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I stand before this joint Session of our Parliament to report on the State of the Nation, covering the 2008/2009 Financial Year. As per the requirements of the Namibian Constitution, I will focus my address on the policies and programmes of our SWAPO Party Government during the period under review and also provide insights into our future plans in the new Financial Year. This is in keeping with the values and ethos of accountability, transparency and good governance to which we are fully committed. A few weeks ago, the Namibian people commemorated our 19th Anniversary of freedom and independence, a date on which we remember our rendezvous with history. A day when we as a people, took into our own hands the social, political and economic destiny of our country. We remember the sacrifices made by the brave sons and daughters of our soil who gave their lives and shed their precious blood for our freedom and independence. Theirs was the utmost demonstration of patriotism and will forever remember and salute them for their selflessness and gallantry. The work that we have done and continue to do, the progress that we have scored and continue to record, were made possible by their sacrifices. THE ECONOMY AND GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS For Namibia, the period under review was a time of mixed blessings. The peace and stability that we enjoy have made it possible for our Government to remain focused on the pressing issues of the day. I have in mind the issues of economic growth, employment creation, the social and economic well-being of our people, and the development challenges that demand our attention in the areas of health, education, housing, training, employment creation as well as the provision of basic amenities such as water, electricity and human security. We welcome the new investments and expansion by local companies in the construction, retail, property development, uranium and tourism sectors. The livestock industry has also moved beyond the traditional export of deboned beef to include other value-added products. It is also encouraging to see continuing investor confidence and interest in Namibia. The recent investment of N$2.5 billion by German investors in Ohorongo Cement and the N$2 billion Namundjebo Plaza Hotel development by Namibia’s United Africa Group are some cases in point. However, the deteriorating global demand for our products has hurt our mining industry resulting in the closure of mines, the scaling back of operations and loss of jobs. Given the size of the domestic market, our Government has made export promotion and the development of new markets a central component of the country’s economic growth strategy. In this connection, our Government is pursuing negotiations to secure preferential market access for our goods and services through bilateral, regional and multilateral trade arrangements. Some progress has been made in the negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union. However, more work remains to be done. We will continue to engage with our partners such as the European Union while insisting on, and highlighting the tremendous strategic and economic consequences that such agreements can have on smaller economies such as Namibia. Memories of the major fluctuations in oil prices that were experienced last year are still fresh. Indeed, we remember the price increases for food and other commodities. The fluctuations depressed key economic sectors on which our growth is anchored. It also placed enormous pressure on many households, especially on the low income groups. Our SWAPO Party Government has been seized with seeking ways to effectively deal with negative impact of the global financial crisis on our economy. We started by introducing VAT exemption on certain essential basic food items. I have expressed my views that effective monitoring mechanisms are needed in order to ensure that VAT benefits of these measures do reach the consumers, who are the intended beneficiaries. With the fall in the price of oil and interest rates, I find it difficult to see any justification for the ever-increasing food prices. The Bank of Namibia has softened the impact by keeping the interest rates unchanged, while our government has reduced the income tax for different wage categories. The tax threshold has also been raised to N$40,000-00. I trust that collectively, as a nation, we can and will weather the storm. During this financial year, our Government has increased budgetary allocation for capital projects. We will accelerate the implementation of capital projects in order to boost economic growth and employment creation. Our Government has successfully engaged our development co-operation partners with the view to enhancing mutually beneficial relationships and building stronger partnerships. This has brought about many benefits for Namibia in the form of funding and technical assistance from various countries and organisations. I wish to express my appreciation and gratitude to you. You have stood with us through think and thin, even during these difficult times of the global economic crisis. Honourable Speaker A sound labour relations environment is critical for the growth of our economy and the welfare of our workers. With this in mind, our SWAPO PARTY Government modernized our labour legislation by enacting the new Labour Act which is already facilitating speedier