21 AUGUST 2015
2 NAMIB TIMES
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O&L Leisure Hotels & Lodges announces “exciting results”
President Continued from page 1
Governor or the Regional Office in advance. He furthermore urged residents from all over the Erongo Region to make use of this opportunity and have their say in the uplift-
ment of the community. For any enquiries in this regard, the Office of the Governor, the Constituency Office or the Erongo Regional Council can be contacted.
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Swakopmund Constituency Councillor, Juuso Kambueshe
Namibia among emerging economies in SADC Continued from page 1
growth of five to seven per cent,” Tax boasted. She said the region continues to enjoy a sustained stable and peaceful political environment, which is a catalyst for regional economic integration and development. “It was gratifying to see the SADC region continue recording a stable political environment, which is important for development,” said Tax. To accelerate regional integration, she said the region focused on finalising the review of its long-term development strategy - the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP). She explained that the revised RISDP, which prioritises industrialisation, will guide the region until 2020 when it is expected to come up with a new long-term development strategy aligned to the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063. If the strategy and roadmap for the industrialisation of SADC is implemented effectively, it will help the region find opportunities to transform the economies to ensure growth and sustained development. As directed by the heads of state at last year’s annual summit, industrialisation will take centre stage in the SADC regional integration agenda. The SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap was approved by the extra-ordinary summit held in April 2015, in Harare, Zimbabwe. “I am confident that the strategy and roadmap, if implemented effectively, will
unlock opportunities within and beyond our borders, leading to socio-economic transformation of SADC economies,” she said. The executive secretary explained that the decision to prioritise industrialisation in the regional integration agenda was in view of the insignificant growth of intra-regional trade despite progress made in the tariff phase-down through the SADC Free Trade Area. She further said the economic block’s enlarged market through the launch of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa-East African Community-SADC (COMESAEAC-SADC) Free Trade Area (FTA) is expected to change the economic landscape through trade. The SADC-EAC-SADC TFTA, which was launched in Egypt in June, will create an integrated market of 26 countries with a combined population of 625 million people. This covers half of the AU member states, with a combined GDP of about US$1.3 trillion (approximately N$16.85 trillion). The TFTA is expected to promote the smooth movement of goods, services and investments across borders. Tax also explained that the strategy recognises the importance of peace and security as crucial to socioeconomic development. The objective of the strategy and roadmap is also amongst others to raise the production level of member states and increase trade amongst the countries. NAMPA
O&L Leisure Hotels & Lodges, the leisure division of Ohlthaver & List Group yesterday announced the successful turnaround of Mokuti Etosha Lodge and Midgard Country Estate. O&L Leisure, as a hospitality management entity, assumed responsibility for these two O&L owned properties in July 2012 after having taken over management from the international Kempinski Group. From financial year 2012 to end financial year 2015 revenue at Mokuti Etosha Lodge grew 85%, the achieved average daily room rate (ADR) by 23% and the average annual occupancy by 44%. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increased by 343%. Customer satisfaction equally dramatically improved as explained by Lance Hurly, Mokuti’s General Manager: “In 2012 Mokuti Etosha Lodge was ranked 15th of 33 accommodation establishments as tracked by TripAdvisor, the World’s largest hospitality review platform. From 2012 we continuously moved up to now 5th out of 33 in 2015.” Results at Midgard Country Estate confirm revenue increased by 79%, the ADR by 12% and annual occupancy by 46%. EBIT was raised by a gratifying 114%. Diether Zevenster, General Manager at Midgard confirmed: “Since 2012 we have, through dramatically
improved service standards and staff motivation been able to firmly position Midgard as a Conferencing and Wedding venue of choice for all in Namibia. It is also very gratifying to see how many Namibian families, especially from Windhoek have also made us their destination of choice on weekends and public holidays. O&L Leisure’s Managing Director Bruce Hutchison added: “I am extremely proud of how our team in the properties and at our Central Office have performed achieving these sterling results. It is also rewarding to see how our re-branded company and its management have been accepted by all our clients and guests resulting in these results.” He went on to say: “During this time our Team is also successfully developing the new 125 room Strand Hotel Swakopmund, opening its doors on October 9, 2015. In addition, up on the banks of the Chobe River
