The role of the Government in the developed world is to balance the creation of jobs against the expectations of the employees. The private sector is encouraged through various means to invest and create employment opportunities.
However, the labour force, through its Unions, have become so powerful, they often influence decision-making that is detrimental to job creation. Bluntly put, an investor puts their money where they get the best return. If labour costs are too high, they go elsewhere.
The Namibian Government has used a relaxation of the existing labour laws in its efforts to promote investment. The EPZ Act for example outlaws certain employee actions.
This has not worked.
Rather the government should work to streamline the hiring and firing processes across the board to allow flexibility for investors. It should rather provide incentives to employers who train and develop their existing workforce. For example, the Government could suggest a 1% of turnover be spent of computer literacy of all levels of employees over a three period. Those employers, who can document through proof of International Computer Drivers Licences, will receive a tax rebate of 5% for the five years thereafter.
Too much attention is put on preventive measure in our present labour laws. We should work together to create reactive measures which will encourage better cooperation throughout the work environment.
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Is a serious third party needed in Namibian politics?
This question came up recently in a discussion that was proposing a "Workers Party" for Namibia after the last election.
I had to think about it for a while, especailly as I am a SWAPO member.
But then inspiration struck, if we want to tackle a political problem, why not look at how this has been done by consumer activitists (such as Ralp Nader in the USA). The most common denominator for people is their consumer experience in a society. Nader considered launching a third party around issues of citizen empowerment and consumer rights. He suggested a serious third party could address needs such as campaign-finance reform, worker and whistle-blower rights, government-sanctioned watchdog groups to oversee banks and insurance agencies, ...
I suggest that should a "third-party" emerge it would only be viable if it had a coherent political platform.
What should this platform be based on?
Four things, namely the social movements, the peace movement, the civil rights movement, the environmental movement, and the labour movement. (Often referred to as the "green movement".)
This would be a political platform I could follow!
I had to think about it for a while, especailly as I am a SWAPO member.
But then inspiration struck, if we want to tackle a political problem, why not look at how this has been done by consumer activitists (such as Ralp Nader in the USA). The most common denominator for people is their consumer experience in a society. Nader considered launching a third party around issues of citizen empowerment and consumer rights. He suggested a serious third party could address needs such as campaign-finance reform, worker and whistle-blower rights, government-sanctioned watchdog groups to oversee banks and insurance agencies, ...
I suggest that should a "third-party" emerge it would only be viable if it had a coherent political platform.
What should this platform be based on?
Four things, namely the social movements, the peace movement, the civil rights movement, the environmental movement, and the labour movement. (Often referred to as the "green movement".)
This would be a political platform I could follow!
Friday, 27 November 2009
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Cultural Differences in Namibia
We have thrown the baby out with the bathwater. This is the only explanation of the total lack of information based on cultural affiliations in our census in Namibia. Unfortunately, this attitude of “let’s pretend it is not there” does not make it so.
Even in South Africa, where the Apartheid system was the most formalised, they have recognised the need to keep the information and knowledge of all cultural groups as part of the “rainbow nation”. Discrimination because of race colour or culture is a thing of the past and is replaced by recognition and acceptance of our differences.
We have also outlawed discrimination on the basis of gender, yet still need this categorisation to measure the needed changes that must take place in our country for gender equality. In the same way it is important to note that when a previously marginalised group, such as the San people, have qualified teachers from within their own tribe and culture (Republikein – 14 April 2009).
The lack of recognition of certain groups can have detrimental affects on our country. Look at what has happened to some of our pre-Independence orphans who returned from East Germany. More recently we have seen the SWAPO veterans and orphans also wishing to be recognised as a distinct group with specific needs. In the near future we will see a new group forming of AIDS orphans who have grown up differently with specific disadvantages that need to be addressed to allow them to fully pluck the fruits of our freedom. What culture shall all these groups inherit?
There is a national culture Namibia. Thus we can refer to our language as Namlish with its peculiarities and pronunciations. We are known by our friends and foes on the sport fields as the Brave warriors and the Biltongboere.