resolution of labour disputes. I have noted the expansion of labour related services such as the opening of Regional Labour Offices in different towns including Opuwo and Outapi in recent months. Similar offices will be opened at Rundu and Gobabis this year. Our Government will introduce legislation to create a legal framework, institutions and tools to help record accurate statistics on the extent of unemployment in the country. The envisaged Employment Services Bill will provide for the establishment of an electronic national employment information system to register job seekers; to list job vacancies; to match jobseekers and prospective employers; to identify skills deficits and to provide information on enterprises, training and bursary opportunities. Employers will be required, by law, to report all employment vacancies to the Government. An Employment Creation Commission will be established to coordinate national employment creation initiatives. We know that the unemployment situation in our country is worsened by skills deficits, which also handicaps economic growth. Our Government will, therefore, continue to facilitate and promote skills development through vocational training programmes and the deployment of qualified vocational counselors at Regional Labour Offices. They will provide guidance to young people to help them choose professions that match their competencies and aptitudes. Another programme aimed at helping our young people to secure a better future is the National Youth Credit Scheme through which hundreds of our youth have already received mentoring and training in basic business management and other aspects. Many of them are now engaged in business activities. Honourable Speaker The Government’s social grant programme provides a social safety net for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, orphans and vulnerable children and people with disabilities. Our SWAPO Party Government increased the grants from N$370 to N$450 last year. Currently, about 280,690 beneficiaries qualify to receive these benefits. Funeral support for senior citizens has also been increased from N$2,000.00 last year to N$2,200.00. I reiterate our commitment to improve these benefits because our SWAPO Party Government is fully aware that they are insufficient to meet the increasing needs of households. We will continue to monitor the flood situation in the north and north eastern part of our country. Measures should be taken to ensure that all necessary support is rendered to the affected communities. Honourable Speaker For our Government to succeed in achieving our national development objectives, we must plan thoroughly and meticulously. We must be able to measure the progress that we are making and also make adjustments where goals are not being met. I am happy to say that The Third National Development Plan (NDP3) was successfully launched in November last year, and the National Planning Commission is currently busy with an Annual Review of the implementation of the Plan. The review will track the performance of different implementing agencies, with specific focus on the achievement of annual targets and the identification of constraints. MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGS) As a Government, we are constantly striving to combat the impact of poverty on our people. The 2008 MDG Progress Report has brought to light important insights about the realities of poverty levels in different communities in Namibia. It indicates that poor and severely poor households make up around 28 percent of all households in the country. The good news is that Namibia has already achieved the target of halving the number of severely poor households in the country. Moreover, inequalities in income distribution have been reduced considerably, although the levels remain unacceptably high. We are working extra hard to pull more households out of poverty. The focus is on our rural communities including the San. Several anti-poverty projects were introduced to fight poverty among the San. These include a bread-making project at Oshivelo; a revolving small livestock project at Tsumkwe, Bagani, Chetto and Omega III; the building of houses as well as increased enrolment of San children in schools. Region Specific Action Plans for Food Security and Nutrition, which address cross-cutting issues of food security and poverty, were also launched in December last year. San communities in identified regions will benefit from a project known as “Empowerment of the San Community for Household Food Security under the Office of the Prime Minister. Our SWAPO PARTY Government is seized with the reintegration of the veterans of the struggle for liberation into the socio-economic mainstream of the Namibian society. We have put in place Laws, regulations, policies and institutions to achieve this goal. Our Government will also provide funding of economic projects for veterans to create job opportunities in different sectors. There is a ceiling of N$250,000.00 per project. Qualifying veterans will receive a social grant of N$2,000.00 per month. Our Government will also continue with the construction of houses for identified veterans. Honourable Speaker The health status of our nation remains one of our SWAPO PARTY Government’s top priorities. We are concerned about the child mortality rates which have shown an upward trend in recent years. This is compounded in part by the HIV/Aids pandemic and