Making A Better World - Milton Louw

 Milton Louw's book "Future Namibia" presents several key themes that reflect his vision for the country's development and address its socio-economic challenges. Here are the main themes explored in the book: 1. Economic Empowerment Louw emphasizes the need for **economic empowerment** as a means to uplift all Namibians, particularly marginalized communities. He advocates for **Black Economic Empowerment** and the establishment of cooperative banking systems to provide access to financial resources for underserved populations, thereby promoting self-reliance and stability in the economy [1]. 2. Social Justice and Integration The book discusses the importance of **social justice** and the integration of diverse groups within Namibian society. Louw highlights issues related to the rights of women, children, and the elderly, stressing that a cohesive society requires addressing inequalities and fostering inclusivity [1][2]. 3. Education and Skills Development Louw argues...

Monopolies are often blamed for high prices or poor service, as some companies, when free from competition, may charge more or deliver less. The typical argument is that introducing competition will automatically lower prices and improve service. But is competition always beneficial? In this article, we explore the different types of monopolies, their origins, and whether competition is always the best solution. What Are Monopolies? A monopoly occurs when a single company or entity controls the supply of a product or service, limiting choices for consumers. This control allows the monopoly to set prices, often higher than they would be in a competitive market. In Namibia, we see different types of monopolies: 1. Selling Monopolies : A company is the only supplier of a product, forcing customers to accept the prices it sets. 2. Producing Monopolies : A company controls the entire production process or source of supply, giving it significant influence over the market. 3. T rading Monopol...

I have made a short list of the main issues I believe should be included in the Consumer Protection legislation for Namibia: 1. Consumers have the right to cancel a reservation or pre-booking for any goods or services and to cancel any order for any goods or services. 2. Consumers may cancel a fixed-term agreement (of any term) at any time. 3. Suppliers must provide a quote or estimate prior to working on any goods. 4. The rendering of services or the goods required to perform any service must be in a manner and of a quality that persons are generally entitled to expect and be free of any defect. 5. The CPA must impose strict liability on producers, importers, distributors or retailers to supply safe goods and imposes strict liability in respect of product failure, defective and hazardous goods. 6. A mandatory three-month warranty period must be imposed on service providers who install any new or reconditioned part during repair or maintenance work. 349 A consumer is entitled to return...

  Introduction Namibia’s youth are the heartbeat of our nation, the driving force that will propel us into a future filled with promise and possibility. As we stand on the brink of transformative change, it is you — our young people — who will lead the way. This manifesto is a commitment to you, recognising your challenges, your dreams, and your undeniable potential to shape the future of Namibia. 1.  Economic Empowerment: Building Wealth Together We understand that financial security and independence are crucial to your future. To achieve this, we will: Promote Youth Entrepreneurship : Establish a Youth Innovation Fund to provide grants and low-interest loans for young entrepreneurs. We will simplify the process for starting and registering businesses, ensuring that your ideas can quickly turn into reality. Support Cooperative Initiatives: Encourage the formation of youth-led cooperatives that focus on shared economic goals, such as savings and credit cooperatives, which allo...

 Facebook is the most popular social media platform in Namibia, significantly outpacing its competitors in terms of user engagement and reach. Here’s how Facebook compares to other platforms: Popularity and User Base Facebook : As of early 2023, there were approximately 78,000 Facebook users in Namibia, representing about 22.4% of the total population and 32.9% of the eligible audience aged 13 and above. Despite a slight decline in ad reach, Facebook remains the leading platform for social media interaction among Namibians. Instagram : The platform has around 230,000 users in Namibia, showing growth in advertising audience but still far behind Facebook.  Twitter : With only about 46,000 users, Twitter has a much smaller audience compared to Facebook and Instagram, making it less influential in the Namibian social media landscape. LinkedIn : This platform has about 200,000 users, primarily targeting professionals, but it does not match the general engagement levels seen on Face...

A Basic Income Grant (BIG) is a form of social security in which all citizens or residents of a country regularly receive an unconditional sum of money from the government, regardless of their income, resources or employment status. The main goals of a BIG are to provide a basic standard of living for all citizens and to alleviate poverty and income inequality[1][2]. Pros of a Basic Income Grant Alleviating poverty and income inequality A BIG would provide a steady income to all citizens, which would significantly reduce poverty and income inequality. The regular payments would help ensure that everyone can meet their basic needs[1][2]. Improving health and wellbeing By reducing poverty and providing financial security, a BIG would have positive impacts on physical and mental health. It would reduce stress and allow people to better afford healthcare, food, housing and other necessities[2][4]. Reducing administrative costs Compared to traditional welfare programs, a BIG would be simple...

