2008-05-19Staff Report 2 By Kuvee Kangueehi Windhoek The Namibian Cabinet Retreat, where cabinet ministers, their deputies and key policy implementers will tackle a number of problems facing the country, commences this morning in Swakopmund. The Cabinet retreat is an annual working session of the executive and this year it is expected to tackle broad themes such as employment creation, empowerment and poverty reduction. Opening the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) Economic Transformation Convention held in the capital over the weekend, the Swapo Party deputy secretary general, Nangolo Mbumba, said the Cabinet retreat will be asking itself pertinent questions such as what are the opportunities, constraints and strategic directions for employment creation, empowerment and poverty reduction? Mbumba said current growth experiences have been slow, episodic and unstable. He noted that there are a number reasons responsible for these unsatisfactory affairs such as problems related to productivity of the labour force. Other issues are lack of appropriate skills, the cost of conducting business in Namibia, access to appropriate technology and information on markets as well as inadequate energy and water supply and lack of a trade policy and investment climate. The deputy secretary general who is also the Minister of Education said he will make a presentation on 'vocational training and youth employment' and he said the retreat should deliberate and seek solutions to halt overall unemployment and poverty in the country. Mbumba is also expected to deliver the declaration of the SPYL convention on economic transformation. The SPYL convention ended on Saturday. President Hifikepunye Pohamba said there is need to be totally focussed on the Cabinet retreat and has requested ministers and their deputies to be present and expected all of them to register by yesterday afternoon. 2008-05-19Staff Report 2