inadequate nutrition, in low income households. This threat must be addressed with all the force and resources that we can muster. Indeed, it calls for the intensification of prevention programmes to stop the transmission of the virus from expectant mothers to their unborn babies. It also calls for the expansion of immunization programmes to cover all children against childhood illnesses. Immunization coverage currently stands at around 84 percent of all one-year-old children in Namibia. We are on course to achieve the MDG target of 100 percent immunisation coverage by 2012. The health of Namibian mothers is paramount in the development of our country. We must work harder to improve the health of Namibian mothers by increasing anti-retroviral treatment for those infected by HIV/Aids. We should also increase the percentage of births attended by trained health personnel, which now stands at 80 percent. We are on tract to meet the 95 percent MDG target by 2012. The fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic has been intensified on many fronts resulting in encouraging outcomes. As a result of the education campaign, the prevalence rate has dropped from 12 to 10 percent among the 15 to 19 years age group, and from 20 to 16.4 percent in the 20 to 24 years age group. On our part, the Government will continue to provide anti-retro viral drugs to our infected citizens in all parts of our country. I call upon all stakeholders to work together in order to address this national challenge. Our programme of upgrading and renovating public health facilities is continuing. The construction of a new laundry at Oshakati Hospital was completed in June last year. Contractors are now busy with the construction of a new 40 beds private ward at that Hospital. In addition, a tender for the construction of a TB ward, a new administration block and a 43 beds pediatric ward has been advertised. I should also mention that a tender for the construction of the main kitchen and dinning hall has been awarded to contractors. The Onandjokwe Lutheran Medical Hospital is also receiving attention. A tender for the upgrading and extension of the Hospital is expected to be awarded soon. Planning for the construction of a 60 bed hospital at Omuthiya in the Oshikoto Region is at an advanced stage. In the Ohangwena Region, the construction of Eenhana Hospital phase 2 which include the construction of a 52 bed ward was competed in October 2007. Phase 3 which includes extension of Regional Management Team Office Block, mortuary, dental unit, general and chemical stores is currently under way. The Onambutu clinic was constructed and completed in June last year. The construction of a new clinic and staff accommodation at Oshaango is in progress. At Ongha health centre, the construction of a new additional 8 bed ward and ablution facilities were completed in September last year. In addition, Anti Retroviral Therapy clinics are being constructed at Eenhana, Eengela and Okongo hospitals. Our SWAPO Party Government is determined to improve our health infrastructure throughout the country so that we can render quality health care to our people. District Hospitals at Khorixas and Outjo in the Kunene Region; Tsandi in the Omusati Region; Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi Region; Keetmanshoop in the Karas Region; Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa Region; and Tsumeb in the Oshikoto Region were also renovated and upgraded. We carried out renovations and upgrading at the following clinics: Bersig in the Kunene Region; Warmbad and Aus in the Karas Region; Ovitoto in the Otjozondjupa Region; Elombe and Okankolo health centre in the Oshikoto Region; Otjimuise in the Khomas Region; Ogongo and Iilyateko in the Omusati Region. Construction of mortuaries at Aminius clinic and Okanguati health centre in the Omaheke and Kunene Regions respectively was also completed. In addition, our SWAPO PARTY Government opened Anti-Retro Viral Treatment clinics with the assistance of our social partners at the following places: Eenhana, Engela and Okongo in the Ohangwena Region, Katutura Health Centre in the Khomas Region; Oshakati in the Oshana Region; Otjiwarongo in the Otjozondjupa Region; and Kuisebmund in the Erongo Region. With a view to improving the provision of health services, the Ministry has acquired 195 vehicles including outreach service vehicles and 16 ambulances. Development partners and the private sector have provided support in terms of renovations of hospitals, provision of linen and other materials, as well as the provision of outreach service vehicles and ambulances. The Ministry of Health and Social Services carried out a Health and Social Services System Review, looking at the successes and challenges in the Namibian public health sector since independence. As a result, a Health Strategic Plan for the period 2009 to 2013 was developed. Accelerated training of health professionals remains a key priority in addressing the shortage of qualified health personnel in our country. A total number of 381 students in health related fields of study completed the training at the Ministry’s Health Training Centers at the end of 2008. Meanwhile, 23 Namibian medical doctors completed their degrees and are completing their internships at Katutura and Windhoek Central Hospitals. I am also pleased to report that the pre-medical course at UNAM is progressing well. In this regard, Namibia will soon