Vision for Namibia My vision is to establish Namibia as a prosperous, equitable, and sustainable nation where every citizen enjoys economic empowerment, social justice, and access to critical services and opportunities. This vision is grounded in the principles of cooperative economics, digital inclusivity, and participatory governance, all aimed at fostering national development and social cohesion. Purpose This manifesto outlines the work programme for myself, as Executive President, and my team (Executive Cabinet) of ministers, ten chosen with practical business experience, and a further five chosen from elected parliamentarians. Core Values The Executive Cabinet of Namibia shall prioritise government employees by motivating them to excel at their tasks, empowering them with financial and political support, monitoring implementation and providing continuous feedback to Namibia's citizens. Economic Empowerment through Cooperative Models The foundation of my economic policy will b...

  In 1994, I was offered the job as the Namibian Delegate to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s Investment Promotion Service in Paris, France. The Delegate of each country represented is responsible for:   investment promotion campaigns; project development; preparation of feasibility studies; management of programme budgets; and joint-venture project development. During this period, I had an opportunity to study and learn about the investment strategies of amongst others, Mauritius, China, India, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Algeria, Madagascar, Vietnam and Chile. Most of my colleagues were highly educated economists and were attached by their governments from planning or trade and industry ministries. Their experience and willingness to share were invaluable to me coming from a newly liberated country, and me personally having no qualifications in this field! They encouraged me to study Namibia's history and specifically the business strategies of...

  I bought my first M-net decoder in 1992 when my first born Mikaila was about a year old. The live broadcast was a Michael Jackson show from Romania. The aerial was not quite right so we would lose the signal and her mother would say, "Michael, Michael" while snapping her fingers until the picture would focus. Mikaila started copying her and whenever she wanted to watch tv (naturally a Michael Jackson movie) she would try and snap her fingers and say something that sounded like ""Michael, Michael". As Daddy's do - I promised to take her to meet Michael Jacskon. A few years later I was the MD for Hazy Investments and part of the World Economic Forum held in Windhoek. As the first Secretary of the EPZ Committee and knowing Barden International, I was part of the inviting committee - for Michael Jackson. The best part was that he would not attend unless he got the Presidential Suite - and guess who had booked that for his own guest - ME. So I convinced my bos...

Privacy laws are supposed to protect our personal information, but in reality, they often end up helping the rich more than the poor. This is especially true in countries like Namibia, where these laws can unintentionally create barriers that make it harder for poorer people to access opportunities for growth and development. Privacy in Namibia In Namibia, the Constitution protects your physical privacy, but protecting your personal data, like your name or address, needs specific laws. These include the Data Protection Act, Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, and the Freedom of Access to Information Act. While these laws are important, they mostly benefit people who already have access to the internet and digital services. For those who are less fortunate, these laws can actually make life harder. Information Access and Development Being able to access information is key to development. Public places like libraries and telecentres provide access to information an...

 Milton Louw's writings do not extensively cover the topic of abortion, but given his emphasis on social justice, national development, and sustainable growth, a campaign stance on abortion would likely focus on balanced, compassionate approaches that respect individual rights and promote public health. A possible approach for the campaign could be: 1. Healthcare Access and Education:    - Enhance comprehensive sexual education programs to reduce unwanted pregnancies.    - Improve access to healthcare services, including contraception and family planning resources. 2. Support Systems:    - Strengthen support for pregnant women, including prenatal care, financial assistance, and counseling services.    - Provide robust support for adoption services as an alternative to abortion. 3. Legal Framework:    - Engage in national dialogue to discuss the current legal status of abortion, considering public opinion and ethical perspectives. ...

For the regular readers of my blog you will recall my post  Law Society of Namibia leaks members details - June 2023 .   The Law Society of Namibia sent me a letter of demand to desist from unlawful acquisition and dissemination of private and confidential information of or relating to members of the Law Society of Namibia. First let us look at the events that brought about this demand:

 The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) advertised in daily newspapers for the position of Manager: Universal Fund on 25 July 2024. This has taken a long time (like many other issues at CRAN) but we hope that it will soon be operational. If we look at the history of CRAN, there are numerous issues that should have been dealt with by the Authority but never have been operationalised. Let us look at these issues that impact the lives, and pockets, of Namibian consumers Background The Communications Act 8 of 2009 established the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia to provide for the regulation of telecommunications services and networks, broadcasting, postal services and the use and allocation of radio spectrum. In the law it provides for, amongst others, the following: Universal Service Fund (Part 4); protection of consumers (Part 7); and a numbering plan that must require mobile number portability by all technology and service neutral licensees within t...

 First let us look at what AI is? Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems or machines that can perform tasks usually requiring human intelligence. In other words, AI can assist a person in doing much more work than what is normally possible. These tasks include learning from data (like humans learn from experience), recognising patterns (such as identifying faces in photos), making decisions, and understanding natural language (like how we talk to each other). For an average user this means three levels of usage, namely:  How can you use existing AI for improving your life;  How is AI used ON (or against) you; and Creating AI chatbots with information you upload to assist in answering questions suited to your needs and wants. Use existing AI for improving your life One of the most popular and well-known AI applications is ChatGPT, (an advanced conversational AI model), which allows questions, provides personalised answers and can engage in conversation. Th...