Plenary Hall "too small", but often no quorum

Dear Dr Tjitendero

It is with shock that I read about your concern that the hall of the

National Assembly, NA, was too small for two annual events, namely the Opening of Parliament and the State of the Nation address of HE the President!

These events take at the most two hours, except for the gluthonous feasts

afterwards, and are televised live, making it possible for thousands of

Namibians to see the event.

Besides, is the NA not fully equipped with teleconferencing so that the

proceedings can be shown to guests in the other caucus rooms or outside?

After all the ceremony for the adoption of the Namibian Constitution took

place outside, in front of the Tintenpalast.

How sad! The rest of the year there is plenty of room, so much so that on at

least six occasions there are so many seats empty that the house cannot do

its work due to a lack of quorum. Then there is no concern about who can see

or hear the silence.

Just look how empty the parking spaces are around the Tintenpalast and the

new National Council building every other day of the year.

Is Vision 2030 not about creating a better life for all and not only the 78

members of the NA and the 26 members of the National Council during the few hours of the year they sit in or not sit in Parliament? Are these members not already

overcompensated to serve one pillar of our democracy while the poverty

outside the house increases?

No wonder some people have dubbed Robert Mugabe Avenue as Poverty Avenue!

Consider the priorities of the people, especially the children and elderly

of this country! Increase grants to them instead of voting more money for

non-generative capital for two elitists occasions!

Civic watch

(Ursprung des Briefes ist der Redaktion bekannt.)