be graduating its own medical doctors. You will recall that prior to Namibia’s independence, Churches played a vital role in catering for the health needs of our nation. It is, therefore, important to formalise a cooperation agreement between our Government and our major churches. I am pleased to report that the Partnership Agreement in Health between the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Anglican, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic Churches was signed in October last year. In terms of the Agreement, our Government will give a 100 percent subsidy for salaries of health personnel and 85 percent for capital projects to Church hospitals. Honourable Speaker HOUSING Housing is one of the top four priorities of our SWAPO Party Government. The aim is to provide decent housing to our people. An amount of N$194.3 million was also spent to finance homes, home improvement and building loans. These investments are aimed at complimenting the Build Together Programme and Shack Dwellers Projects. During the review period, NHE has constructed 871 houses at an estimated cost of N$ 150 million. It is also busy installing municipal infrastructure in different areas at a cost of N$50 million. This will yield 836 fully serviced plots. Construction of low-cost houses for San households at Okatuuo in the Omaheke Region has been completed and dwellings were handed over to the beneficiaries by the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister. Physical planning and surveying were completed in 2008/2009 at Divundu proper, Okalongo proper, Kalkrand, Aranos Extensions 4 and 5, Gochas, and Bethanie. Koës, Aroab, Leonardville, Okalongo Extension 1 and Fransfontein will follow during the current financial year. We want to ensure that the bucket system becomes something of the past. Thus, work is already underway to modernise sewerage systems at places such as Gibeon, Rehoboth, Stampriet, Kalkrand, Aroab, Koës, Tses, Bethanie, Berseba and Kamanjab. The provision of services such as water, sewerage and roads is also underway at Bukalo, Henties Bay, Rehoboth, Aussenker, Divundu, Katima-Mulilo, Nkurenkuru, Otjinene, Otuzemba and Omuthiya gwIipundi. The Trust Fund for Regional Development and Equity Provision implemented major projects to upgrade sewerage networks at Karibib, Ruacana and Rundu. The proclamation of new local authorities is progressing well. Omuthiya in the Oshikoto Region was proclaimed as a Town in September last year. Otjinene is to be proclaimed as a town this year. Focus is also on the Caprivi Region where only one Local Authority exists. The planning and surveying of Oranjemund Township have been finalized and the Ministry envisages finalizing the proclamation of the town this year. Divundu will also be proclaimed as a town soon. In order to facilitate the smooth running of the Traditional Authority activities, Government decided to provide vehicles to all recognised Traditional Authorities. This is necessary in light of the pending implementation of Community Courts by Traditional Authorities. RURAL WATER SUPPLY The Rural Water Supply Programme is continuing in order to supply clean and safe drinking water to rural communities. The construction of Phase 3 of Onambutu Water Pipeline Network covering 215 km and 81 water points in the Ohangwena Region was completed in September 2008. Phase 4 of this project will cover a distance of 207 km and 94 water points. It will be completed in January next year. Phase 3 of the Tsandi South Project, in the Otamanzi area, entails the construction of a 4.8 km power line, a water pump station, a 160 cubic meter reservoir, a 20 km bulk water pipeline, a 110 km rural water pipeline and 54 water points. It will be completed in June this year. In June last year, 189 community water points in the Otjozondjupa Region were transformed into 1,651 private customer water points. EDUCATION Since the attainment of independence, our SWAPO PARTY Government placed first priority on the education of our people. We believe that education is the answer to addressing poverty and to promoting a healthy nation. It is for this reason that we regard education as a priority above priorities. We will continue to allocate more financial and human resources in education. We are on course to achieve the MDG target of 99 percent enrolment at primary school level by 2012. Namibia has already achieved 92 percent enrolment. Our efforts to provide greater access by our girl children to education have yielded good results in terms of the ratios of girls to boys in primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary education institutions. All indications are that we have exceeded gender parity at tertiary education level. Like in previous years, our SWAPO PARTY Government placed special emphasis on the development and expansion of educational infrastructure by building more class-rooms, new schools as well as on teacher training with a view to improving the quality of education. A number of measures were taken to ensure that NAMCOL learners are not disadvantaged. These included additional class-room hours of teaching as well as additional educational programmes on radio and television. I am pleased to inform you that as a result of these measures, NAMCOL learners performed much better than Grade 10 full-time learners. The remaining Grade 10 learners were absorbed by vocational training centres. I look forward to even better results for