Windhoek
A new board for casinos has been appointed to advice the Minister of Environment and Tourism on the new Gambling Act.
“We are in the process of amending the existing law. We are trying to protect vulnerable members of society, who are affected by gambling. You will find family members gambling all the money while there is no food at home, for instance. So, with the new law we will have stricter provisions to protect these people,” said Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta.
In 2008, the ministry initiated the drafting of the Gaming and Entertainment Bill to fill the gaps and loopholes in the Casino and Gambling Houses Act of 1994, which regulates casinos offering gambling such as slot machines and table games. The existing Act was found to be lacking proper control and regulation of gambling, given that gambling leads to substance abuse, sexual promiscuity, delinquency and crime, as some gamblers go as far as borrowing and stealing money to support their behaviour, Shifeta said.
The board members are Kandi Shejavali (a monitoring and evaluation advisor consultant), Tukaleni Emvula (deputy director in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET)), Petrus Muteyauli (MET deputy director), Jacob Van Ryn (deputy director Ministry of Health), Robert Platt (deputy director at Ministry of Health and Social Services), Godfried Kandingua (an accountant at Ministry of Finance), Veripamue Tjiho (an economist at Ministry of Finance) and Sem Shikongo (director for tourism and gaming at MET). Shikongo would act as the secretary of the board, while Festus Mbandeka, who is the head for corporate legal services and company secretary for MTC, has been appointed as board chairperson. They would serve for a period of 12 months or until the Gaming and Entertainment Bill is enacted by parliament.
Cabinet has also approved the appointment of members to the Lotteries Board in terms of the Lotteries Act, 2002, to advise the tourism minister on the drafting of the Lotteries Bill that would replace the current Lotteries Act of 2002.
The Bill is being drafted to have a mechanism in which government can raise funds from lotteries to benefit certain parts of the country and to assist in the upliftment of the Namibian people.
The Lotteries Board members are Seimy Shidute (MET deputy permanent secretary) to alternate with fellow deputy permanent secretary Louisa Mupetami, Jacoba Elizabet van Ryn (deputy director at Ministry of Health and Social Services) alternating with Rene Adriana Adams (who is a control social worker at Ministry of Health and Social Services), Michael Mambo Mukete (who is chief executive officer at EBank) with lawyer Charmaine Schultz as alternate member, Milka Martha Mungunda (a general manager at Government Institutions Pension Fund) with Jakobus Etuna Lehitroat Josua (who is corporate legal advisor and company secretary for Epangelo Mining) as alternate member, Florian Amulungu (a general manager at Methealth Namibia Administrators) with Slema Dhiginina Shaanika (a senior manager at NamPower as alternate member).
MET’s Sem Shikongo would also serve as board secretary, while Mukete is the chairperson. They will also serve for a term of 12 months or until the Lotteries Bill is enacted by Parliament.