eurobond maturities and with a public debt profile where the majority of maturities lie in the next few years. Overall,…

29 Jul

Community transmission cases emerge

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyMinister of Health Kalumbi Shangula, Windhoek

… as cases force organications to close Andrew Kathindi The Minister of Health Kalumbi Shangula has warned that community cases without known contacts or travel history have started popping up around the country. “This means that people are becoming infected in their localities, during their everyday activities,” he said. Shangula said behavioral change was the only solution that can allow the spread of the virus to be contained in community transmission cases. “It is time for all Namibians to change our behaviors and do everything we can to reduce our risk. We have seen in Walvis Bay how serious the…

29 Jul

CRAN upholds decision on CoW licence

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCRAN, MTC, Paratus, Windhoek

Staff Writer The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) on Tuesday upheld its decision to award a Class Comprehensive Telecommunications Service Licence to the City of Windhoek. The telecommunication sector regulator has, however, imposed additional licence conditions to the CoW licence to address stakeholder concerns around fair competition and infrastructure sharing. This comes after Paratus and MTC among other telecommunication companies had objected to the award, resulting in them appealing the regulators decision. “After careful consideration of the various and valid observations and comments raised by stakeholders, CRAN upholds its decision of 29 April 2020, and awards the Municipal Council…

27 Jul

Shangula hits back at Haufiku

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyBernard Haufiku, Health Minister, Kalumbi Shangula

Andrew Kathindi A war of words has erupted between Health Minister, Kalumbi Shangula, and his predecessor, Bernard Haufiku, after the minister hit back at Haufiku’s comments recently made on how government had botched its COVID-19 response. In a recent interview with Windhoek Observer, Haufiku said that he had presented several scenarios to the Health ministry in April on how to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country; however, his suggestions were ignored. However, Shangula has not taken kindly to Haufiku’s claims, stating that the COVID-19 task team, which he heads as minister, was under no obligation to follow the…