Keetmanshoop
The Hardap Regional Governor Esme Isaacks has challenged residents to find a role in contributing positively to the region’s development.
Speaking at a town hall meeting at Maltahöhe last week Thursday, Isaacks said each and every resident should think of their role and contribution they will make to bring about positive changes.
She pointed out that some people have the wrong mentality that the government is the only role player to bring about change and development.
Isaacks said it’s the duty of residents to improve their livelihood and develop their respective places by refraining from social evils such as alcohol and drug abuse, gender-based violence and other criminal activities.
The regional head emphasised the need for residents to work together with government institutions to make their communities better, saying sometimes residents only complain and cry, forgetting they also have very important contributions to make towards a better life.
“Each and every one of us has a duty and role and this role is to act as a responsible citizen so that the life of everybody in the region becomes better,” she said at the meeting.
The regional head also urged leaders and officials sitting in government offices to deliver quality service to people in their respective communities.
She said leaders should be able to serve people rather than jump in front of everyone else so that they can be served first, adding that leaders should learn to put the needs and interests of their people first.
She called on officials in constituency and settlement offices to treat community members with respect and dignity, saying the time is now for people to receive excellence in service delivery.
She urged them to reduce private calls and engagement in private affairs during official office hours in order to improve on productivity, noting that many a time civil servants are on the telephone attending to their private business while the people they are supposed to serve are forced to wait for long periods to be attended to.
“You are stealing government time, that’s corruption,” she said of the practice.