(2006 came to an end…) Naturally, individuals and organisations alike, use this time to take stock of what they have done during the year and to chart a course for the coming year. There is no exception for the Government in this respect. We view the end of the calendar year as an important yardstick in the implementation and execution of government policies and programmes. In the broader context, the end of the calendar year provides an important timeline and injects a fresh perspective of realism and pragmatism in our work. At this time of the year, the question that comes to the minds of many is: did we accomplish our goals and objectives this year? Hence, it becomes necessary to examine our performance with the view to correcting shortcomings, and where necessary to change course. We in Government are mandated by the electorate to manage public resources for the benefit of all our people. In turn and justifiably so, our people expect us to deliver in terms of the undertakings that we have made. In order to deliver effectively and efficiently, we must put the necessary mechanisms in place to achieve our goals. This demands that proper planning and sound organizational practices and processes should be at the centre of all our actions. Without proper planning, without re-evaluation of our actions, without intensive monitoring of our activities and without analysis of our strategies, we will not be able to determine the pace at which we are moving. In fact, we may not be able to determine whether or not we are moving at all. Fellow Namibians, According to available statistics the majority of our population comprises of women and youth, most of whom live in rural and communal areas. It is also these sections of our population who face difficult living conditions caused by poverty, unemployment, landlessness and skills deficits. We have a duty to address the challenges faced by our women and the youth in order to improve their living conditions and facilitate their integration in the national economy. I believe that it is imperative to expand socio-economic development to our rural and communal areas where the majority of our people live. We must continue to broaden the provision of agricultural extension services for both horticulture and animal husbandry; accelerate the construction of feeder roads to provide access to markets and facilitate the movement of our people; and extend infrastructure to facilitate the supply of potable water, electricity and telecommunication services. We must also continue to provide quality education, better health care and decent housing. To achieve these objectives, government has intensified efforts to support community projects such as fish farming initiatives with a high involvement of women. The national Horticulture Initiative, which was introduced recently, is also aimed at enabling rural communities, particularly women, to gain access to the market for their products and to promote domestic as well as regional trade and commerce. Our decision to construct Industrial Parks and SME Modules are also having a positive impact by providing Namibian women and the youth with opportunities to engage in income-generating activities. Fellow Citizens, Our Government has embraced the principle of Public Private Partnership. In this regard, I have noted with satisfaction the training and skills development workshops and seminars being carried out in different parts of the country with the assistance of the private sector and civil society organisations. Another area where civil society and the private sector have been particularly active is in the raising of awareness to reduce the spread pf the HIV/Aids pandemic. We have seen an overwhelming involvement of many instances, which have joined efforts to reduce the spread of infections, through counselling and behavioural change. Government has also remained seized with efforts to attract investments, strengthen the economic performance and broaden our industrial and manufacturing base. As such, we are pleased with the positive developments in the mining sector, which saw the inflow of new investments into Ongopolo Mining and Processing Limited and the coming on stream of the Langerheinrich Uranium Mine. I also had the pleasure to witness the opening of many enterprises and business operations in the different sector of the economy. We look forward to the development of the gas-to-power project through the exploitation of the Kudu Gas reserves in the coming years, as a strategic intervention to address the looming power shortage in our region. In most missions that I undertook abroad this year, such as those to the People’s Republic of China, Singapore, Sweden and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville). I was accompanied by strong business delegations whose aim is to strengthen and expand trade and commerce between Namibia and other countries. I also had the pleasure of receiving many local and foreign businesspersons whose business enterprises are operational in our country and those who wish to establish new business ventures here. In the spirit of Public Private Partnership, I call upon the workers and employers to work as a team for the benefit of the nation. We should safeguard the welfare of our workers, while at the same time striving to improve productivity. We are aware that Namibian consumers are facing inflationary pressures due to the increase in interest rates and the price of fuel. We will, therefore, continue to pursue policies aimed at maintaining a stable macro-economic environment, which is vital for the sustainable performance of the economy. At the regional level, Namibia continues to be engaged with our neighbours in order to achieve deeper regional economic integration, within the framework of both SADC and SACU. Fellow Namibians, In the legislative arena, our Parliament continues to make and reshape our laws so that they can effectively address the social, economic and development realities. Some of the Bills passed by Parliament this year include the State-owned Enterprises Governance Bill, Appropriation Bill, Combating of the Abuse of Drugs Bill, Financial Intelligence Bill, Biosafety Bill, Local Authorities Fire Brigade Services Bill and the Children’s Status Bill. All these pieces of legislation have a single connecting thread running through them, namely, the objective of making our society better, to improving service delivery and contributing to the overall development of our country and the economy. The Children’s Status Bill deserves specific mention because of the issue it seeks to address. For too long, a large number of Namibian children have faced discrimination, through no fault of their own, but for the fact that they happen to be born out of wedlock. As a result of the old law, many children were denied the right to inherit from their fathers and in many cases they did not enjoy parental love and care that all children are entitled to by law. With the passing of the Children’s Status Bill, these discriminatory practices will soon become something of the past. I intend to sign this Bill into law soon as it is presented to me for assent. After all, every Namibian, including our children, deserve equal treatment before the law. On the diplomatic front, Namibia continued to enjoy cordial relations with different countries around the globe. During the year, our country was graced by high-level visits by Heads of State and Government as well as Special Envoys and Diplomats. I wish to single out the visits to Namibia by their Excellencies President Festus Mogae of Botswana, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, and President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa. More recently, I received at State House, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth. These high-level visits signify and highlight the importance of bilateral and multi-lateral co-operation and economic diplomacy of our country. I also had the pleasure and honour to commission Namibian diplomats as Ambassadors and High Commissioners to different countries in Africa and further afield. As a sign of the strong bilateral relations, I received dozens of letters of credence from diplomats accredited to Namibia as Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Representatives by their respective countries and international organisations. Fellow Namibians, Our civil service is the backbone of public service delivery. Therefore, I urge each and every civil servant to make commitment and dedication to service excellence in the coming year. Let us commit ourselves to work harder to serve better and to achieve greater efficiency. It is our collective duty as public servants to work for progress and avoid stagnation or inertia. In this light, I hold the view that at both organizational level and in your respective capacities as officials, you must be innovative and dynamic. In this manner, you will be better positioned to respond effectively to all challenges that may arise in your work environment. This holds true for all Namibians in different sectors of the economy and the society. We must all adopt an ethic and culture of hard work. Our country can only prosper through our own sweat and our own toil. With the achievement of our freedom and independence, we assumed responsibility for our own destiny. The fate of our country is in our own hands and we must march forward in unity of purpose and embrace the policy of national reconciliation in order to secure a brighter future for our country. We must stand ready to take advantage of the opportunities and turn the challenges ushered in by 2007 into new opportunities for progress. We should enter the New Year with a sense of optimism and hope that we can change our country for the better, that our efforts in the different spheres will succeed and that our plans will be rewarded with the desired outcomes. It is said that in order to win, we must first and foremost believe that we can. Let us make Namibia a winning nation and a source of pride for all those who call Namibia home. I wish you all a Prosperous New Year, 2007.