Grade 10 and Grade 12 learners in future so that Namibia can have a proud and educated nation under the SWAPO PARTY Government. Several schools were renovated, others were up-graded, while new ones were built during the reporting period. Thirty schools were upgraded to offer the secondary education phase and new schools were built in the Khomas Region, 2 catering for primary and 2 for the secondary education phase to cope with the continued influx of people to the capital. New classrooms, libraries, laboratories, administration blocks, teacher houses and hostels were built in Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Kavango, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa Regions. In total, 467 classrooms, 18 libraries and laboratories, 28 administration blocks and 38 teacher houses were built. The provision of quality education to all our children is at the heart of ETSIP. Our Government is fully committed to provide resources in order to accelerate its implementation. In fact, the proportion of Government funding to ETSIP will increase significantly as a result of the additional resources allocated in the current budget. A new Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSC) qualification and examinations was also introduced to replace the IGCSE and HIGCSE qualifications and examinations of the Cambridge International Examinations syndicate. Access to pre-primary education has direct bearing to the school readiness and academic performance of children at school. Funding has been made available for that purpose and to help those children with special education needs. Good nutrition plays an important part in pupils’ ability to learn and, thus, to benefit from their education. Our SWAPO PARTY Government is, therefore, increasing the coverage of the school feeding programme and improving the quality of the catering services. These changes will predominantly benefit poorer families, particularly those in rural areas. The National Student Financial Assistance Fund is receiving extra money to enable it to extend access to tertiary education by our youth. In addition, funding has been provided to both the University of Namibia and the Polytechnic of Namibia to enable them to provide better tuition to an increasing number of the country’s youth. I am pleased to report that our tertiary education institutions are growing and expanding. The University of Namibia now has 8 faculties and 4 academic centres. The total number of students enrolled at UNAM now stands at 10, 140 this year. Likewise, the Polytechnic of Namibia is also growing steadily. Enrolment numbers now stand at 10,000 students. Honourable Speaker I now turn my attention to the main sector of our economy. TOURISM Our Government fully supports the strengthening of the tourism sector. We, therefore, welcome the opening of new tourism facilities such as the Sossus Dune Lodge and the International Tourism Access Facilities at the Mata-Mata and Sendelingsdrift Border posts. Honourable Members may recall that according to the Tourism Satellite Account research released by the World Travel and Tourism Council for the period 2009 to 2018, Namibia was projected to have the fastest growth in travel and tourism industry in the world. The tourism sector was projected to produce the second highest projected growth in terms of contribution to GDP. It is clear, therefore, that prior to the world economic recession, tourism was one of the fastest and largest employers in Namibia. It is now becoming evident that tourism is weakening as financially–strained tourists from North America, Europe and Asia find it expensive to travel abroad. From the end of last year, international tourist arrivals into SADC region have declined slightly. Against this background, our Government must continue to adopt measures aimed at mitigating the effects of tourism decline on employment and revenue generation. We will continue to put special emphasis on community-based tourism by assisting conservancies to improve their infrastructure. FISHERIES The marine fisheries sector continues to make significant contribution to the national economy in terms of employment, export earnings and contributions to our Gross Domestic Product. Fourteen thousand people are employed in the sector on a permanent basis. During the period under review, the sector attracted both local and international investments, resulting in the opening of new fish processing facilities such as the Pomona Factory at Lüderitz. Other welcome investments have been made in the modernization of fish processing and value addition at Walvis Bay. We welcome the growth in the aquaculture sub-sector where government invested more than N$62 million since 2003. Freshwater aquaculture now employs close to 700 people. Plans are underway to establish a fish feed plant at Onavivi at the cost of N$6 million. I am aware that the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and the National Youth Service have joined hands to deploy members of the National Youth Service at aquaculture projects around the country to receive training in fish farming. They will use these skills to teach communities to practice integrated crop and fish farming techniques. In October 2008, I inaugurated phase 1 of the Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute which was build at the cost of N$28 million. It is designed as a Centre of Excellence for Namibia, and the entire SADC Region. Phase 2 