By Hoandi !Gaeb
KEETMANSHOOP – The Minister of Trade and Industry, Calle Schlettwein, says it is part of the government’s agenda to bring about growth at home and boost domestic industries and supply capacity.
Schlettwein was speaking at the inauguration of the Keetmanshoop Gemstone Centre and the second phase intake graduation of gemology trainees at Keetmanshoop last week on Friday.
Eight trainees received certificates at the occasion.
Schlettwein said the trade ministry in keeping to its industrial mandate and entrepreneurial development, assigned its agency the Offshore Development Company (ODC) to construct and manage gemstone facilities at Keetmanshop and Karibib to serve as gemstone processing centres.
In this regard the ODC engaged Lempala, a Finnish Local Authority and Democracy Initiative in partnership with Kristallen, a Swedish agency and the Polytechnic of Namibia to promote local economic development.
He said the partnership involves the revitalization and development of the centre at Keetmanshoop as a regional hub for players within the semi-precious stone industry and to promote production and marketing of the products.
The involvement also includes capacity building both in processing and entrepreneurship development.
Schlettwein expects the partnership to address, inter alia, beneficiation regarding the value chain of gemstone products from the initial stage of cutting and polishing to the downstream of jewellery manufacturing as well as capacity building both in processing and entrepreneurship development.
He further noted the Keetmanshoop centre would be self-sustainable from proceeds it generates from the precious stones as well as other products it sells.
He however expressed disappointment that pledges made so far have not yet been realised. “I am informed that for the initial three-year period the Ministry of Trade and Industry through the ODC committed N$3.5 million which has not yet been paid over,” lamented Schlettwein.
The Keetmanshoop Municipality’s pledge of N$60 000 is also still outstanding.
He said the government realises the potential role small-scale mining could play in the socio-economic development of the country and has developed regulatory and policy networks to support this sector.
He said in Namibia small-scale and artisan mining provides livelihoods for many and recent estimates put the number of people working in or involved indirectly with the sector at between 5 000 and 9 000.
The minister called on the //Karas Small Scale Miners Association to capitalize on government initiatives so that it can remain abreast of developments.