By Charles Tjatindi
WALVISBAY
The Municipality of Walvis Bay has dismissed as untrue comments by some members of the public that it has failed to properly maintain tourism and recreational centres under its ownership.
A coast-based community newspaper earlier carried reports in which residents and visitors at Dolphin Park Resort allegedly complained about the poor state of facilities at the resort.
Visitors were quoted by the newspaper as saying that most of them had to check out earlier, as they could no longer cope with the services provided at the resort.
A letter allegedly written by a concerned resident, and published in the same community newspaper, blasted the Walvis Bay Municipality for “unprofessional” service delivery.
All these complaints, New Era has established, stem from a defective valve in the pumps responsible for the resort’s swimming pool, leading to a pipe leakage. As a result, water in the resort’s swimming pool started running low and drained out.
In a letter addressed to the editor of the community newspaper, the acting General Manager for Community Development and Economic Development at the Municipality of Walvis Bay, Gert Kruger, refuted the newspaper’s version of events at the resort.
“The correct information is that we experienced problems with the pressure of one of the pumps, as well as with one of the valves on Friday, December 28, 2007. Due to this, and the fact that water was leaking from the swimming pool into the sea as a result of the valve problem, fresh water could not be pumped into the swimming pool,” he said.
He further noted that after efforts to revive the pump and valve system of the swimming pool failed to produce any desirable results, he was forced to proclaim the swimming pool off limits to visitors at the resort.
“… chlorine could not be administered and the water in the swimming pool became green and muddy. I therefore had no other option, bearing in mind the possibility that people could become ill due to the unhygienic condition of the water at that stage …,” he said.
Kruger noted that all visitors to the resort were timeously informed of the situation. He also disputed the impression allegedly created by the newspaper articles that many people had to leave earlier than they had planned.
“I instructed the staff at the resort to inform all visitors about the situation pertaining to the swimming pool. As far as I could determine, only three couples decided to leave early. All the others spoken to understand the situation,” said Kruger.
Repairs to the defective parts at the resort, according to Kruger, could only be carried out by January 02, 2008, as that was the only time they could secure the services of the company that installed the equipment. The resort could however only be opened by January 04, 2008.
Meanwhile, New Era reliably learned that the Walvis Bay Town Council is currently deliberating on whether it will be more feasible to sell Dolphin Park or lease it to private individuals.
Kruger noted that since the resort only gets visitors on a seasonal basis – during the Easter and Christmas holidays – it is not very viable as a business venture for the town council.
“Most people only come to Dolphin Park during those two occasions. Perhaps if one adds a restaurant or conference facilities to the resort, more people will be attracted.”