Namibia's young derivative trader

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Namibia's young derivative traderFinancial markets fundi A young Namibian financial analyst is using his blog to teach Namibian youth and people around the globe to understand financial markets.

Since 2012, I've been following financial markets. I am blessed to have engaged and received thumbs up on my journey from Innovus Innovation Agency in South Africa, from Mertceh's founder Francois van Niekerk, Naspers chairman Koos Bekker, and Colin Coleman, managing director of Goldman Sachs International, South Africa. Through my research, in 2015 I identified Namibia's looming economic woes, several quarters ahead of the technical recession. In 2016, I also predicted South Africa's downgrade. I also remember how I created a model for cattle to be exported with the use of derivatives when drought in Namibia was at its worst; this was necessary to manage price risk.

It is a fact that derivates are extremely complex and can be used for a number of purposes. As a result, I can find a way to trade exposure to any instrument on worldwide financial markets. I am currently trading FX derivate. During the last six months, I've been tracking commodities and precious metal including oil and gold respectively. I want Namibians to learn about financial markets otherwise we can never take charge of our own gross domestic product growth and personal wealth. We have financial institutions with many initiatives like FNB's 100 million special SME fund, money maximiser and the business 48-hour investment product. This is proof that it is time to be more proactive with our finances, especially us, the youth. We have also seen things such as the financial literacy initiative and special workshops training women on finance, I am going to do my part to keep the ball rolling because The Harambee Prosperity Plan needs everybody's input.

I am going to train 100 Namibians how to trade, starting with forex, and what financial institutions can assist us with to manage our business and personal finances. So far, I have 271 members on my blog learning, from all over the world. I would like to cap the total at 500. We should beware that there are many foreigners who claim trading, especially foreign currency, and a way to become a millionaire and some who flaunt flashy things in order to convince you to part with your money. There is a difference between the real and the make believe. I have a fiduciary responsibility to protect people's financial wellbeing. These foreign players should abide by exchange controls and respect the sound Namibian financial system. I shall rather teach people how to become wealthier over time, but by using the right risk models. It is true the past week I made over 17% return, but that is an attribute of my research. I am going to start sharing my research with my students.

I constantly share some tips on my blog: blackstreetworldwide.wordpress.com and this is where I teach those who subscribe. I am also available on Instagram as PhillipoWorldwide.

PHILLIP LIKANDO

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Namibian youth visit the USA

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Namibian youth visit the USA Juandré Nell from Windhoek and Nerisha van Wyk and Pawaopeni Andrian from Keetmanshoop had an opportunity to take part in the Pan-African Youth Leadership Programme (PAYLP) in the April cohort that took place from 8-29 April. PAYLP is implemented by the Meridian International Centre and fully sponsored by the United States Department of State. This year, Meridian will host two more cohorts in July and August.

In every cohort, different countries from Africa are invited. In this cohort, Namibia, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Swaziland participated. Only three to five youth, 15-18 years old got the opportunity to attend. They were chosen based on the interest that they showed in community development as well as their desires to make a difference.

PAYLP consisted of three parts. Firstly, they visited Washington, D.C. Here, they attended leadership and action planning workshops at the Meridian House, hosted the Meridian staff. They also visited the Washington Monument, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Statues, the Capitol State building and the White House! For the second part, they split into two groups and went to Austin, Texas and Muncie, Indiana. They stayed with lovely host families for two weeks and experienced the American lifestyle of those specific states. The “PAYLPers” attended more workshops including entrepreneurship, collaboration and community development at Ball State University in Muncie and the University of Texas in Austin. The workshops were delivered by lecturers of the universities as well as vital people from the communities. The youth also took part in some community service activities and spent the weekends with their host families. “They were amazing people and taught me so much”, said Nerisha.

Throughout the programme, each country had to work on action plan projects. This taught them to identify problems within their communities and carefully plan on how to tackle it through a project. In conclusion of the programme, they went to Chicago, Illinois where they presented their action plans to a panel who advised them on how to improve their projects. The Namibian group focused their project on the youth. “To uplift each other in every aspect of life”, is Pawaopeni's wish for Namibia's youth.

This programme has helped the future of Africa to realise the immense potential within. It has taught them the incredible power of commitment. Now, as one indestructible network, they need to challenge the power of influence.

Africa is rising – for sure.

JUANDRÉ NELL

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Namibian youth visit the USA

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Namibian youth visit the USA

Juandré Nell from Windhoek and Nerisha van Wyk and Pawaopeni Andrian from Keetmanshoop had an opportunity to take part in the Pan-African Youth Leadership Programme (PAYLP) in the April cohort that took place from 8-29 April. PAYLP is implemented by the Meridian International Centre and fully sponsored by the United States Department of State. This year, Meridian will host two more cohorts in July and August.

In every cohort, different countries from Africa are invited. In this cohort, Namibia, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Swaziland participated. Only three to five youth, 15-18 years old got the opportunity to attend. They were chosen based on the interest that they showed in community development as well as their desires to make a difference.

PAYLP consisted of three parts. Firstly, they visited Washington, D.C. Here, they attended leadership and action planning workshops at the Meridian House, hosted the Meridian staff. They also visited the Washington Monument, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Statues, the Capitol State building and the White House! For the second part, they split into two groups and went to Austin, Texas and Muncie, Indiana. They stayed with lovely host families for two weeks and experienced the American lifestyle of those specific states. The “PAYLPers” attended more workshops including entrepreneurship, collaboration and community development at Ball State University in Muncie and the University of Texas in Austin. The workshops were delivered by lecturers of the universities as well as vital people from the communities. The youth also took part in some community service activities and spent the weekends with their host families. “They were amazing people and taught me so much”, said Nerisha.