will continue during the current financial year. Our Government is continuing to implement practical measures to conserve our marine resources. In this light, the Total Allowable Catch is being allocated conservatively, taking into account the observed bio-mass and research statistics. This is part of our commitment to utilise our natural resources in a sustainable manner for the benefit of future generations. AGRICULTURE, FOOD PRODUCTION, ETC The revised Green Scheme Policy was recently approved by Cabinet. It will form the basis for expanding crop production under irrigation. An amount of N$ 55 million was allocated to the Scheme and utilised to construct infrastructure, such as irrigation systems and houses for small-scale farmers at the Ndonga Linena, Shadikongoro and Vungu Vungu agricultural projects. In addition, Etunda Agricultural project will be expanded by developing phases 5, 6, 7 and 8. Agricultural projects will be expanded to other parts of the country such as the Caprivi Region where rice growing trials is being developed at Kalimbeza Rice Project. We encourage Public Private Partnership projects to boost food production. I am happy to say that such projects are already operational at places such as Musese and Shitemo Irrigation Schemes in the Kavango Region. In the south, the Hardap Research Station was converted to small-scale farmer’s plots for commercial crop production. While good progress has been made, the implementation of the Green Scheme Programme is hampered by a shortage of engineers and other experts. Under the Programme to Support to Dry-land Crop Production, our Government provided fertilisers, improved seeds and ploughing services to farmers at subsidised rates in the six crop growing regions of Caprivi, Kavango, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Oshikoto. An amount of N$ 25 million was spent to implement this Programme. Floods and abnormal rains hampered the effective implementation of the Programme during the 2008/09 cropping season. I call upon the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry to ensure that information on these schemes reaches our people so that they can benefit from them. Honourable Speaker We must also strengthen measures to improve yields by our livestock farmers. The Eastern Caprivi Region has experienced outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease since November 2007. The recent outbreak of the disease in the Kavango region disrupted international marketing of livestock from the Northern Communal Areas. Cabinet directed the line Ministry to consult with local traditional authorities and councillors in Mukwe and Ndiyona constituencies to erect a temporary barrier in the area to restrict the movement of livestock to uninfected areas, and to facilitate the vaccination and tagging of animals in the affected constituencies. Quarantine farms at Omutambo-WoMawe, Oshivelo, Okongo, Mangetti, Kopano and Katima Mulilo have been upgraded through the project Animal Health Improvement and Marketing in the Northern Communal Areas. The ultimate aim of this project is to achieve the Foot-and-Mouth Disease free status for the Northern Communal Areas. In addition, our SWAPO Party Government has erected and maintains auction pens, thereby assisting communal farmers with the marketing of their livestock. Last year, our Government provided N$100 million to enable Agribank to reduce interest rates on a wide range of products so as to ensure and maintain affordability of these products by the farmers during the global economic crisis. Interest rates on the National Agricultural Credit Program were reduced to 4 percent. In addition, Agribank introduced the loan consolidation facility to provide further relief to farmers by consolidating existing loans into one facility at weighted interest rates over a period of between 10 to 25 years. Also introduced during 2008 was the Ekwatho Meatco scheme to assist farmers to increase marketing of weaners to the Meatco abattoirs. This will create more jobs and reduce the export of livestock on the hoof. Since the inception of the scheme in November 2008, Agribank has granted nearly N$15 million to Affirmative Action Loan Scheme farmers to raise weaners. Agribank also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement valued at N$ 20 million annually to establish the Post re-settlement Support Fund. The Fund will be administered by the bank to enable resettled farmers to access affordable financing in order to improve and maximise agricultural productivity. The loans will be offered to resettled farmers at affordable interest rates of 4 percent in order to stimulate productivity, enhance the living standards of the resettled farmers and promote economic development of our nation. Honourable Speaker The development, expansion and maintenance of our physical infrastructure is one of the cornerstones of our national development strategy. Many projects were carried out to expand, repair and maintain our roads, bridges, electricity networks, communication lines and other vital infrastructure. This is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, we must continue to invest in our infrastructure in order to achieve our strategic development goals and secondly, we must act quickly to repair the damage caused by flood waters in the northern and north eastern Namibia. An amount of more than N$720 million was invested in road maintenance programmes during the period