Operating profits increased from N$ 65,8 million to N$ 70,5 million for Namibia Breweries during the past financial year ending 31 January 2003. Presenting the company’s financial report to business executive during a business breakfast on Wednesday, financial manager Lionel Mathews said this represented a growth of 7.1% compared to 2002. A dividend of 11 cents per ordinary share was declared. Mathews however explained that the lower net profit earnings came to 23 million N$ only due to non-recurring taxation payments of N$ 36,7 million, stemming from the outcome of a long-drawn out court case about the definition of soft drinks and schnapps being non-manufacturing produce by the Commissioner of Inland Revenue. This material tax charge had no affect on NBL’s cash flow, Mathews emphasised.

Sales of alcoholic beverages during 2002 declined by 1% in Namibia, but showed 5% growth in South Africa. Export markets grew by 99,1% mainly in Angola. It was time that NBL established a local presence in Angola and Botswana, to handle those volumes, Mathews stressed. With international brewer Heineken and Diageo Plc buying Interbrew’s shares in NBL last month, Namibian Breweries started brewing and selling Heineken beer from 1 May 2003. NBL will continue to sell Beck’s beer in southern Africa.

The first group of 1 500 workers at Ramatex textile plant outside Windhoek reported back to work on 29 and 30 April, following difficult negotiations among trade unions, the labour commission and Ramatex bosses. Ramatex scored a victory by making it a condition for the workers to sign a letter of allegiance that they will refrain from future industrial actions. Workers went on strike just before Easter and the factory was closed until 28 April, demanding higher wages, a transport allowance and medical aid. None of them had a contract since the factory started operaitons in April 2002.

In groups of 50, the workers of factory halls A and B were allowed on the premises. The others must report to work on May 2 and 5 respectively. A second strike in the capital was narrowly averted at TransNamib this week after lengthy discussions. The transport parastatal was in the red for a number of years, followed b y a turnaround in the past 9 months, with almost breaking even due to cuts and stringent saving measures. The demands for salary increases by the workforce would have hit TransNamib very badly. According to a reliable source, the workers and union bosses were given a breakdown of earnings and overheads of TransNamib and explanations, why increase demands of 14% were impossible. The exact rate of modest wage increases will be announced next week.

The president of the trade unions’ umbrella organisation NUNW, Risto Kapenda on Wednesday rejected last year’s merger of First National Bank with Swabou, which was already approved by the Bank of Namibia in January. Speaking at a press briefing, Kapenda called the merger a sell out to a foreign owned bank

The Namibian government will supply 10 million N$ towards the Henties Bay waterfront project, planned by the town council. Another N$ 5000 were donated by President Sam Nujoma in his personal capacity when he visited Henties Bay last weekend to inaugurate the marine scientific inspectorate centre and also the N$ 3,6 million Hanganeni fishing centre for informal fishers. The fishing centre provides jobs for 36 people from formerly disadvantaged societies. It was built with funds from Spain and enables the informal fisher folk to clean their catches under hygienic conditions and put them in cold storage trucks to sell their fish to customers.

The days of desolate passengers standing on a windblown airstrip at Rooikop airport outside Walvis Bay will soon be a thing of the past. The long-awaited upgrading of this airport will start in due course, allowing international flights for Boeing 737 aircrafts and – most important – direct exports of fresh fish, lobsters, crayfish and oysters. The Namibia Airports Company has given the Road Contractor Company (RCC) the tender. The runway will be widened to 60m and will be extended to 3,3 kilometres. Proper parking bays and taxi ranks will be added, the airport area will be fenced in and the access roads re-routed. The improved airport will boost Namibian fish exports to Europe, the US and Asia.