Throughout the programme, each country had to work on action plan projects. This taught them to identify problems within their communities and carefully plan on how to tackle it through a project. In conclusion of the programme, they went to Chicago, Illinois where they presented their action plans to a panel who advised them on how to improve their projects. The Namibian group focused their project on the youth. “To uplift each other in every aspect of life”, is Pawaopeni’s wish for Namibia’s youth.

This programme has helped the future of Africa to realise the immense potential within. It has taught them the incredible power of commitment. Now, as one indestructible network, they need to challenge the power of influence.

Africa is rising – for sure.

JUANDRÉ NELL

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Namibian youth visit the USA

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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What will our generation be known for?

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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What will our generation be known for? Do you ever wonder what our generation will be known for? Does the thought cross your mind as often as it does mine? With the great amount of evolution that has taken place since the beginning of time, what will we be known for?

Will it be individualism? Because we are selfish… we are only willing to do or say things that benefit us in a way. We are into constantly taking selfies because it's all about “me, me, me, me”. Yet, we can't even begin to genuinely love ourselves. So, we can get the likes and followers that surprisingly build our self-esteem and be widely known for nothing special and these likes also have the power to tear us down.

Or, the lack of originality in our fashion and music is rife? This includes the high-waist jeans and shorts, old-school vans, songs with samples from older songs or remixes of old songs. We are repeating creations that are older than us. Bringing back the past, and reinventing it into a more modernised version. But in actual sense, it's not original. We aren't creating anything new anymore.

Or will it be self-destruction? You know that because we burn our livers and poison our lungs all because it's cool and feels temporarily good. Everyone wants to be cool, wants to be praised for being themselves... except it's not really ourselves - it's a façade. Or, the fact that we cut our wrists open so we can somehow feel pain in physical and not internal pain. We cut our wrists open because someone famous or cool did it and we want to relate to them.

Or is it our advanced technology and hunger for innovation? The same devices rob us of our lives. They have our eyes glued to a screen, now available in a small portable size, medium portable size or large stationary and comfortable size. These devices offer everything from shopping, conversations, books and music etc. We don't need to go out and find someone so that we can actually talk or go to the mall to buy clothes. We can do everything on a screen suitable to you. Isn't it sad how technology, has us in its hands so easily? We are confined to four walls that keep us from the real world and from what really matters. Instead, it brainwashes us. We are fed with altered information and news and information about other people like us except for their fame and power.

Or will we be known for our lack of togetherness? We easily dismiss others because of the different skin colours or financial status. We can't accept everyone for who they are. People are the only ones considered to have the right to a life. The human race is the only one allowed to roam and practically own everything while other species living with us are our food, clothes or entertainment. They are beneath us instead of being with us. We label ourselves with meaningless ranks be it political or religious. Either way, there's always one side that's superior or this happens to be the great blockade to the term 'Together'. We disregard each other because of religion yet, when if we study carefully, Allah, God, Buddha and the higher self all connect to God who is the creator of all. Or culture, when we always want to compare everything and create division by trying to find which one is better.

Or, will we be known for the destruction of our planet? We raise animals for consumption not knowing that this causes more greenhouse gases than the millions of cars and trucks releasing dangerous gases into the air. We cut down our trees to build structures when in reality, there is no architectural structure as beautiful as the green trees on this planet. We throw trash into the oceans with little concern as long as the trash is removed from our land.

Or maybe we will be known for the lack of compassion? We don't know how to feel empathy anymore. We only care about ourselves because in this world it's all about “survival” which brings us back to the lack of together. Humankind is the only species that kills everything else including its own. Many cases of murders dominate the newspapers and television more than numbers of people who attend a Sunday service. Men are killing women and depriving them of the human experience they were supposed to enjoy. We kill animals, to eat them or kill them so we wear their skin? We steal their destiny to experience a life, because we lack the one thing we are meant to be “humane”. We've forgotten who we are and it's sad.

So ask yourself what you really want our generation to be known for and what you are currently doing about it. Or, will you be the change you want to see? Even though we are considered to be reckless or, if we are considered to be brainwashed, ignorant and negligent, we may be blindly following politicians and big corporations. But, I believe that maybe, just maybe, we will be able to do something big and important. If only we opened our minds and not our mouths to speak louder than the other. We want to be heard yet no one wants to listen.

MELANIE TUWELO

*Melanie Tuwelo is 18 years old and repeating Grade 12 at Hope Rise Private College in Windhoek.

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A stroke of art

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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A stroke of artA young sketcher explains why people should appreciate art Hendrik Thetete uses coffee and pencil sketches to re-imagine the world through the stroke of his pencil. He talks to The Zone about his passion, future and why art is important for every society.

Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when one grows up.” The statement made by the legendary and highly celebrated painter speaks directly to the story of Hendrik Thetete, a painter who has been sketching for the past four years and dreams of doing it professionally.

The former St Boniface learner is an economics student at the University of Namibia and has a passion for visual arts. “I love to draw everything and what I draw is inspired by what I see,” said Thetete.

His story is a cliché he says. He tells The Zone he started drawing at a very young age. “I started off by cutting magazine pages and I would draw the pictures I saw on those pages on my own… that is where it all started,” said Thetete. He says in 2008, when he started school at St Boniface, his passion for drawing phased out because he had to concentrate on his academics. “I did not get time to do anything else and I stopped drawing until a point when I forgot I had this talent,” recalls Thetete.

Years later, he started seeing sketches of some of his favourite artists on social media and that inspired him to work on his own material as well. “In 2014, I saw paintings by a Brazilian painter and I decided to get back into drawing. I was just inspired to express my talent and let the world know about it,” said Thetete. The artist says he initially started drawing for his friends and family and just for “fun” but he has tremendous talent and he now earns money for his sketches. “I started off by drawing for my friends and family and I just decided to turn my passion into a business and it is working out well so far,” said Thetete.

