Uncategorised – Page 63 – Windhoek Observer

12 Dec

Santa buried by COVID and Trump

Uncategorised

Jackie Wilson Asheeke In the American media, the only subjects are Donald Trump and the Covid-19 vaccine. In all the Trump/vaccine verbiage, Santa is lost. As I sit in my mom’s house in Delaware during this strange run-up to Christmas and New Year’s holidays, I have been in 14-day self-isolation. During that time, I was able to rest, read and watch media reports from a variety of sources. I was also able to shout my love down the hall from my bedroom to loved ones who came to my wing of the house to say hello. Usually, by this time…

12 Dec

Toll roads will not work in Namibia

UncategorisedRoads Fund Administration (RFA), Toll roads will not work in Namibia

The issue of whether to install toll booths on major thruways in Namibia is not new. As soon as South Africa installed theirs some years back, many here wanted to follow lockstep. Studies were done and the idea was not profitable or feasible. Those championing toll roads could not statistically justify the costs involved in constructing, staffing and maintaining toll roads vs the number of cars on Namibia’s roads. Now, when the pressure is on at in any government agency to find money to subsidize shrinking budgets, the toll road story rises again. Constructing and staffing toll roads in Namibia…

12 Dec

MPs call for unity against destructive locusts

UncategorisedAML, MPs call for unity against destructive locusts, SADC Parliamentary Forum

Moses Magadza Windhoek – Members of Parliament from southern Africa who represent their national parliaments on the SADC Parliamentary Forum are urging SADC Member States to unite against African Migratory Locusts (AML) that have been reported in several countries. Meteorologists have forecasted normal to above normal rainfall in much of the SADC Region during the 2020-2021 crop growing season. The predictions have raised hopes of bumper harvests in a region in which more than 44 million people are food insecure due to droughts and outbreaks of pests and crop diseases. From May 2020, the remarkably destructive AML, which can wipe…

12 Dec

MPs urged to learn from COVID-19 and prioritise healthcare sectors

UncategorisedHuman Social Development and Special Programmes (HSDSP), MPs urged to learn from COVID-19 and prioritise healthcare sectors, Trudi Hartzenberg

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK – As COVID-19 continues to sweep across the world with no immediate end in sight, SADC Members of Parliament have been urged to learn from the pandemic and work towards retaining their healthcare professionals, which has become a major challenge in some countries. Trudi Hartzenberg, the Executive Director of the Trade Law Centre (tralac), made the call recently when she addressed parliamentarians who represent their countries on the Standing Committee on Human Social Development and Special Programmes (HSDSP) of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. The Committee invited Hartzenberg to throw light on the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 as…

12 Dec

New study shows decline in funding for HIV-related human rights work

UncategorisedAIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), Study shows decline in funding for HIV-related human rights work

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK – As the world marked International Human Rights Day on 10 December under the COVID-19 related theme “Recover Better - Stand Up for Human Rights”, a study by the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) showed a steady decline in funding for social enablers. Social enablers include activities that address barriers such as stigma and discrimination, violence, gender inequality and problematic laws and policies which increase the vulnerability of people to HIV and also impede their access to, and retention in services. At the United Nations General Assembly in 2016, world leaders committed to invest…

12 Dec

High Court nullifies southern local authority election results …ECN ordered to meet parties rerun costs

UncategorisedHigh Court nullifies southern local authority election results, Judge Shafimana Ueitele, Landless People’s Movement (LPM)

Andrew Kathindi The High Court today, declared that the results for Aroab, Koës, Stampriet local authorities and Mariental Rural constituency are null and void and set aside. The High Court further dismissed the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) urgent application to oppose the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN)’s case to have the results of those local authorities and rural constituency nullified, after finding irregularities in the way in which the elections had been conducted. Judge Shafimana Ueitele however ordered that ECN should carry the cost for political parties to participate in the rerun of the polls. “The Electoral Commission of Namibia…

12 Dec

COVID second wave hits Namibia ….324 new cases recorded Friday

UncategorisedCenter for Disease Control (CDC), COVID second wave hits Namibia, Dr Eric Dziuban, president Hage Geingob

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) have both warned that Namibia is currently facing a second wave of COVID-19. This comes as the country has registered over 300 cases of COVID-19 over the last two days, with, the highest single day number thus far and five deaths over the last two days. “The second wave has arrived, and we are considering what we can do because people are taking the situation very lightly. This disease is killing people. So, let us take it very seriously,” said President Geingob. CDC Country Director Dr Eric Dziuban…

10 Dec

Whatever your festive, with DStv, you and your family can share the best moments together

UncategorisedDStv, KykNet, MultiChoice Namibia

DStv is overflowing with excitement and an abundance of premium content this festive season. You’re invited to connect with your family and friends and feast on a festive delight of shows and sport to suit any moment. “DStv keeps all customers at the heart of everything we do. keeping customers engaged with amazing content and high anticipation of what lies ahead is key. It is with this in mind that the brand has altered its CI to reflect the hearts of customers, to showcase the vibrancy of the brand while highlighting that it is indeed a local brand that nourishes…

10 Dec

Civil servants need to perform or be cut

UncategorisedCivil servants need to perform, civil service wage bill

Do the people employed in the civil service who treat the public so poorly understand that jobs are scarce and precious? Right now, a job is a valuable commodity. Many people who have endured salary cuts or retrenchments or bankruptcy of their employers are desperate for jobs. Some of those sitting at home unemployed have more skills than many standing behind ministry counters or sitting at agency desks. People who need work would give a lot to replace them. Civil servants need to know that they must do their jobs or be retrenched to save money. The civil service wage…

10 Dec

BoN maintains Repo rate at 3.75 percent

UncategorisedJohannes Gawaxab, Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), Repo rate

Staff Writer The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Namibia has decided to keep the Repo rate unchanged at 3.75 percent. “This decision was taken following a review of global, regional and domestic economic and financial developments. The MPC is of the view that the rate remains appropriate to continue supporting domestic economic activity, while at the same time safeguarding the one-to-one link between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand,” BON Governor, Johannes !Gawaxab announced on Wednesday. !Gawaxab said the domestic economic activity declined during the first ten months of 2020 and is forecasted to register…