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namib times SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 6583 THURSDAY 25 AUGUST 2016 Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net
inside Every driver can prevent death on Florin can apply Namibia’s roads this long weekend only for parole The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund of Namibia (MVAF) urged Namibians to make road safety top priority this long weekend, as thousands of Namibians will take to the country’s roads for the long weekend and also for Heroes Day celebrations in Walvis Bay.
Coastal Chambers want to end existence of isolation
“In a statement released yesterday aftern o o n t h e M VA F states: August marks an exciting time for Namibians as family and friends get together in celebration of the many festivities lined up during this month. Of prominence is the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair and the Olufuko Cultural Festival which are taking place in the Northern part of Namibia, as well as the commemoration of Heroes Day on 26 August, which will be celebrated at Walvis Bay. These festivities also fall in the school holidays adding to the high number of road travelers. As a result, the coming weekend will see an influx of travelers mainly towards North, West and other parts of Namibia, culminating in high traffic flow and increasing the risk of road crashes during this period. The consequence of such celebrations and gatherings are likely to result in more drivers driving under the influence of alcohol too. MVA Fund statistics recorded during Heroes Weekend of 25 August to 31 August
The two chairpersons of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund’s branches of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) held a meeting recently where they declared the end to an existence of isolation in relation to one another, with coastal businesses and in relation to smaller chambers in the Erongo Region.
2015 indicate that 12 precious lives were lost in 94 crashes with resultant injuries of 193 persons. The rising spate of road crashes across the country coupled with mass casualty crashes which predominantly took place during June 2016, steered the Minister of Transport and Works, Hon Alpheus !Naruseb to call upon all road safety partners to come up with sustainable initiatives to redress the escalating number of road crashes on Namibian roads. In response to the Minister's call, the MVA Fund in conjunction with law enforcement agencies including NamPol, Roads Authority, Local Authority Traffic units and other partners such as National Road Safety Council (NRSC) launched the 'Opotuli' road safety campaign on 24 June. The campaign, which is partly sponsored by the Self-Regulatory Alcohol Industry Forum (SAIF) and Private Sector Safety Forum (PSRSF), is currently in full swing and is expected to run until the end of January 2017 and will be stretched to all 14 regions across the country.
With the focus of doing random breath testing for alcohol consumption and vehicle fitness, the main aim of Opotuli is to encourage road users to change their mindset while using the roads. Even though Namibia was rated as the top African country with the best road infrastructures by the World Economic Forum in their Global Competitive Report of 2014/15, it is evident that good infrastructure alone is clearly not sufficient to save our people from succumbing on the country's roads, and only significant behavioural change among road users can make the road safer to everyone. Because most road crashes are the product of several factors such as speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and due to negligence or reckless driving, the probability of crashes happening can be reduced in different ways if every road user pledges to be a responsible and safe road user this long weekend. As you plan to undertake your journey, the
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The chairperson of the NCCI Walvis Bay, Mr. Johnny Doeseb, appealed for greater cooperation between local businesses and the NCCI Walvis Bay and confirmed a number of projects are soon to commence for a comprehensive membership drive. Doeseb said the NCCI Walvis Bay by virtue of its mandate has much to offer to local businesses, irrespective of size or the type of business activities pursued. Doeseb also pledged to increase the NCCI Walvis Bay’s visibility in the public domain and held specific talks with namib times as the only local newspaper at the coast to assist in this endeavour. The chairperson of the NCCI Swakopmund, Mr. Paul Njambula, in the meeting urged both the Swakopmund and Walvis Bay chambers to add their weight to smaller business chambers in Erongo, in order to also strengthen these entities and thereby contribute to overall economic development of communities across Erongo. Both Doeseb and Njambula are new blood to the coastal chambers, having been elected in the chair recently. Both Doeseb and Ndjambula firmly belief in growing NCCI membership and assist with business related information and services.
now in 2024
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