The economics student says he initially chose to study economics because he was not aware he could make a living from his artistic talent. “I started doing economics because I was not really aware I could do something else besides something that I could study for, but now I know that through my art I can also make a living,” shared Thetete.

The pencil sketch artist says he specialises in three-dimensional (3D) sketching and drawing paintings by using coffee. “I love realistic paintings and that is why my paintings are centred around 3D because, they are more creative and artistically challenging to draw,” said Thetete. He says he wanted to challenge himself artistically and decided to draw with coffee also to distinguish himself from the crop of other sketchers in the country. “Coffee paintings just amaze me and it is sort of unique because not a lot of people can paint with coffee so coffee-based paintings is my stand-out technique,” shared Thetete. The painter says he gets requests from people through social media platforms and that is how he managed to keep his passion for sketching alive. “Every week I get requests from people to draw pictures or portraits for them and sometimes get overbooked, it is actually a good thing for me,” said Thetete. The sketcher says not even technology can replace the work that painters do because what they draw is authentic. “You see there are more and more apps that turn people's photos into the kind of sketches we draw, but that will never replace our work because what we do is authentic and raw and it is actually real work done with a lot of desire,” said Thetete. He gets a lot of joy when he draws something and shows it to his clients. “Some people actually cry when I give them their sketches and that just pushes me to work hard and excel at what I do,” said Thetete.

The visual artist says he enjoys drawing realistic sketches based on objects that he sees compared to sketches that he “imagines” or thinks of. “Drawing something is not easy because it comes out of you and not everyone can do that. What I usually like to draw is objects that I see because it is really amazing when you can take anything real and put it on paper and even make it look better than it does physically,” said Thetete.

For Thetete, drawing is not only a passion, but is something that is therapeutic and almost religious. “Before I start drawing I usually tell myself to draw what I think and not what the actual object looks like and I usually take long walks to get inspiration and to get pumped up,” said Thetete. On average he says he sketches take about eight hours to finish. “It's a process and it is not easy but my sketches take about eight hours,” said Thetete.

He says that Namibians still need to warm up to the idea of art being considered something very important or as a career. “You know it is Namibia and you need to work hard, especially in the arts industry to get where you want, because people still do not take artists or the art we do seriously, but there is room for improvement and many people are actually open-minded about what we do,” said Thetete.

He emphasised that art is a very important aspect in every society and that it even affects the lives of those who do not appreciate it. “Everything you see from movies, music and buildings they are all forms of art. We entertain shelter and care for many people through the use of art and that is what many people do not get. Art is very important. It is just a pity that people do not think highly of it,” said Thetete.

The young artist says he has plans of exhibiting some of his paintings in the near future. “At some point I would like to get my own art gallery to exhibit my art, but getting there is not easy. I will keep on pushing until that is a dream come true,” said Thetete.

SHONA NGAVA

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'I am valid'

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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'I am valid'Juggling academic, motherhood and professional needs Beaulah Boois has used the obstacles that littered her life path as stepping stones to climb not only the corporate ladder, but also to achieve what she is most passionate about in life.

Beaulah Boois is a dedicated and hardworking young lady who overcame adversity and challenges with what seems like remarkable ease. After high school, Boois studied Dental Technology in Cape Town at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) but she has abandoned the dental field to follow her passion in public relations. “After four years I needed to change my field of study to follow my dream of working in the media,” she said. Boois enrolled at the University of Namibia (Unam) to pursue her dream and opted for an Honours degree in Media Studies and since then, she has not looked back. She said during her studies, she was an intern at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) where she worked hard and showed her supervisors that she was a born PR practitioner. “I love what I do so much that I can barely call it a job. Every single day is unique and fun! I also have the most amazing mentors, Umpi Karuaihe-Upi and Ockert Jansen,” Boois said. She added that every day she has something she learns from her mentors at her workplace who freely share their wisdom and vast experience with her.

Boois also said after realising that she was not passionate about dental technology she made a fundamental decision to change courses in 2011. “I've always loved writing and when I sat in my very first Media Studies class, I knew I had found my calling in life.”

She said her first boyfriend in high school used to physically and emotionally abuse her. “It was only after four years that I was strong enough to let go and walk away,” she shared her traumatic romance with The Zone. She maintains that she does not like calling herself a victim because she feels that would still give the abuser power over her and hence her preference to use the word 'survivor'. “I now know my value and my worth and will never allow anybody to abuse me in any way, shape or form again,” she declared.

She maintains that she is a strong and outspoken woman and once she sets her mind on achieving something, she rarely gives up and will do everything in her power to reach the goals she has set. “This is why the transformation from dental technology to public relations was easy for me.”

She describes herself as a multi-talented person who is always open to work in different settings saying she has keen interest in public relations, radio and television voice overs, marketing, event planning and enjoys doing yoga in her leisure time.

“I also consider myself as a social butterfly that thrives from networking and mingling,” Boois described herself.

Boois credits her daughter, Clarissa Yvonne Boois as her source of inspiration who keeps her going and motivates to be a better person. Boois regards her daughter as her number-one cheerleader who motivates her to be what she aspired to be and to do more in life. “She makes me want to be the best of me. I can be for her sake because I know that she looks up to me. I want to lead by example as my parents did,” she said.

Boois also has a blog about motherhood, the journey and experiences she encounters as a mother with the hope that other young mothers like her will be inspired to do everything in their power to give their children the best. “I have learned that raising a child is the most rewarding job on this planet and that being the best mom means being there for your child. Motherhood has taught me to lead by example. Being a good role model for my daughter is my number-one priority,” Boois said.

