Thought Leaders

On 9 November 2019, I represented the Speaker of the National Assembly, Professor Katjavivi, at the centenary commemoration of the death of Kavezemba Kariko at Otjohorongo (Erongo Region).

One of the core facets of our constitution can be surmised as “Everyone has the right (a) to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being, and (b) to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations through reasonable legislative and other measures.”

Leading up to the 2019 general elections the ordinary Namibian citizen did not, and even some of those with some level of sophistication did not seem to fully grasp and understand what was happening in the country and why it was happening as such. 

As we get to the end of the year, I found it pertinent to reflect on some readers’ comments on articles on language issues published in this column.

The founder of Positive Prescription, Samantha Boardman, tells of her one-time fear of the word “fail.” She says it implied “a permanent and helpless state of being”. 

On 27 November 2019, as the ultimate sovereigns, Namibians went to the polls, exercised their undeniable democratic right, and re-elected in their majority President Hage G. Geingob to lead the country for the next five years. 

Peace is expensive and so fragile. Reckless initiatives and/or selfish political maneuverings can change a beautiful course of history to an ugly one.

Albert Einstein’s definition of education is: “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think”. With almost thirty years of independence in the bag, we ought to ask this question: is the current education system training our kids to learn facts or to think?

The above is the theme for the World Aids Day 01 December 2019 commemoration. It runs on the precept that the successful reduction of HIV/AIDS infection and the wellbeing of the already infected is dependent on the active and positive involvement of any subject community.

Using results of a mini survey in August this year, Ofer Berenstein of the University of Calgary spent time looking at how people should be encouraged to vote.