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NCCI Walvis Bay Continued from page 1 to the letter and the Business Forum made good of their threat to engage the NCCI at national level. On 9 February this year, the Walvis Bay Business People Forum wrote a letter to the CEO of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and pointed out their concern over the NCCI Walvis Bay's refusal to register certain businesses as members and the NCCI Walvis Bay's unresponsiveness. The businesspeople are urging the NCCI's National Executive to attend to the matter. This week it was confirmed from more than one quarter, unofficially though, the postponement of the annual general meeting of the NCCI Walvis Bay comes as a direct consequence of the complaints lodged in the letter to the NCCI. The matter is now attended to and businessmen is hopeful their membership will now be forthcoming. Some also expressed resolve to use their voting rights at the first best opportunity to vote a new generation of leaders into power at the NCCI Walvis Bay. Upon inquiries it was confirmed the NCCI's CEO Taara Shaanika is out of the office and only returns on Monday. He could not be reached on his cell phone for comment. Two sources close to the NCCI Walvis Bay concurred though the AGM was postponed due to this membership issue, but that it would take place the moment the membership issue is straightened out.
Tweya wants 100 % Continued from page 1 The Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Tjekero Tweya, yesterday held the keynote statement at the 5th annual General Meeting of the Communications Regulators' Association of Southern Africa. Delegates from eleven Countries from SADC are attending the event. During his speech Tweya called on the communication regulators of the region to pull up their socks and ensure that information and technology is accessible to all citizens. “Namibia cannot claim to have breached the digital gap if many other Africans have no access to information,” he said and gave an example: “Imagine you wake up one morning and your TV, Radio and Cellphone don't work. You will panic. This is the situation most of our citizens find themselves in.” The Minister therefore called on the Regulatory Authorities to use their technical knowledge to make this happen “now.” Talking about ITC in the whole of Southern Africa Tweya said that technological gadgets that are being distributed in Africa are sometimes obsolete elsewhere in the world, but still good enough for Africa. To ensure that these devices don't damage the citizens' health, they should undergo intense scrutiny. In the same vein he called on people to develop their own gadgets. “Imagine a gadget gets made in Zambia. People wouldn't want it, because we don't have confidence in ourselves. We don't believe in ourselves. What a shame,” he continued. This point was corroborated by Erongo Governor Cleophas Mutjavikua who
said that “we cannot remain consumers.” People in SADC should create their own cellphones. “If we develop our own devices, people cannot tap into our information anymore,” he reasoned. He also addressed regulatory authorities and called them on to address the issue of the high roaming costs amongst countries in Southern Africa. “Especially SME's use cellphones for their business. We are encroaching them in making a living, because of these high costs. We are being pulled by the nose by operators,” he said. As part of the Harambee Prosperty plan which was launched by President Hage Geingob this week, Tweya touched on his responsibilities to ensure access to information and telecommunication technology. By 2020 80% of the Namibian population must be covered by broadband service. “He added though that we cannot wait till 2020. “What about the other 20%? I want 100% connectivity,” he said. Furthermore he wants 80% of primary and secondary schools in Namibia to also be connected by a broadband service till that year. “We don't have enough money to build libraries. Nowadays you don't need a building anymore. If you have access to a network, you already have a library,” he said. Besides substantial broadband access at health services in the country as well, Tweya also wants all public sector agencies to be 100% connected to a broadband service by 2020. Lastly it is his aim to ensure a 100% access to radio and digital television.
review pertinent regional initiatives such as the Regulatory Empowerment Project, the Independent Power Producer (IPP) Framework, and the project on Building Regional Climate Resilience through Electricity Trading and Related Infrastructure. Namibia will greatly benefit in its development of the IPP Framework from the RERA instruments of regional
regulatory principles, cross border power trading guidelines, regional grid code and cost reflective tariffs, amongst others. More than one hundred delegates are expected to take part in the meetings. Apart from Namibia, other RERA member countries are Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Electricity Control Board Sexual offender hosts meetings Continued from page 1 of Regional Electricity Regulators confirmed the incident and said it happened around 06:30 last week Friday. Kashuupulwa said she believes that it might be the same Association of Southern Africa suspect who also raped the 38-year-old woman in Mondesa. (RERA)
The Electricity Control Board (ECB) will from 4 - 19 April host Portfolio and Sub-Committee Meetings of the Regional Electricity Regulators Tel +264 64 461866 Association of Southern Africa Fax + 264 64 461824 (RERA) at Swakopmund in the Erongo ADVERTISING Region. smallswk@namibtimes.net RERA is a formal Association of MARKETING/ independent electricity regulators whose establishment was approved by the SALES Southern African Development Mikkie Kriel Community (SADC) Ministers Cell +264 81 286 9519 responsible for Energy in Maseru, mikkie@namibtimes.net marketing.namibtimes@iway.na Lesotho, on 12 July 2002. The Association's objectives include capacity Brenda Miles building and information sharing, Cell +264 81 128 3280 facilitation of electricity supply industry brenda@namibtimes.net policy, legislation and regulations, and JOURNALISTS regional regulatory cooperation. Sharlien Tjambari At a time when Namibia's need to reform Cell +264 81 788 8155 sharlien@namibtimes.net its electricity sector is more pronounced, RERA is an important platform from Erwin Leuschner which the sector can draw lessons. The Cell +264 81271 0645 erwin@namibtimes.net main objective of the meetings in Namibia is to provide country updates on PRO-Print recent regulatory and other electricity Brenda Miles supply industry developments. Cell +264 81 128 3280 brenda@namibtimes.net The forum provides an opportunity to
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8 APRIL 2016
Ruacana hydro electric installation