News and Views
People and Places
- Last January Tierney Lewis had her handbag stolen in Independence Avenue, Windhoek, by two thieves practising a well worked routine, in which one cleverly attracts the entire victim's attention as they park their car, leaving a totally unseen partner to silently snatch any goods from the unguarded passenger's side of the vehicle. The Police, even had they turned up a lot more quickly after being instantly summoned than they did, might anyway have had very little chance of apprehending the crooks who fled separately and swiftly in the crowded streets. The lady from the UK, a regular visitor to Namibia, made a full report at the City's main police station confirming the loss of some cash, credit cards, driving licence and some personal items such as sunglasses. Realistically no-one expected to see either bag or contents again. So imagine Mrs Lewis's delight when, two weeks later and prior to her return to England, she received news that personnel at the Ministry of Tourism and Environment (MET) had possession of the handbag, handed in by an employee's niece. And in the bag only a few personal items with the cash, cards, driving licence and sunglasses all missing, but something at least.
Well, several months later, much faith in human nature was restored; having returned to this country, Mrs Lewis received a call from Anthony Bassinger, the indigenous Namibian owner of the Kingston Sports Bar in Mercedes Street Khomasdal. He had noticed a customer waving around some cards and documents, trying perhaps to use or sell them. He quickly intervened and confiscated the cards. Yes, credit cards and driving licence from the handbag, eight months on. Praise to the innkeeper: what an eagle-eyed, public spirited soul. More like him and crime will surely decrease.
- Party of the year? Without a doubt! Johannes Haasbroek, Operations Director of Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA) organised the bash to bid farewell to Clive Johnson, his Volunteer Project Manager, who was leaving to take up a post at Okonjima, home of the AfriCat Foundation. And where better to hold it than at the EHRA camp in the ephemeral Ugab river bed, under the massive camelthorn trees. Live folk music, provided by locals from the nearby town of Uis, superbly prepared food cooked on coals and plenty of beer ensured that the dozens of people there enjoyed themselves immensely.
EHRA was set up in 2001 and is a registered charity. Working presently north of the Brandberg in the Ugab area between Uis and Khorixas, EHRA believes that through assisting the communities in this Damaraland area by building protective structures around water points, educating community members about elephant behaviour, creating alternative drinking points for the elephants and promoting tourism in the affected areas, they can assist in alleviating the current pressure facing communal farmers, thereby helping to promote the future of the desert dwelling elephant in harmony with the continuous positive development of the conservancies and their ideals.
Some of their costs are covered by the visits of teams of overseas volunteers who pay a nominal amount to cover all their food, accommodation and transport and to provide some support for EHRA. On a rota basis, the volunteers undertake all kitchen and cooking duties at the camp, rising at 05-30 daily. In a typical two week slot, the volunteers would spend their first week building protective walls around water points serving both the local farmers and communities, to prevent further damage by elephants. Then in their second week, they head out on elephant patrol, speaking to farmers and assessing damage, monitoring elephant routes, and completing necessary paperwork. On these trips everyone sleeps in the wild, just in nature with no mod cons.
Anyone interested in either simply supporting or indeed joining EHRA on a working project can contact them as follows: Tel: +264-64-504183, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.desertelephant.org.
Business Affairs
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) has stepped in to prop up the ailing former parastatal Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR). Minister Willem Konjore announced that William Ndeutapo Amagulu, deputy Permanent Secretary at the MET, would become the acting, interim Managing Director of NWR with effect from October 1st. Four further senior staff from the MET will assist him. Dr Victoria Nicodemus, until now the CEO at NWR, will not have her contract renewed. She was the Namibia Business Woman of the Year in 2004.
NWR, whose resort portfolio includes many of the prime and most visited tourist destinations in Namibia, has been beset by difficulties concerning infrastructure, staffing and management and is widely perceived to be underperforming. To its credit the MET is determined to reverse this slide. The Minister of Environment and Tourism, the Hon Willem Konjore, made this clear in a press release, stating that "it is generally known that NWR is experiencing problems to improve infrastructure and services due to financial and managerial constraints. This is a matter of serious concern to the Ministry and the Government as a whole and negotiations are under way to determine a lasting solution to these problems".
The Minister added that financial institutions had already committed funds to allow NWR to build a new resort at Sesriem, the gateway to the world famous dunes at Sossusvlei in the Namib Naukluft Park, and also to upgrade the Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni resorts within the magnificent Etosha National Park. Work should begin in November this year on these planned upgrades. Minister Konjore also added that "negotiations with financial institutions will continue to extend this process to other resorts and the company as a whole".