under review. On 14 October last year, Cabinet approved an amount of N$45 million from the Contingency Fund to repair the road infrastructure damaged by floods in the northern and north eastern regions of the country. The roads in question include the road between Okalongo and Outapi, the Onheleiwa road, the road from MR111 to Onaanda, the road between Ondangwa and Onakamwandi and the road between Ondangwa and Ohalushu. Other roads and bridges under the flood repair programme are the Uukwiyu-Omukandu road; Oshakati-Ompundja road; Oshakati-Endola road; Ogongo-Olutsiidhi road and the Ongwediva bridge. Due to the exceptionally high floods this year, most of these roads have again been washed away. The Regional Roads Master Plans for Oshikoto, Oshana, Omusati, Ohangwena and Kavango were revised. The feasibility study for the improvement of the Otavi-Tsumeb road was completed in September last year. The Government is studying the possibility of tarring the Swakopmund-Henties Bay-Kamanjab road. Also, the rehabilitation of the road between Okahandja and Karibib to the tune of N$290 million which started in February last year is progressing well. The tarring of the road between Rosh Pinah and the Sendelingsdrif Turn-off commenced in January last year and is expected to be completed in May this year. Work has also started on Phase 1 of the tarring of the road between Tsumeb and Katwitwi at the border with Angola at the cost of N$810 million. Other projects include: Gobabis to Otjinene road via Drimiopsis, at a cost of N$600 million; the widening of Divundu Bridge at the cost of N$40 million; Omakange to Okahao road at a cost of N$345 million; Oshikuku to Okalongo road and the Rundu-Siko-Nkurenkuru-Elundu Road. Many labour-based road construction projects have been completed, while others are continuing in different parts of the country. These include the following roads: Ngoma to Muyako; Kongola to the Zambian border; Katima Mulilo to Kopano Qarantine facility; and Ngoma to Nakobolelwa. A Feasibility Study will be conducted to construct a bridge connecting Impalila Island to Zambia and Botswana as part of the Kazungula Bridge. Other labour works construction projects include: Ompundja to Eheke gravel road; Ekamba to Onkani road; Tondoro to Kamupupu road; Rupara-Muveve-Gcangcu road; Liselo-Linyanti-Singalamwe bitumen road; the road to Mangetti West Quarantine Camp, and Epukiro-Eiseb-Gam Road. ENERGY AND POWER The provision of reliable energy is crucial for our economy. It is for this reason that our SWAPO PARTY Government is pursuing different options to secure a reliable supply of electricity for the country. More than N$350 million has been invested in electrifying rural communities in all regions of the country since the programme started. The hydro-power option is also of strategic importance for the country. The Namibia/Angola Permanent Joint Technical Commission has appointed the Cunene Consortium to conduct an updated Techno-Economic study on the Baynes Hydropower Option. It submitted a Draft Phase 1 Report in January this year. Our Government has engaged NamPower to investigate the possibility of developing a small-scale hydropower plant along the Orange River. Work has started on the construction of the Caprivi Link, from Katima Mulilo to Otjiwarongo. The line will connect Namibia’s power grid to Zambia and Zimbabwe, making it possible for a more direct trade in electricity. In order to boost capacity, NamPower is adding a fourth Unit at the Ruacana Hydro Power Plant. It will add 80MegaWatts more to the existing capacity of 249MegaWatts. Honourable Speaker SECURITY, LAW AND ORDER It is an established fact that democracy and economic development can only be sustained through the security of the nation. Therefore, security is a pre-requisite for economic growth, peace and stability. Lack of security discourages investors from investing in societies where economic returns are uncertain. Namibia is not immune from the spillovers from conflicts elsewhere in the world. Against this background, we have provided funding to enhance the effectiveness of our uniformed forces as part of our obligation to contribute to international peace, security and stability. It is for this reason that defence spending has been increased to meet our national and international obligations. Our uniformed personnel need modern equipment in order to carry out their duties effectively. I commend our men and women in uniform for making Namibia proud in peace keeping operations abroad as well as the maintenance of law and order here at home. As I have already pointed out, a strong criminal justice system is a critical factor in a democratic state based on the Rule of Law and democracy. In this regard, specific steps were taken to address the backlog of cases on our court roll, including the recruitment of additional magistrates and the creation of additional posts for judges. The reporting period also saw the completion of the High Court building at Oshakati, the completion of a new court building at Khorixas and the commencement of the construction of a new court building at Tsumkwe. The Ministry of Justice has rolled out the Namibian Court Information System to Magistrates’ Offices in Windhoek, Swakopmund, Usakos, Karibib, Omaruru and Walvis Bay. Namibia has acceded to and ratified multilateral international instruments such as the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and its Protocols; the