Making A Better World - Milton Louw

Hi, Milton here on Farm Okomitundu. I am still philosophising while writing my book - but had to ROFLOL when I read "Culling of Wildebeest applies to Beer". This week: 1. Government-owned Monopolies - the good, the bad... 2. Number portability My thought for the week: "If you want to make enemies, try to change something." - Woodrow T.Wilson Almost finished the first draft of the book. (The two articles above are part of it ;-0) Hopefully be at home by Easter. Regards Milton * ROFLOL = Rolling On Floor, Laughing Out Loud

Submitted to Namibian Parliament on 13 July 2006 Providing affordable financing in Namibia The need for Credit Bureaux Introduction In many developing countries the providers of finance have access to information in databases that help them to asses the creditworthiness of an applicant for credit. With the appropriate credit risk management tools, a lender can reduce the default levels, and provide finance at a cheaper rate to creditworthy clients. The organisations that gather data and operate these services are known as Credit Bureaux, Credit Information Services, Credit Registries, Credit Reporting Agencies or Consumer Credit Reference Agencies. In Namibia, there is only one company, Transunion ITC, which provides a credit bureaux service for consumer information and they collect primarily negative information (negative – that is information on credit defaults, judgements, etc.). A joint-venture between NamBizDotCom and Creditreform Germany, has been developing a commercial database...

*First posted on 23 June 2006* SUBMISSION ON BANKING REGULATIONS VIS-À-VIS CREDIT PROVISION The following is the submission made to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics, Natural Resources and Public Administration. They held public hearings on bank charges and regulations on 14 July 2006 in Windhoek. The banking system in Namibia is presently facing difficulties in their abilities to provide financing for individuals and business, especially small and medium enterprises (SME's). This problem is further influenced by the present level of non-performing debt being experienced in all sectors that provide credit. This poor performance on loans has led to many institutions having to recoup their losses, and provide themselves with profit, through high interests and "innovative" banking charges. It is my opinion that this can be addressed through the increased usage of Information and Communication Technologies. As an example, I attach a paper on the need for credi...

This is not only philosophical but is obviously pure science. A herd of wildebeest can move only as fast as the slowest wildebeest, and when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular culling of the weakest members. In much the same way the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, we all know, kills brain cells, but naturally it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. So that's why you always feel smarter after a few beers.

Hi, Milton here. Still at the farm, fortunate to have one of my daughters, Ziana, visit for the weekend. Thought for the week: “If you're respectful by habit, constantly honoring the worthy, four things increase: long life, beauty, happiness, strength.”-Buddha Quote Enjoy Namibia's Independence Day! Kind regards Milton ______________________________________________________ Someone asked, why a website with directories of people and business? The idea of creating an economic country database started in 1994 while working with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in Paris, France. Since then I have collected over 11,000 businesses details and 250,000 people. Once the data is collected and cleaned, there are many areas for possible commercial use. However, it has till thus far only been used for research purposes when conducting surveys of the Small and Medium Enterprises for example. The main aim is still to create a Central Register for Namibia that will includ...

Hi, Milton here from the farm Okomitundu. I have visited the top of the Kudu Mountain, some 400 metres above the farmhouse (1,670m above sea-level). I was being interviewed for the television programme Green Horizons that should be broadcast on NBC TV on 26 March. (Some people have asked for a picture of what the farm looks like, so have a look at www.okomitundu.com .) This week I have finished loading 250,000 Namibians information listed by surname on to the Internet. This includes their name and surname, as well as their date of birth. See my article below and check if your details are online. You might be surprised how many of your relatives are on as well ;-). Thought for the week: "Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." ~Jane Howard Kind regards Milton Email: miltonlouw@gmail.com website: www.nambiz.co.cc ________________________________________________________________________ What is p...

*First Posted: 5 January 2007* Hi, Milton Louw here from Windhoek in this first month of 2007. I hope you have had a relaxing vacation (those of you who could afford to get away), and are ready for the challenges of 2007. May all you efforts be rewarded with the success you work for. Now how about a New Years resolution to include improving yourself.......... This week, I cover 1. Thought for the week 2. Life Long Learning The next week means for most of us the return (or start) of school for our children. If you can, take just five minutes each day and consider what they will become upon leaving school. Then, check to see if you are doing everything possible to make their dreams come true. Enjoy the week, Milton Cell: +264 81 304 3282 Thought for the week We must encourage [each other] once we have grasped the basic points to interconnecting everything else on our own, to use memory to guide our original thinking, and to accept what someone else sa...

*First Posted: 20 March 2007* Hi, Milton Louw here from Windhoek. Just about to leave the office to go celebrate our Namibian Independence tomorrow. Thinking back reminds me how our was the lucky person to raise the flag over Windhoek that first morning from where the Polytechnic is today. As the Chairperson of the tertiary Student's Representative Council (Academy) in 1989/1990 I have to also consider what the inheritance is of the students born those years and now "enjoying the fruits of our freedom". I can categorically state that me and most of my generation have benefited greatly BUT................ I must also admit that the young generation of today have been done in. During this past week I was fortunate to talk to one of my mentors and idols, Toivo ya Toivo, and was once again humbled when he was most pleased to hear that I am teaching some of the knowledge I have acquired to the young generation of today. (I used to sometimes look down on the "teaching prof...

"First posted 4 May 2007" Hi, Milton here in Windhoek. Sitting in the office on a public holiday getting some work done! Last week I was questioned on the achievements of the ICT Alliance, so I thought to give a short overview of the recommendations recently accepted by the Government of Namibia in the area of Information and Communication Technology. The conference report details the areas Namibia will have to concentrate on if we wish to make ICT a pillar of our Vision 2030 and was developed in partnership between the Ministry and the ICT Alliance. My thought for this week - specifically with our neighbouring Zimbabwe in mind: "Him that I love, I wish to be free -- even from me." - Anne Lindbergh Kind regards Milton Louw + 264 81 3043282 milton@iit.com.na ____________________________________________________________________ The previous Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (now Ministry of Information and Communication Technology - MICT) held a conference in Au...

The following report was prepared for a workshop in August 1999 held in Windhoek. Some interesting reading on what the original business idea was. Posted here for posterity. Milton ____________________________________________ Central Register for Namibia Prepared by: Creditreform International Dr. Dieter Südhofen, Secretary General Preamble: The special political situation as well as the reorganisation and restructuring of the state machinery aimed at in Namibia have provided a special opportunity to set up a central register which is organised in accordance with the latest aspects of computing, takes all essential legislation concerning data protection into account and reaches an efficiency ratio which Germany can unfortunately only dream of at present. The knowledge gained from setting up a modern central register could then be made available to other countries. Objectives: The data which has to be processed by state institutions for a modern social market economy should be organised...

Hi, Milton Louw here in Walvis Bay. Just came through for the day and had to have some seafood at the Raft (excellent platter ;-). Very fortunate to see some good friends too while in Swakopmund and WB. ________________________________________________________________ Thought for the week: * Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things. -Eric Butterworth * It is good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good too, to check up once in a while and make sure you haven't lost the things money can't buy. - George Lorimer * Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father! - Lydia Maria Child _________________________________________________________________ Regards Milton Cell: + 264 81 304 3282