She points out the lack of childcare facilities at places of work as a challenge for many young women pursuing careers. “Mothers often have to leave their children with a nanny or enrol them at a crèche at a very young age so that they may be able to get back to work after maternity leave is over. However, with childcare facilities available at work places, mothers would be able to breastfeed during lunch hour for example,” she said.

“She added that in her field of work, there are times when she has to work late and there are other women in the newsroom for example, who would appreciate the extra care. She maintains that being a working mother on its own is a challenge, because a lot of women juggle between being a homemaker and being a productive employee. “I believe this challenge can be lessened with longer maternity leave and the provision of satellite offices and flexi time,” she suggested.

Boois envies young people who make things happen for themselves and people who grab opportunities with both hands and put in 100% effort and time into projects. “As a gender-based violence survivor, I always preach self-love because when you love yourself, the chances of you allowing another human being to abuse you is narrowed to zero,” she said. She adds that she is inspired mostly by women who can walk away from situations where their lives, well-being and general sanity are threatened. “I hope that my story shows other young women that there is life after abuse and that standing up and speaking out might just save the life of someone else in an abusive relationship,” Boois said.

She said hosting the television programme “For Your Info” on NBC is one of her highlights in her career thus far. The show is a five-minute 'question and answer' segment that informs the public about the ins and outs of the national broadcaster.

Asked about her future plans, Boois said she is eyeing attaining a Master's degree and working her way up the corporate ladder. “With great leadership and mentors in the work place, my dreams are valid,” she said.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

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Seek the necessary help

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Seek the necessary help A lot of young people are battling a host of social problems and are either too shy or too ashamed to talk to someone about them for fear of being judged. This week I am going to share with you why it is important to open up to someone about challenges you are facing and how it actually helps to talk to someone about your issues.

We have so many people in our lives that we can talk to and who can listen to us and offer advice on how to deal with these challenges. Talk to your parents, talk to your teachers or talk to your seniors at work if you have bottled-up issues that need solving. Most importantly, you can also sign up for counselling and talk to a professional therapist about your problems. At least they do not personally know you and thus will not judge you. They are also trained to help people.

I know the thought of telling a stranger your personal problems is very scary but I believe it works better as most people do not want to confide in people that they know for fear of being judged. Sometimes it is easier to talk to a stranger than to a friend or family member. During counselling sessions a qualified counsellor or therapist listens to you and helps you find answers to your problems without adjudicating you.

A therapist will give you time to talk, cry, shout or just think. Counselling sessions are opportunities to look at your problems in a different light with someone who will respect you and your opinions.

I believe young people are suffering anxiety and stress and they need to seek help by talking to professionals about their problems. Many at times some young people dismiss seeing a therapist because they consider themselves smart or have the notion that it is for affluent people. Having therapy sessions works for anyone whether you are old or young, male or female, black or white, gay or straight, rich or poor. Your educational background makes no difference either.

I am not saying that you should consult a counsellor but as I said earlier, you can also open up to your parents, teachers and seniors at your workplace. Parents have been through the stages that we young people are going through and thus they are in a better position to offer advice on problems that you are battling with. Remember, they also know you through and through. Opening up to your parents also helps strengthen your relationship with your parents.

Talking about your problems with others will benefit you in so many ways. Opening up brings comfort and a sense of relief, because you let out things that you have kept to yourself for so long.

As young people we go through so much with so little experience in life so, if you are going through a sad and upsetting period, finding someone to talk to can help you deal with the challenges. This can be feeling stressed after you graduate because you are struggling to find a job or any other problems that the youth encounter.

As young people we need to seek solutions to our problems and not resort to other quick fixes like alcohol and drugs to escape from our problems. Alcohol does not solve problems and instead of abusing alcohol and drugs seek the help that you need by speaking to someone and that way you will get answers to your problems.

Although there are different ways of resolving issues, I believe talking to a therapist helps one to feel better. I know some people may argue that talking to a therapist does not make their problems go away but at least they find it a lot easier to cope with their problems and feel happier. Moreover, I also believe that signing up for counselling sessions can help people who find it difficult to keep their anger under control. Because you have problems that are constantly disturbing your peace and you do not talk to people about them, it is likely that you will become an angry and violent person. So avoid reaching a point where you become violent because you are constantly stressed - talk about your problems. It helps a lot to speak and what you have bottled up inside you will come out. So next time you going through a difficult phase, do not resort to alcohol but rather sign up for counselling sessions with a professional therapists and get the help and answers to your problems.

michael@namibiansun.com

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

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S. Sudan child refugees top one million

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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S. Sudan child refugees top one millionAlmost two thirds fleeing the country are children The United Nations has expressed its concern over the high number of children fleeing from South Sudan into Nigeria.

War has now forced more than one million children to flee South Sudan and uprooted 1.4 million others within the country, the United Nations said on Monday.

Children make up 62% of the 1.8 million people who have fled South Sudan for refugee camps in neighbouring Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda since civil war began in 2013, the UN children's agency, Unicef, and refugee agency, UNHCR, said in a joint press release.

Another 1.4 million children are living in camps inside South Sudan.

“The future of a generation is truly on the brink,” said Unicef's Leila Pakkala.

“The horrifying fact that nearly one in five children in South Sudan has been forced to flee their home illustrates how devastating this conflict has been for the country's most vulnerable,” she said.

South Sudan won its independence in 2011 but two years later a new conflict began when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of planning a coup.

The war quickly spread, splitting the country along ethnic lines and triggering famine in some areas earlier this year.

“No refugee crisis today worries me more than South Sudan,” said Valentin Tapsoba of the UNHCR.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the ongoing conflict, among them more than 1 000 children, the UN added.

Children have not only been victims of the violence and abuse, but perpetrators, forcibly recruited into armed groups and deployed in the fight against opposing soldiers and in the brutal attacks on civilians that have defined the conflict.

