By Frederick Philander WINDHOEK Three committees under the long awaited National Action Plan on Small Arms and Light Weapons for Namibia were on Friday formally appointed at the Prime Minister’s Office. The honour was done by the Inspector-General of the Namibian Police, Lt-General Sebastian Ndeitunga. These committees form part of the National Policy and Legal Drafting, Public Education and Awareness Raising and Research Committee that was established in 2002. “The Namibia Action Plan is our roadmap to the total era-dication of small arms and light weapons in the country,” said Inspector-General Ndeitunga. The country’s Arms and Ammunition Act 7 of 1996 lays down the rules for licensing firearms to individuals, dealers, importers, exporters and manufacturers. “Hence the need to appoint the National Policy and Legal Drafting Committee to formulate and approve a National Policy on Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and related materials in accordance with the international and regional action agreements, protocol and national objectives,” said the Inspector General. The committee was appointed to improve law enforcement practices and enhance security in the most affected regions and reduce the demand for firearms. The National Policy and Legal Committee will be functioning under the chairmanship of R. L. Gertze with her deputy W. Brisley; the Public Education and Awareness Raising Committee will be chaired by M. Kapere, acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and her deputy is Chief Inspector Hierony-mos Goraseb, and the Research Committee will operate under the chairmanship of Colonel B .E. Kadhila, who will be deputised by Dr. S. Schulz.