Making A Better World - Milton Louw

  Milton Louw proposes that each citizen should benefit from Namibia’s natural resources through a framework that ensures equitable distribution and utilization for national development. His approach includes several key elements: 1. Central Register of Natural Resources : A comprehensive register to track and manage licenses for natural resources, ensuring transparency and accountability in resource utilization. This register would cover all licenses for the extraction and use of natural resources, ensuring that benefits are fairly distributed and not concentrated in the hands of a few  . 2. Community Participation and Ownership : Encouraging community involvement in resource management to ensure that local populations directly benefit from the resources extracted from their areas. This includes community-based projects and cooperative models that provide employment and investment opportunities for local citizens  . 3. Revenue Distribution : Implementing ...

Privacy laws, designed ostensibly to protect individuals' personal information, often end up serving the interests of the wealthy, while hindering the development opportunities for the poor. In Namibia, as in many developing countries, this dynamic is particularly evident. The implementation and enforcement of privacy regulations can inadvertently create barriers that disproportionately affect the disadvantaged, who are in dire need of development initiatives and economic opportunities. (Picture: New Era 28.02.2022) The Dichotomy of Privacy Rights The Namibian Constitution guarantees physical privacy, while informational privacy—protection of personal data—requires specific legislation. This includes the Data Protection Act, Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, and Freedom of Access to Information Act. These laws, while crucial in a modern society, often cater to those who already have access to digital services and the means to protect their privacy. For the poor, th...

In Namibia, public-private collaboration models can be effectively applied across various sectors to address infrastructure gaps, improve public services, and stimulate economic growth. Most of the proposals on a public-private collaboration model, often referred to as a public-private partnership (PPP), have been out to the Namibian Government since 1994 when I was still working at the United Nations Industrial Organisations' (UNIDO) Investment Service in Paris, France. Nevertheless, with little help from ChatGPT, let's look at them again. 1. Infrastructure Development: Project: Upgrading and Expanding the Transport Network Description : Develop new roads, highways, and bridges to improve connectivity between rural and urban areas. - Model : Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) - Benefits : Improved transportation infrastructure can boost trade, tourism, and accessibility to remote areas, enhancing economic activities and integration. 2. Energy Sector: Project: Renewable Energy Plants...

  I once again have read the "fact" that Basters come from Germans. There is more German blood in Herero families than Basters. I quote from  https://minorityrights.org : Basters, a mixed-race Afrikaans-speaking community, are descendants of groups that migrated in the nineteenth century from the Cape in South Africa to settle at Rehoboth, south of Windhoek. Though far less marginalized than some other communities, many Basters have a strong sense of minority identity. They are currently estimated at numbering around 55,000, though there are no official statistics on the Baster population. HISTORICAL CONTEXT Groups of mixed-race South Africans migrated from the Cape to settle at Rehoboth, south of Windhoek, in 1868, where they displaced Nama people and rapidly established their own institutions. Even under German and South African colonial rule, Basters maintained broad autonomy. In 1872, Basters declared their own republic and were able to maintain a certain level of autonom...

  Since gaining independence in 1990, Namibia has established a comprehensive legal framework characterised by its Constitution, which serves as the supreme law of the country. Here are key highlights of Namibian laws and legal developments since 1990: The Namibian Constitution • Adoption and Structure : The Constitution, adopted on March 21, 1990, lays the foundation for Namibia’s legal system. It consists of 21 chapters and 148 articles, covering various aspects of governance, fundamental rights, and state principles  . • Fundamental Rights : Chapter 3 guarantees fundamental human rights and freedoms, including the right to life, liberty, and human dignity. It also protects against discrimination and ensures freedom of speech, assembly, and association . • Government Structure : The Constitution establishes Namibia as a sovereign, secular, democratic, and unitary state. It delineates the roles and powers of the President, the Cabinet, the National Assembly,...

 The concept of a "sin tax" typically applies to products or activities considered harmful or undesirable, such as tobacco, alcohol, and gambling. Charging cellular companies a sin tax would be unconventional and would require a strong justification. Arguments For Public Health and Safety:  If the use of mobile phones is proven to cause significant health risks (e.g., distractions leading to accidents), this could justify a sin tax. Environmental Concerns:  Mobile phones contribute to electronic waste. A sin tax could incentivize companies to adopt more sustainable practices. Market Regulation:  A sin tax could potentially curb excessive marketing practices or monopolistic behaviors if deemed harmful to consumers. Arguments Against Essential Service:  Mobile phones are considered essential for communication, business, education, and emergency services. Taxing them could disproportionately affect lower-income individuals. Economic Impact:  The telecommunicat...

  "The designation of prostitution as a special human rights issue, a violation in itself, emphasises the distinction between prostitution and other forms of female or low-status labour... however exploitative they are. It thus reinforces the marginal, and therefore vulnerable, position of the women and men involved in prostitution. By dismissing the entire sex industry as abusive, it also obscures the particular problems and violations of international norms within the industry which are of concern to sex workers." Thus anything but legal status for sex workers leads to marginalisation and abuses: "even in the many countries where prostitution itself is not illegal, sex workers cannot secure the minimum basic standards which other workers have acquired as far as conditions of work or their personal safety are concerned. It also means that the police frequently fail to take action to help the significant minority among prostitutes who really are victims of slavery."...