Unicef said it has raised just over half of the US$181 million (N$2.4 billion) needed to help South Sudanese refugees this year, while the UNHCR said it has only received 11% of the US$782 million (N$10.5 billion) it needs.

Competing conflicts and crises around the world mean that aid agencies are struggling to get the funds they need to do their work.

NAMPA/AFP

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FRENCH SAY NO TO RACISM

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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FRENCH SAY NO TO RACISM

WELL DONE: US President Donald Trump congratulated Emmanuel Macron on his victory in France's presidential election. Trump had backed neither Macron nor his far-right rival Marine Le Pen ahead of the vote's second round. "Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on his big win today as the next president of France," he tweeted. "I look very much forward to working with him!" However, Trump had earlier hinted that Le Pen should benefit from security fears in France. Before the first round of the election last month, he said a deadly attack against a police officer in Paris would have a "big effect" on the vote and he praised Le Pen on immigration, calling her "the strongest on what's been going on in France". The White House also issued a formal statement congratulating "Macron and the people of France on their successful presidential election. We look forward to working with the new president and continuing our close cooperation with the French government," White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said in the statement. PHOTO: NAMPA/REUTERS

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Football mess is a disgrace

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Football mess is a disgrace So much has been written about the endless squabbles in domestic football and there appears to be no end in sight.

As we pen this editorial, there is great uncertainty surrounding the kick-off of the Namibia Premier League, initially scheduled to start this Friday.

However, events of the past two weeks, which saw the Namibia Football Association intervening in the affairs of the domestic league by appointing an ad-hoc committee, has worsened matters and some big clubs have threatened to form a breakaway league.

Franco Cosmos, who was initially appointed to chair the NPL interim committee following the resignation of league chairperson Johnny Doeseb, has also threatened to quit due to the NFA's decision to meddle in the affairs of the first tier league.

For many years now, football bosses have done little to show real leadership and come up with radical ideas that could save our football.

To this day football remains in total chaos with poor administration being the order of the day. One would have thought that when MTC decided to pull out as the main sponsors of the NPL, football bosses would have returned to the proverbial drawing board, with the hope of conjuring up good ideas to ensure that the league was attractive enough for potential sponsors to assist. With the mess our football finds itself in now, no sane sponsor would want to associate themselves with such a chaotic organisation. This is a very sad situation, because at the end of the day it is our football players who suffer the most.

With the NPL in disarray we cannot talk of a bright future for our national and junior teams.

Things must be done in an orderly manner. It is no secret that there are three potential sponsors on standby who were willing to work with the NPL interim committee.

So much was done to win back sponsors' hearts, but with the latest shenanigans, we fear the football bosses may have fluffed their chances to have a well-oiled league running by 12 May 2017.

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Shot of the day

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Shot of the day

GOLD DIGGING: A man digs in a hole as hundreds of people search for gold in Kafa-Koira, south of Niger capital, Niamey. Hundreds of people, sometimes whole families, rush to Kafa-Koira, to search for gold. Photo: NAMPA/AFP

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Consulting on the time bill

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Consulting on the time bill

Public consultations on the Namibian time bill are going nationwide following the consultations with the relevant stakeholders in Windhoek at the close of April. According to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security, the regions have the opportunity to be heard from 8 to 24 May.

The public hearings are meant to provide members of the public and stakeholders including offices, ministries and agencies, the business community, sports organisations, trade unions, civil society, employers, employees, education sector, teachers, parents, lecturers, churches, civil society, amongst others, the opportunity to make written or oral submissions on the Bill.

Home affairs minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana tabled the proposed bill of 2017 in the National Assembly on 22 February this year and its purpose is to provide one standard time for Namibia, GMT +2hours.

The bill was subsequently referred to the said standing committee for further consultation and to then report back to the National Assembly.

Tomorrow, 10 May, hearing will be held with the community at Opuwo and on Thursday, Outapi and Ruacana residents will be heard. Friday, the team will be in the Oshana Region meeting with Uuvudhiya residents and in the afternoon, Ondangwa will get a turn. Monday morning, on May 15, the residents of Omuthiya will have their say and during the afternoon, it will be the turn of residents of Okankolo. Tuesday, 16 May Eenhana and Helao Nafidi will be heard and on Thursday, residents of Nkurenkuru will get a turn with Rundu on Friday.

The week of 22 May will see the committee in the Zambezi Region with a meeting at Kongola on Monday, Bukalo and Katima Mulilo on Teusday and Divundu on Wednesday.

Concurrent to these visits, another group will be in the other regions as follows: A public hearing will be held in Keetmanshoop today and in Mariental tomorrow, 10 May. On Thursday, Aranos will get a turn as will Aminius. Friday 12 May will see the committee in Gobabis and on Monday 15 May there will be a public hearing in Otjinene. On 17 May Uis gets a turn and Thursday 18 May will see the communities of Okombahe and Omatjete heard. Friday 19 May Otjimbingwe residents will get a turn.

Grootfontein and Otjituuo will be heard on Monday 22 May, Tsumkwe on Tuesday and on Wednesday, 24 May, Okakarara and Okahandja residents will be heard.

The time bill is considered of paramount importance and all stakeholders are urged to participate. For those who cannot attend any of the said public hearings, properly motivated and written submissions should be addressed to Lydia Kandetu, secretary of the National Assembly and emailed to Willem Isaak at w.isaak@parliament.na and Dorothy Alawi at d.alawi@parliament.na; or faxed to 061-247 772 not later than Tuesday, 6 June 2017.

STAFF REPORTER

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Beef sector still competitive

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Beef sector still competitiveConsumption to decline by 202 While poultry rises in popularity, the Namibian beef industry still has the capacity to be a global player.