The new Strand Hotel in Namibia’s Zambezi Region and directly opposite the Chobe National Park, we are busy completing the exciting 16 Villa Chobe Water Villas due for opening in January 2016.” Thomas Müller, General Manager Marketing & IT at O&L Leisure explained: “These results were achieved by us correctly identifying and focusing on our various market segments and by providing a product and pricing our customers found were correctly addressing their needs and desires.” He went on to say: “We were able to re-establish the all important relationships with the Namibian Tourism Industry and International Tour Operators by being a transparent, open and predictable business partner, listening to the market and focusing on the customers’ requirements.” John Simpson, O&L Leisure’s General Manager Development said: “Our Chobe Water Villas product promises a new an exciting safari experience.” He continued to explain: “In Africa there is an abundance of such Lodge products and it is an extremely competitive
market. At Chobe Water Villas we have come up with a new and very contemporary interpretation of the African Safari Lodge. I firmly believe it will excite and entertain all who visit this luxury boutique Lodge where the bedrooms are actual Villas built right at or even over the Chobe River with panoramicviews over Sududu Island and into the Chobe National Park.” With the opening of the new Strand Hotel Swakopmund the O&L Leisure Team aims to provide all Namibians and our Country’s visitors a new benchmark in creativity and quality. “We have developed a “gemütlich” Hotel which, correctly represents Namibia and Swakopmund by being respectful to its location and this location’s history and heritage. We then went on to create an exciting collection of restaurants, bars and other guest facilities which, on the 9th of October will be welcoming not only hotel guests but all visitors and residents in Swakopmund,” explained Hutchison.
Angola to host African Caucus From 27–28 August in Luanda, the Republic of Angola will host the Meeting of the Ministers of Finance and Governors of the Central African Banks, the African Caucus, with the aim of strengthening the voice of the continent’s representatives on important issues relating to the socio-economic development of the Bretton Woods Institutions (BWIs). The meeting being held at the Talatona Convention Centre is an important opportunity for the African leaders, represented by their Ministers of Finance and Planning and Governors of the Central Banks, to jointly present in a coordinated and organised way the major and current concerns affecting the economies of the African continent, namely the building of infrastructure and industrialisation of production processes. Hosting an event the size of the African Caucus in Angola should help the country to strengthen its
relationship with international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the African Development Bank, with the aim of mobilising support for the financial needs of the country’s development. On the other hand, holding the forum in Angola will improve the country’s visibility, making way for new opportunities for diversifying the economy. The subjects that stand out on the agenda in the six panels are the General Vision of the Regional Economy, Economic
Transformation and Diversification, Discussion on the 2015 African Caucus Memorandum and the Financing of Regional Projects connected to infrastructure. Personalities like the Ex-President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, and other individuals connected to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the World Bank (WB) and the African Development Bank (AFDB) have been invited to speak on the topics above. Angola was formally designated as the leader of the African Caucus Group in
2015 at the event that took place from 3–4 September 2014 in the Friendship Hall Conference Centre in Khartoum, Republic of Sudan. Founded in 1963 as the African Group of Governors of the World Bank Group and the IMF, the Caucus aims to strengthen the voice of the Governors of the African Continent on important issues relating to the socio-economic development of the African Region, within the Bretton Woods Institutions (World Bank and International Monetary Fund).
“Each day I am thankful for dreams that turned into reality” Motivated with the dream of sharing and giving, Mrs Bertha Kadhila prepared lunch for her neighbours on Saturday, 15 August. According to Bertha, she called all her neighbours from her street and together they enjoyed lunch. The next day, she prepared lunch for vulnerable children, drove to the area next to Pick ‘n Pay shopping mall and invited all the vulnerable children who beg for food around that area and handed them food and also bought clothes for them. Bertha says “each day I am thankful for dreams that turned into a reality.” In conclusion Bertha said we must learn to share and not just to focus on ourselves, “as the bible says, love your neighbour as you love yourself” Bertha added.
Bertha with her neighbours in Mondesa after lunch So remember that there are people out there who go to bed without food in their stomachs and without a blanket to keep them warm during cold nights. Help those in need! It does not need to be with material and money, love and caring is more then enough.