KEETMANSHOOP – Joseph Isaacks, the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) candidate for Keetmanshoop Urban constituency said if voted into power his priority will be to engage regional stakeholders including investors to work towards uplifting socio-economic circumstances of the less privileged in the constituency.
He recently told New Era about his intentions if he wins the upcoming regional council elections.
The candidate believes that LPM is the alternative in politics as ‘it does things differently from the rest’.
Isaacks also promised to revisit the governance issues, including the development committee in the constituency to align it in compliance with the LPM manifesto.
“In terms of the regional procurement committee, we strive towards making tender awards more transparent and with effective scrutiny,” said Isaacks.
Under his leadership, more local labour will also be used for government projects and that outsiders will only be considered if expertise is lacking in Keetmanshoop and the //Kharas region as a whole.
He further promised to aggressively canvas for opportunities to create employment for the residents in the constituency.
“Putting up irrigation schemes, crop production, entrepreneurial projects and more infrastructures will then address the unemployment dilemma,” he added. “LPM will also support and establish more Small-and-Medium Enterprises for people to create and provide employment,” said Isaacks. LPM will engage non- governmental organisations, investors and government to come up with modalities to empower women and the youth through self- sustainable projects and skills enhancement, he said
In terms of service delivery to informal settlements in the town of Keetmanshoop, Isaacks promised to bring a satellite police station, primary school and social grant payment point to these areas.
The political candidate also promised the rezoning of informal settlement areas, providing each person with a piece of land with basic water, sanitation and electricity services.
Isaacks plans to engage the relevant stakeholders for the establishment of safe houses for sex and gender-based violence victims and more effective rehabilitation methods for offenders.
He is also going to look into the current land reform policy to ensure equal distribution of available land.
LPM will also revisit the Agrarian Reform Policy to promote food security for local consumption and if allowed, the export of agriculture products.
Isaacks is a part-time paralegal officer who grew up in Keetmanshoop.
-sklukowski@nepc.com.na
He rose through the ranks of LPM since joining the party in 2018 from an ordinary member to regional operations secretary. He emerged successful during the political movement’s primaries to be duly nominated as a candidate for Keetmanshoop urban constituency. -sklukowski@nepc.com.na