The general manager of the Meat Board of Namibia, Paul Strydom, says the country's beef industry has the potential of being a global leader despite predictions indicating that there will be a decline in beef consumption by 2025.

According to Strydom, predictions show that there will be 6% growth in beef consumption compared to chicken which is predicted to grow to 29% and consumption of sheep meat will be at 10%.

Strydom says there will be slight decline in sheep meat production due to various reasons such as theft, the limitations of the southern African environment in terms of production and the loss of sheep to predators.

He said that due to high prices of mutton products, consumption is also expected to drop.

“In terms of the consumption pattern it is mainly due to the price of the product that is high and there is consumer resistance with respects to the purchasing of lamb and mutton,” said Strydom, who was speaking at a public lecture at the University of Namibia.

He further said that the meat processing industry contributes about 3% towards the Namibian gross domestic product (GDP).

“The meat sectors are not growing, but they are relatively stable,” shared Strydom. He listed the drought experienced in Namibia is one of the primary reasons why the meat processing industry has been contributing so little to the GDP, saying that the figure will grow in the near future.

“It's a normal cycle after the drought and it should pick up hopefully and with good policies the contribution can return to normal,” said Strydom.

He said there is currently a shortage of meat in southern Africa due to the drought experienced in the region.

“There is a deficiency in meat products and importing companies in southern Africa will have import these products to counter the high prices of meat and what will follow will be a decline in the price of meat,” said Strydom.

Namibia exports more than 30 000 tonnes of beef to South Africa and Europe.

The Meat Board of Namibia estimates that there are about 2.9 million head of cattle in the country and more than 1.9 million goats and 2.6 million sheep at local farms.

He said that Namibian meat consumers should not be concerned about traces of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in their meat products because it is extremely difficult to find those in Namibian meat products.

“We do have artificial insemination and embryo transfers but there is not much in the line of GMOs,” said Strydom

Strydom says that the Namibian meat industry is performing very well globally.

“We are performing very well. We are small but we are very efficient and very competent.”

SHONA NGAVA

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Putting a litmus test on African leadership

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Putting a litmus test on African leadership On Sunday, 7 May, the French redrew the political landscape in one of the world’s top economies. Voting in 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron with no strong political background to the French presidency was something many did not anticipate. This shows how much the world is beginning to have trust in the young generation. However, Africa is still lagging behind. In 2015, a video from the Ugandan parliament went viral after many members of parliament were caught on camera sleeping during President Museveni’s most important speech of the year, the State of the Nation Address. The conduct of MPs angered many Ugandans who thought they were not taken seriously by state officials whom they elected to represent them. The Members of Parliament could not be awake for 50 minutes of the speech. Besides Uganda’s Museveni, presidents Kagame of Uganda, Paul Biya of Cameroon and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe have also been caught sleeping on camera at major gatherings on a number of occasions. Recently our second president Hifikepunye Pohamba was heard saying at the Swapo Party School that he did not know the problems Namibians faced during the ten years of his presidency. One wonders if he was in a deep sleep during the decade. In today’s edition of the Astute Conversation, Jeisn questions the conduct of African leaders. Daniel talks about the need to find answers to the many questions that have troubled humanity.

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Can we find answers to perplexing questions?

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Can we find answers to perplexing questions?

By: Lusianu Daniel

Where do we come from? Why are we on Mother Earth? Where do we go when we are declared dead? Certainly, these three questions have run through the mind of every person that has ever lived on the face of the planet. To some academics, philosophers, scientists and even politicians, the quest for the answers to these questions has been their life’s interest and they even tied their entire life experiences to these questions in order to provide and seek answers that will satisfy themselves and the entire human race.

Charles Darwin, the evolutionist, in an attempt to answer the question of where human life began gave an answer which has removed hope from the people and instead of finding the right answers, he managed to confuse the minds of many in the world. The theory of evolution by natural selection, which Darwin formulated in 1859, is explained as the process by which organisms change over time as a result of inheritable physical or behavioural traits. These changes that allow an organism to better adapt to its environment, help it survive and have more offspring.

This was the exact explanation that Darwin used to explain how human beings became what they are today. The deeper explanation is that apes began to walk upright, the upright walking of apes was necessitated by the long distances which they had to travel and that the new environment which the apes found themselves challenged the weaker apes who could not adapt. As a result those apes became extinct in the process. The result of the process is termed as natural selection, to simply mean that those who cannot adapt to new environmental changes will soon become extinct.

The theory of evolution can be seen as theory that caused the removal of hope from people, because despite the wealth of evidence from fossil records, genetics and other fields of science, some people still question its validity. His theory is also contradictory to biblical truth and values. Christians believe that we were created by a supreme being, God and in His image we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The theory does not acknowledge God as our Creator and it does not provide answers that can satisfy the hunger pangs of the human soul. Questions such as where do we come from? What is our purpose on earth? Where do we go when we are dead? These only be answered by biblical scholars. Through the lens of the bible we can learn that God created heavens and earth, and all that is in it. The existence of humanity came after God created our first parents Adam and Eve out of the dust of the ground, and also that when human beings die, to the dust they return from which God made them.

In the world of many homes you will find many are homeless. In the world of many hospitals, you still find many sick people in the street. In the world of many doctors and medication yet so many people are dying. In world of many supermarkets and farm produce you will find many are hungry. In the world of so much knowledge you will find so many fools. In the world of many people there are so few relationships among them. In the world of many traffic controls there are accidents. In the world of many churches there is much moral decline.

What a country which is only meant for those with money and those who are poor will soon die in their poverty. For example, compare the salary of a teacher and that of a minister. If we are not careful teachers will soon become extinct in this demanding and competitive capitalistic economy of ours. After reading the observations I have made on the capitalistic economy of Namibia you will agree that there are many Charles Darwins who need to go back to the bible and read its pages, maybe they will see that we were created by the same God that created them and that we did not evolve from monkeys and apes. We are human just like them. Let them see themselves in us, for we are no better than them and they are not better than us.