In business we refer to the marketing process. It starts with an analysis of the present and then moves to develop a strategy. In marketing it is recognised that to provide the best product for the customer you need to segment the market. Tools such as the Living Standards Measurement are used to focus our marketing efforts. A typical LSM would include age, gender, race or cultural group and income. (Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) household surveys have become an important tool in measuring and understanding poverty in developing countries.)
The people of Namibia are the customer. To serve our people better we must recognise our difference not only in gender or language but also in race. The census in Namibia must measure the race and culture embraced by each resident in future.
The tertiary education institutes in Namibia must then participate in research focussing on cultural, racial, gender, urban-rural economic and livelihood inequalities in Namibia. This ongoing research must continue to ask what the relationship is between the growth and spatial distribution of the public and private economic sectors. It must also encompass the formal and informal economy, the nature of poverty, the characteristics of poor areas, and socio-economic empowerment.
4CK9YP5E8CS2
Even in South Africa, where the Apartheid system was the most formalised, they have recognised the need to keep the information and knowledge of all cultural groups as part of the “rainbow nation”. Discrimination because of race colour or culture is a thing of the past and is replaced by recognition and acceptance of our differences.
We have also outlawed discrimination on the basis of gender, yet still need this categorisation to measure the needed changes that must take place in our country for gender equality. In the same way it is important to note that when a previously marginalised group, such as the San people, have qualified teachers from within their own tribe and culture (Republikein – 14 April 2009).
The lack of recognition of certain groups can have detrimental affects on our country. Look at what has happened to some of our pre-Independence orphans who returned from East Germany. More recently we have seen the SWAPO veterans and orphans also wishing to be recognised as a distinct group with specific needs. In the near future we will see a new group forming of AIDS orphans who have grown up differently with specific disadvantages that need to be addressed to allow them to fully pluck the fruits of our freedom. What culture shall all these groups inherit?
There is a national culture Namibia. Thus we can refer to our language as Namlish with its peculiarities and pronunciations. We are known by our friends and foes on the sport fields as the Brave warriors and the Biltongboere.
In business we refer to the marketing process. It starts with an analysis of the present and then moves to develop a strategy. In marketing it is recognised that to provide the best product for the customer you need to segment the market. Tools such as the Living Standards Measurement are used to focus our marketing efforts. A typical LSM would include age, gender, race or cultural group and income. (Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) household surveys have become an important tool in measuring and understanding poverty in developing countries.)
The people of Namibia are the customer. To serve our people better we must recognise our difference not only in gender or language but also in race. The census in Namibia must measure the race and culture embraced by each resident in future.
The tertiary education institutes in Namibia must then participate in research focussing on cultural, racial, gender, urban-rural economic and livelihood inequalities in Namibia. This ongoing research must continue to ask what the relationship is between the growth and spatial distribution of the public and private economic sectors. It must also encompass the formal and informal economy, the nature of poverty, the characteristics of poor areas, and socio-economic empowerment.
4CK9YP5E8CS2
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Charter of Namibian Consumer Rights
Proposed Charter of Namibian Consumer Rights
1. The right to basic goods and services which guarantee survival.
2. The right to be protected against the marketing of goods or the provision of services that are hazardous to health and life.
3. The right to be protected against dishonest or misleading advertising or labelling.
4. The right to choose products and services at competitive prices with an assurance of satisfactory quality.
5. The right to express consumer interests in the making and execution of government policy.
6. The right to be compensated for misrepresentation, shoddy goods or unsatisfactory services.
7. The right to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be an informed consumer.
8. The right to live and work in an environment which is neither threatening nor dangerous and which permits a life of dignity and well-being.
1. The right to basic goods and services which guarantee survival.
2. The right to be protected against the marketing of goods or the provision of services that are hazardous to health and life.
3. The right to be protected against dishonest or misleading advertising or labelling.
4. The right to choose products and services at competitive prices with an assurance of satisfactory quality.
5. The right to express consumer interests in the making and execution of government policy.
6. The right to be compensated for misrepresentation, shoddy goods or unsatisfactory services.
7. The right to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be an informed consumer.
8. The right to live and work in an environment which is neither threatening nor dangerous and which permits a life of dignity and well-being.
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