UN, AU and SADC Conventions and Protocols against Corruption; SADC Protocol on Extradition; and most recently the UN Convention against the Illicit Trafficking in Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. We have done this to join hands with other countries in combating transnational organised crime. Furthermore, Namibia has entered into bilateral extradition and mutual legal assistance treaties with many countries to enhance effective administration of justice. Honourable Speaker We are committed to combat crime and to ensure that our citizens live in safety. That is why a fully fledged Ministry of Safety and Security was established. During 2008/2009 financial year, our Government allocated an amount of N$135 million to the police to address the problem of transport. To date, seven hundred and five vehicles have been acquired. These vehicles were distributed to police stations around the country and various specialized units of the Police Force. Our Government has also established an Air Wing within the Namibian Police Force. It currently operates with one “Squirrel” helicopter. In addition to fighting crime, the helicopter has been used to assist with the rescue of flood victims. As Honourable Members are aware, this year we will hold Presidential and National Assembly elections. The Electoral Commission of Namibia is making progress in preparing for these elections. The Commission also has initiated a comprehensive review of the Electoral Act, of 1992, resulting in the drafting of the Electoral Amendment Bill. The draft Bill will be submitted to the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development to take the process further. I hope that Honourable Members will expedite the passing of this Bill in time for enactment into law before the forthcoming national elections. After the achievement of independence, our SWAPO PARTY Government started with the process of nation building to mould a new society based on the pillars of democratic governance and respect for human rights as enshrined in the Namibian constitution. We are proud that our people have internalised these democratic values that have enabled our country to remain stable both socially and economically. As this is an election year, I call upon all Namibians to ensure that all our laws are respected. We should ensure that election campaigns and other political activities are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. Political support should only be gained through the power of persuasion. Provocative acts which could incite violence should be avoided at all cost. Our common aims should be the holding of credible, peaceful, free and fair elections. A country where citizens preoccupy themselves with constructive and productive endeavours aimed at nation building and enhancing the policy of National Reconciliation. These are the ideals that our heroes and heroines fought and died for. They must be ideals that we as Namibians, should promote and live for! Honourable Speaker Through this statement, I have reported on many of the practical steps taken by our SWAPO PARTY Government to spread the benefits of social and economic development to all corners of Namibia. I believe that it is possible to mobilize all our citizens, men, women, workers, peasants, urban dwellers, boys and girls to contribute in their unique ways to the development of their Motherland. As a nation, we take pride in advocating the motto of ONE NAMIBIA ONE NATION. We take pride in advocating the principle of National Reconciliation. We take pride in promoting peace, security, stability and tolerance in our country. We must vehemently reject tribalism, regionalism, ethnicity, racism, sexism and nepotism, with the contempt they deserve. Let us all embrace what is good and noble. Let us all embrace the patriotic spirit of Hendrick Witbooi, Samuel Maharero, Kahimemwa Nguvauva, Mandume ya Ndemufayo, Jacob Morenga, Nehale lya Mpingana, Ipumbu ya Tshilongo and other heroes and heroines, to guide us towards the future as we strive to make Namibia a better place for all and to reach our chosen destination. The destination of economic prosperity. The destination of poverty eradication. The destination of education for all. The destination of health for all. The destination of infrastructure development. The attainment of Vision 2030. We must always remember that the journey to our final destination was made possible by our heroes and heroines. Their blood waters our freedom. Honourable Speaker We start the new Financial Year with renewed commitment to the achievement of our national priorities. I am also pleased that, where warranted, genuine criticisms have been raised with the view to improve. The Appropriation Bill is a planning tool for the execution of Government plans over a specific period. As we look back at the period under review, we are encouraged by the successes that have been recorded. At the same time, we are reminded of the improvements that we must make in order to serve more people, reach more communities and improve the living conditions of those Namibians who live in difficult conditions. The lessons of the past have encouraged us to plan better and work smarter. We are confident that we will do better, achieve more and improve the performance of the public service in the new Financial Year and in the future. Long Live the Republic of Namibia! I thank you. |
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