*Daniel Lusianu is a student at the University of Namibia studying towards honours degree in Education.

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Are our African leaders sleeping on the job?

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Are our African leaders sleeping on the job?

By: Jeisn S Ashimbanga

A lot of civilians and researches could testify that people hardly sleep when they are busy, doing something for themselves or others. Some revelations that have been made by our leaders are baffling: “If I would have known that there were problems during my presidency, perhaps I would have made corrections.” Hearing this from a person who was our president for ten years is surprising. However, it makes you question the work, the awareness and also the responsibility of our African leaders.

In Namibia everyone, even children, knows that we have problems in our country. Problems ranging from poverty, hunger, underperforming ministries and ministers, corruption to unemployment and more. How can my president not be aware of them? Was he not informed? If yes, did he not travel the country to observe and find out as he has been busy doing since his retirement? What has he been doing for the ten years of his presidency if he wasn’t solving these problems? It makes you question the commitment of our presidents to the people’s well-being. It makes you question how well they understand what the presidency or being a head of state means. It means you hold the highest position in the state, you head the government, you serve the public or people who elect you and you are accountable to them. Not knowing their problems is not being accountable.

One thing all African leaders have in common is that they are always at the highest age when they get into office. President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, currently the oldest leader in Africa at 93 has been seen sleeping at presidential meetings and even independence celebrations of other countries where he is supposed to be representing his people. So far he has been caught sleeping eight times in public. Perhaps those journeys he makes around the world are taking their toll. Mugabe, despite his age, still travels often. President Lungu of Zambia who is 60 years, perhaps younger in relation to other African presidents, has been caught sleeping through a speech given by President Hage Geingob at the opening of the 90th Agricultural and Commercial show, needing his wife to send people to wake him up and remind him of where he is - without any care of his international standing or the interests of the Zambian people. It also shows disrespect towards a fellow president. Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia was 70 when he took over office in 2005. You could hardly say he was a young man then. And then went on to lead the country for ten years, by then he would be 80 years, so perhaps not knowing there were problems inside our country everywhere shouldn’t be a surprise. Yet he was able to travel and visit other countries, give speeches and perform other functions outside the country, without cleaning the Namibian house first. And then he only woke up after he finished his two terms during which he has slept enough not to realise that the country was facing problems. He has now realised that there are problems in the country after retirement. But by then he had received the prestigious Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African leadership. He has received retirement benefits and has a government-built mansion worth millions of dollars. He left office now and cannot do anything about the problems he has discovered, he could only wish he wasn’t sleeping while in office, as perhaps then, he would have solved these problems.

We are not at all sure why the former president is only saying this now after almost two years in retirement. Maybe it’s a tactic to get himself elected or considered for a third term by showing the public that he has now figured out the problems facing the nation and believes he can solve them, or he just realised his own incompetence and how much he did not do during his presidency. Either way, it is completely baffling not to know the problems facing your own people and the whole nation for the whole ten years you were the president. Perhaps it’s time for African leaders to leave the offices for the young generation who will be part of the long-term future, people who still have the capacity, the energy and the will to listen and find out about the problems of the people, and solve them while they have the power to do so and not when they are two years out of office. In Africa, countries are led by people who are worn out and reaching advanced old age, with excuses or reasons that they have the experience to lead. But with that experience also comes the tendency of sleeping while in office… because they are old. Young presidents are our future, and in Africa we need young leaders to take us forward. The old guard can be given supervisory and advisory roles, even when they are not aware of the problems facing the nation, the energetic young leaders are there to take care of those problems. Giving them enough time to go to sleep - even for ten years. Busy people do not sleep, presidents or head of states never sleep, let alone the whole ten years, as they are always busy doing something for their people.

*Jeisn S Ashimbanga is a student at the University of Namibia studying towards a degree in Education.

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Rössing desalination plant delayed

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Rössing desalination plant delayed

Despite concerted efforts to engage the government on its plans to construct a desalination plant, Rössing has noted little or no effort from the Ministry of Water, Agriculture and Forestry.

The Rio Tinto-backed miner first announced plans to construct a desalination plant six kilometres north of Swakopmund and alleges there has been no intent on the part of the water ministry to get the ball rolling.

Rössing has in the past complained that the price it pays for water is unaffordable. “The current cost of water is high and the mine remains open to implementing alternative measures to reduce the cost of desalinated water,” said its managing director, Werner Duvenhage.

While a clearance certificate has been issued by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Rössing still does not meet the prerequisites for certification, Duvenhage explained.

“To meet the prerequisite for the receipt of the certificate, Rössing Uranium applied for the water permits required by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in September 2016, but no reply from the department had been received by the end of December 2016,” Duvenhage said. Rössing signalled plans for its own desalination as far back as 2014 and said the rationale behind the planned development was the costly water procured from Areva's Erongo desalination plant.

Providing clarity, Rössing Uranium spokesperson Botha Ellis was quoted in the past as saying: “As I have said to the government and NamWater, Rössing has no burning ambition to own a desalination plant, we are a mining company. The only reason why we are pursuing this is because hundreds of millions of dollars are going into water at the moment. We would just like to make it more affordable.” Rössing has also in the past offered its full bankable feasibility study to government. “We have offered NamWater the full bankable feasibility study. We said to NamWater, if they would like to use it, we would be quite happy to give it to them. We just want cheap affordable water,” Ellis said.

Meanwhile, the government has also in the past announced desalination plans. Under the ambitious four-year Harambee Prosperity Plan, the government listed its intent to construct a 25-million-cubic-metre desalination plant to be co-funded by a private investor.

