I Couldn’t help but take note of recent media reports that revealed many sub-contractors of contractors that received mass housing tenders have not been paid for almost three months. When we reported in the early stages of the mass housing project how tenders were dished out to the friends of those at the helm of NHE we were accused of being “haters”. Fine, they got the N$400 million worth of tenders and the work started brick by brick. But if you make over a 100 million profit from houses that don’t even have roofs and fail to pay those that built it whilst you trot the globe, are we still hating if we question these things?
There is a bricklayer or an electrician that tries to work in the hot sun just to bring a decent meal to the table, so why should greed drive a human being to such an extent that they dance on the emotions of the poor. The mass housing project was started to alleviate the shortage of housing for the poor not the rich – let’s make that clear. Now the state of affairs regarding land acquisition remains a mess and by messing up the mass housing project, those guilty of it are making a mockery of this young and vibrant democracy.
For once let’s hold those guilty of malpractices accountable. If you are so lucky to get such a big tender for work you have no idea of, why not honour your promise of delivering? You didn’t have to work hard to get the tender so why not work hard to deliver? Has society gone to the extent where moral decay is the order of the day?
Well, all I know is that there are youngsters that see these things from the elders and they are getting ready to follow suit. I can assure you there are young boys that are convinced that by means of associating themselves with influential people and doing as they say, they too can drive Bentleys, and the same boys could be aspiring to become professionals, doctors lawyers, or even highly skilled artisans.
In other words, let’s not think that today’s bygones are always bygones. The actions of the adults today will influence the actions of the young tomorrow. Even if you do away with the leaders in key positions their actions will speak in the coming administrations.
As we approach 21st March 2015 I hope and pray that those that will be taking up key positions in cabinet will uphold the highest order of ethics and will practise accountability in all their workings. There is still hope the Range Rover boys should not make us hopeless, so let’s try again. I know we can. If we could in 1989 why not now?