Welcome to PLUS online

Air Namibia new NCCI corporate member

The national carrier, Air Namibia, which has been in continuous financial troubles in the past years, became the 14th national corporate member of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, costing several thousands of dollars each year. Announcing the new membership on Wednesday, NCCI chief executive Tarah Shaanika said the new membership came at an opportune time. It encouraged the utilisation of service provided by players in the transport sector like TransNamib, local road hauliers and the national airline to promote Namibia. Benefits for national corporate membership are inter alia special status for notification and attendance of Chamber events, direct representation at leadership level through the NCCI national council. In the meantime Air Namibia showed 18% growth on international routes between April 202 and March 2003. The introduction of the second daily frequency to Johannesburg and Cape Town played a major role in this positive development. Domestic traffic increased by 16%, while an average load factor of 81% was reached on the Luanda route, possibly resulting in a second flight per week later this year. In general, the past financial year ended with an average load factor of 66% with international flights doing best, with an average load of 72%. Last month 18 new pilots were recruited by Air Namibia, according to Mr Ellison Hijarunguru, manager of public relations and advertising at Air Namibia.

Promotion of Shark Island near Lüderitz

The rich history surrounding Shark Island (Haifischinsel) at Lüderitzbucht could all be lost if the Namibian government does not undertake steps to preserve it and ensure adequate protection of the sites. Regional councillor for the Lüderitzbucht constituency and member of the National Council, Mr Fluksman Samuehl, said that Shark Island was used as camping site "mainly for foreign tourists" and thus generated a lot of much needed foreign currency, boosting the town’s growing tourism industry. Samuehl urged Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) to improve roads and lighting on the Haifischinsel and plant trees and shrubs. It should be done in such a way that the historical evidence of Nama and Herero prisoners in 1904 under German rule. The colonial powers of Imperial Germany used Shark Island as concentration camp after the Nama and Herero uprising, where they suffered severe conditions and many of them died. Names of German soldiers who died during the Nama/Herero uprising were recorded and visible on that island, according to the regional councillor, showing an unbalanced picture of Namibian history. Samuehl called on the National Monuments Council to declare Shark Island as a national monument, since it had the potential to become a popular tourist destination like Robben Island in South Africa. This topic as well as other investment possibilities for southern Namibia will be discussed at the investment conference on 15 September at Lüderitzbucht. Further enquiries for participation at the conference can be made at 063-203 800.

Chinese military equipment for NDF

Mine detectors and mine sweeping blasting cartridges are among the equipment that the Chinese government will hand over to the Namibian government to assist the country in its humanitarian de-mining operations.

The Chinese government already indicated in 2001 that its preparedness to provide the Namibian government with equipment to assist in its humanitarian de-mining operations. The military equipment arrived in Walvis Bay earlier this month and will be handed over during a ceremony scheduled for 11h00 on Thursday, 31 July 2003 at the Rooikop Military Base outside Walvis Bay.

Ambassador Nickey Nashandi, deputy permanent secretary in the foreign affairs ministry will receive the equipment on behalf of the Namibian government from the Chinese charge d’affairs, Mr. He Shijing. According to a recent report and photos in a weekly newspaper, the Windhoek Observer, however, that Chinese military equipment looked more like artillery warfare. Germany, the US and other countries donated a lot of demining equipment since Namibian independence, while many private companies cleared most areas of land mines.