Signalling government's intent to investors, finance minister Calle Schlettwein said: “In this scenario, it will be useful to have a project arrangement where the design, construction and operation risks are allocated to a competent private firm and NamWater.

The agriculture ministry did not respond to questions on the statements made by Rössing.

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Ohangwena without a CRO for two years

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Ohangwena without a CRO for two years

The chairperson of Ohangwena Regional Council's management committee, Erikson Ndawanifa, has confirmed that his region is still without a chief regional officer although candidates were interviewed two years ago.

In 2015 Ohangwena interviewed candidates for the CRO position to replace Daniel Kashikola, who became a member of parliament and deputy minister of safety and security in 2015. But the regional council failed to consult the urban and rural development minister, Sophia Shaningwa, when they made recommendations for their preferred candidates. Members of the Ohangwena regional council held a meeting with Shaningwa yesterday seeking her advice on the way forward.

It is reported that both Shaningwa and the Public Service Commission refused to endorse their appointments, alleging that they had not followed procedure. It was reported that after the interviews, the council submitted their recommendations to the PSC twice, but they were referred back to them. However, the council opted to stand its ground.

“Yes, is true that we interviewed candidates for the position two years ago. It is now a complicated issue. We have completed the recruitment process and have already recommended our preferred candidate, but after we made our submission to the PSC they instructed us to do something else,” Ndawanifa said.

“Another complication is that the Regional Council Act stipulates that recommendations for a CRO position must be made in consultation with the line minister. When we made our recommendation, we did not consult the urban and rural development minister, Sophia Shaningwa. Therefore, we cannot go ahead with the recruitment process until the minister pronounces herself.”

Ndawanifa said that did not mean there was any disagreement between the council and the PSC, but they only needed to resolve a few issues and wait for minister's recommendation. He said they were afraid of violating the law. The outcome of yesterday's meeting is not yet known and the permanent secretary for the urban and rural development ministry, Daniel Nghidinwa, could not comment on the matter.

The council's retired director for general services and administration, Phillip Uusiku, and director of planning, Fellep Shilongo, have being acting as CEO.

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Language barrier cited in bribery case

May 8, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Language barrier cited in bribery caseA misunderstanding allegedly led to money exchange A Chinese man accused of trying to bribe a traffic officer is claiming that he misunderstood the legal process.

A Chinese citizen accused of trying to bribe a traffic officer near Otjiwarongo three years ago has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him, claiming he had misunderstood the process of paying fines.

Windhoek-based Chinese citizen Lin Jindan (49) told the Otjiwarongo Magistrate's Court on the first day of his trial that the bribery charges stemmed from a misunderstanding due to a language barrier, and that he thought he was being asked to pay the fine on the spot.

Jindan is facing one count of corruptly giving gratification to an agent as inducement and an alternative count of attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.

The charges date back to 21 March 2014, when Jindan was arrested by Otjiwarongo municipal traffic officer Elwin Skakana for reckless driving, including failing to stop at a four-way stop and overtaking on a barrier line on an uphill bridge just outside Otjiwarongo.

He then allegedly attempted to bribe Skakana with N$200 after he was stopped at the police roadblock between Otjiwarongo and Otavi.

The alleged bribery attempt took place in a makeshift office at the roadblock, where Skakana had taken the accused to issue the fine.

Skakana yesterday testified that he had been preparing to write the ticket when Jindan started pleading with him to drop the fine in exchange for money.

He claimed that Jindan then handed over the N$200 note, after which he took it and immediately opened the door to the office to show his colleagues outside the proof of the attempted bribery.

He then turned around and informed Jindan he was under arrest for bribery. Skakana alleged that Jindan started apologising immediately and said he had not intended to bribe the officers. Jindan's lawyer, Mariaan Dreyer, argued that this exchange proved that Jindan had offered the money because he was under the impression that he had to pay the fine immediately.

She said when Jindan realised that the traffic officer believed he had tried to bribe him he immediately tried to explain that it was a misunderstanding.

She said Jindan had called a friend after he had been stopped to ask for money to help pay the fine.

Skakana confirmed yesterday that Jindan had made a call to a friend, but said they had spoken Chinese and he could not confirm what had been said.

Dreyer grilled Skakana, asking whether he had explained the procedure of how to pay fines to Jindan and whether he was aware that Jindan was not fluent in English.

“The process was not explained to the accused. He was of the opinion that the fine had to be paid in the [roadblock] office,” she put it to Skakana.

Skakana said he did not get a chance to explain the process to Jindan, because Jindan had given him the money before he could write the ticket and explain what steps had be taken next.

Dreyer said her client's English was poor and that should have been taken into account throughout the exchange with the police.

Skakana confirmed to Dreyer that Jindan had said several times, “Sorry, I don't bribe”, after Skakana had called his colleagues and told Jindan he would be arrested.

Skakana told the court that when Jindan was informed he would be arrested he grabbed the N$200 note from the officer's hand. “The accused and I then ended up in a kind of wrestling,” he said, as he tried to retrieve the N$200 as proof.

He finally pushed Jindan against a wall and wrested the money from him.

Skakana admitted to Dreyer that he had conducted all exchanges in English and that he knew Jindan was not fluent in English. He added, however, that he had asked Jindan several times whether he understood what was being said to him, and that Jindan had responded in the affirmative. “His response was that he understood. Mostly with 'yes' and okay' answers,” Skakana said.

Jindan was taken to the Otjiwarongo police station and charged. He was also fined N$2 500 for two traffic violations.

He was granted N$5 000 bail on 24 March 2014.

Magistrate Toini Shilongo postponed the trial to 30 May.

Public prosecutor Colleen Yisa appeared for the State.

JANA-MARI SMITH

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