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Nawa 14 |
Dec 13 2002 |
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SMART PARTNERSHIP TAKING ROOT IN NAMIBIA
 In a country as vast as Namibia where it`s difficult for citizens to access their public officials, information and communication technology applications make a lot of sense. Seizing upon the opportunity offered by ICT advances, the Namibian Parliament, with assistance from the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), designed a website which enables citizens and civil society to track legislation, communicate with Parliamentarians, and engage in `chat room` dialogues on topics of current interest.
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The Parliament`s engagement with ICT has since snowballed rapidly. To promote the website throughout country and to strengthen the linkages between the Parliament and local government, the Parliament and the Ministry of Local and Regional Government and Housing outfitted a bus with computers and other related technology to travel around the country. Known as the Mobile Training Unit (MTU), the bus received donations from Microsoft; Compaq; a local company, the IT Department; and the Education for Development and Democracy Initiative. It traveled to every region of the country last year and reached thousands of government officials, average citizens and students, all interested in learning more about ICT access and democracy in Namibia. Microsoft was so impressed with the success of the MTU that early this December, it donated another ten computers and software, for distribution in five towns around the country. In the highway equivalent of a whistle-stop tour, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Honorable Mosé Tjitendero, traveled to the five towns to deliver the computers and to exchange views with citizens on pending legislation and the development of Namibian democracy. The U.S. Ambassador, Kevin McGuire, joined the Speaker on one leg of the trip and applauded the smart, public-private partnership that was evolving and the contributions the partnership is making to enhancing public participation in Namibia`s legislative process. Ambassador McGuire took advantage of the event`s lead story status on the national news to talk about the growing partnership between the U.S. and Namibia in promoting trade, addressing issues related to HIV/AIDS, and other areas of cooperation.
Microsoft is now talking about making a much bigger donation of ICT equipment through the Parliament; and the Parliament, NDI and USAID are exploring ways to maximize the impact the anticipated equipment donation might have on Namibia`s economic and political development. |
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PURROS CONSERVANCY WINS COURT CASE OVER COMMUNITY CAMPSITE
 On October 17, 2002, the Purros Conservancy learned they were victorious in their court case against a community member. The High Court ruled that the Purros Conservancy and the Purros Community had legal ownership and control over the Purros Ngatutunge Pamwe Community Campsite. The High Court ordered the member to be evicted from the campsite.
This issue had its beginning in the early nineties, when the community members of Purros village applied for a Permission to Occupy certificate (PTO) to develop a community tourism campsite near Purros village. The PTO was issued to the Purros community represented by a single community member. At that time, the member was acting as the contact person for the campsite. When the campsite project started in earnest, he claimed that the PTO was issued to him in his personal capacity. He employed only his family members, which was contrary to the initial understanding of job creation for all members of the Purros community. When money generated by the campsite was not paid to the community, the community decided to close the campsite. The member then obtained a court order to reopen the campsite and carry on with his business.
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At this juncture, the Purros community, represented by the Conservancy, the headman and the heads of households launched an application in the High Court evicting the individual from the campsite on the basis that the campsite was registered in the name of the community and not in the personal name of the accused.
In October, the High Court ruled that the intent of the PTO (issued by the Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation) was to the community (this was before the conservancy was registered) to develop tourism and derive income for the benefit of all members of the community. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism`s policy (and later the "Conservancy Act") encouraged the development of community-based tourism in communal areas, and therefore supported this action.
The coordinator of the NACSO Secretariat, Patricia Skyer, was pleased with the ruling, but added: "Ideally one would prefer to avoid the court route in the interest of healthy relationships, but obviously there is a limit to everything, especially when community rights are at stake."
The decision is an important case conservancies in namibia. it provides formal recognition of the conservancy while up-holding the role of the traditional both the chiefs and headmen and the heads of households. this case also provides a base for conservancies and heads of households to take on future issues representing their communities.
Visit the Purros webpage at http://www.nacobta.com.na/en/Projects/PurrosC.htm |
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REGIONAL GOVERNOR COMMENDS CSDP PROGRAM
 At a recent Civil Society Development Program (CSDP) institutional capacity strengthening workshop held in Gobabis, the Governor of the Omaheke Region, Laura McLeod, commended USAID`s CSDP program run by the Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID). In her address to the participants, she said that the program facilitates the creation of innovative partnerships with diverse groups, helping them fight hunger, poverty and social injustice. She noted that advocacy, a key component in the program, was important if democratic rights were to be institutionalized and citizen influence on public policy and contributions towards legislation ensured. She also stressed that the electorate had a duty to hold their leaders accountable to their constituents, and said that only when the electorate held their leaders to their promises, would democracy have real value.
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During the occasion, three community projects received grants: The Vilile Childrens Trust, an organization that advocates for the rights of street children; the Ongendo Development Trust, that will assist community members to advocate around small and medium enterprise development; and the Nambian Network of AIDS Service Organizations, which will target public leaders, policy makers, traditional and church leaders to promote change in people’s attitudes and behavior as a way of fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
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