- Last January Tierney Lewis had her handbag stolen in Independence Avenue, Windhoek, by two thieves practising a well worked routine, in which one cleverly attracts the entire victim's attention as they park their car, leaving a totally unseen partner to silently snatch any goods from the unguarded passenger's side of the vehicle. The Police, even had they turned up a lot more quickly after being instantly summoned than they did, might anyway have had very little chance of apprehending the crooks who fled separately and swiftly in the crowded streets. The lady from the UK, a regular visitor to Namibia, made a full report at the City's main police station confirming the loss of some cash, credit cards, driving licence and some personal items such as sunglasses. Realistically no-one expected to see either bag or contents again. So imagine Mrs Lewis's delight when, two weeks later and prior to her return to England, she received news that personnel at the Ministry of Tourism and Environment (MET) had possession of the handbag, handed in by an employee's niece. And in the bag only a few personal items with the cash, cards, driving licence and sunglasses all missing, but something at least.
Well, several months later, much faith in human nature was restored; having returned to this country, Mrs Lewis received a call from Anthony Bassinger, the indigenous Namibian owner of the Kingston Sports Bar in Mercedes Street Khomasdal. He had noticed a customer waving around some cards and documents, trying perhaps to use or sell them. He quickly intervened and confiscated the cards. Yes, credit cards and driving licence from the handbag, eight months on. Praise to the innkeeper: what an eagle-eyed, public spirited soul. More like him and crime will surely decrease.
- Party of the year? Without a doubt! Johannes Haasbroek, Operations Director of Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA) organised the bash to bid farewell to Clive Johnson, his Volunteer Project Manager, who was leaving to take up a post at Okonjima, home of the AfriCat Foundation. And where better to hold it than at the EHRA camp in the ephemeral Ugab river bed, under the massive camelthorn trees. Live folk music, provided by locals from the nearby town of Uis, superbly prepared food cooked on coals and plenty of beer ensured that the dozens of people there enjoyed themselves immensely.
EHRA was set up in 2001 and is a registered charity. Working presently north of the Brandberg in the Ugab area between Uis and Khorixas, EHRA believes that through assisting the communities in this Damaraland area by building protective structures around water points, educating community members about elephant behaviour, creating alternative drinking points for the elephants and promoting tourism in the affected areas, they can assist in alleviating the current pressure facing communal farmers, thereby helping to promote the future of the desert dwelling elephant in harmony with the continuous positive development of the conservancies and their ideals.
Some of their costs are covered by the visits of teams of overseas volunteers who pay a nominal amount to cover all their food, accommodation and transport and to provide some support for EHRA. On a rota basis, the volunteers undertake all kitchen and cooking duties at the camp, rising at 05-30 daily. In a typical two week slot, the volunteers would spend their first week building protective walls around water points serving both the local farmers and communities, to prevent further damage by elephants. Then in their second week, they head out on elephant patrol, speaking to farmers and assessing damage, monitoring elephant routes, and completing necessary paperwork. On these trips everyone sleeps in the wild, just in nature with no mod cons.
Anyone interested in either simply supporting or indeed joining EHRA on a working project can contact them as follows: Tel: +264-64-504183, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.desertelephant.org.
Business Affairs
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) has stepped in to prop up the ailing former parastatal Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR). Minister Willem Konjore announced that William Ndeutapo Amagulu, deputy Permanent Secretary at the MET, would become the acting, interim Managing Director of NWR with effect from October 1st. Four further senior staff from the MET will assist him. Dr Victoria Nicodemus, until now the CEO at NWR, will not have her contract renewed. She was the Namibia Business Woman of the Year in 2004.
NWR, whose resort portfolio includes many of the prime and most visited tourist destinations in Namibia, has been beset by difficulties concerning infrastructure, staffing and management and is widely perceived to be underperforming. To its credit the MET is determined to reverse this slide. The Minister of Environment and Tourism, the Hon Willem Konjore, made this clear in a press release, stating that "it is generally known that NWR is experiencing problems to improve infrastructure and services due to financial and managerial constraints. This is a matter of serious concern to the Ministry and the Government as a whole and negotiations are under way to determine a lasting solution to these problems".
The Minister added that financial institutions had already committed funds to allow NWR to build a new resort at Sesriem, the gateway to the world famous dunes at Sossusvlei in the Namib Naukluft Park, and also to upgrade the Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni resorts within the magnificent Etosha National Park. Work should begin in November this year on these planned upgrades. Minister Konjore also added that "negotiations with financial institutions will continue to extend this process to other resorts and the company as a whole".
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