We are in dire need of facts The free flow of information in Namibia still leaves much to be desired. More often than not, the line minister Tjekero Tweya lashes out at the media for being irresponsible and hence, unpatriotic, in our reports. In fact, these lashings took place several times this year. Now even President Hage Geingob has come to the table with comments on the media.But it is difficult to do our job.
Especially so when we are following up on a story or an incident and one is not met by forthcoming public servants.
Two incidences of late will serve as a case in point.
The first, the application to export our marine wildlife to an animal breeding company in Beijing. No information could be sourced from the two line ministries as to how far the applications were – in fact, the minister of fisheries, Bernard Esau has been mum on the issue from the outset. And so we are left to speak to sources who do not want to be named and we have to piece information together. To date, we still have no official word on the vessel Ryanazovka from the relevant authorities and no one, but no one will answer your questions.
The second is the matter of Hangang Zhu, 48, arrested in Ondangwa on Monday of last week, in possession, at this point still allegedly, of billions of Namibian dollars. Doors shut faster in our faces than the time it took to identify ourselves. Runarounds from legal staff who refused to provide information, police who said they were not in the office and did not know when they would be back to be able to look at documents and provide the needed information.
And so we have to piece together information.
In most cases, we have to wait for 48 hours for answers on questions which have to be emailed. That is protocol in many parastatals. So if we require information on an accident, it takes two days.
It is our job to disseminate information and bring news to the public. For that we need answers to questions so we can get the facts. We need the facts.
We are holding thumbs for 2017.