2005-12-05Staff Report 2 THANK you once again for allowing me space in our famous and tested newspaper. I am confident that the wealth of the Karas Region will remain untapped for decades to come. We have got so many wrong people in right positions be it at municipal to regional council level. The leadership of Karas has neither vision nor initiative. On the contrary, they might have ambition, but don't have the problems of the people whom they are serving at heart. They are just concerned about their stomachs and those of their immediate family and relatives, etc. They hold positions for which they fought, demanded and eliminated their colleagues. Now what is wrong to do the job which coincides with these positions, whom are they waiting on to give them some instructions to do their jobs? Even the national leaders from the south are not facilitating developmental projects for their communities. They would rather condemn the people for laziness, whilst they are equally doing nothing. I am sure that we cannot expect any development for the Karas Region for the tenure of their respective offices. Everywhere it is just chaos like casuals appointed into existing permanent positions, appointments on the basis of nepotism and favouritism, etc. I am glad and excited that the Anti-Corruption Commission has been established, which will probably work very closely with the Office of the Ombudsman to root out corruption. This office should very soon expand its wings to the regions as well. They must convene community meetings and establish from the public about any developmental projects, possible assistance and then link these people up with relevant authorities within the Government. Equally, they could even invite these authorities to visit the region to explore developmental ideas, business proposals and initiatives, etc. They don't like to have meetings with the communities, because they are apparently being attacked verbally and humiliated. They should remember that as a leader you should be ready to be criticized, advised and insulted. Leaders are at times taking unpopular decisions which affect the livelihood of the communities and people may lose faith in them as a result. They should advance the new approach of reconciling with the communities and start having closer contact with them through meetings and consultations. A very simple example is in the fight against AIDS - they are just invisible. There is simply no political commitment and support at all. They would only need these people at the time of the next election to advance the well-being of their immediate family and relatives. I can rest assured that all these people will die before the next elections and they will have nobody to vote for them if they cannot intervene immediately to rescue their political future. I am in particular concerned about the future of one clan in this region, which claims the ownership of this region. Concerned Citizen 2005-12-05Staff Report 2
