KEETMANSHOOP- Oranjemund town mayor, Henry Coetzee, says the town is ready for business, as he called on investors to flock to the town to explore business opportunities existing in the town.
Officiating at the recent business and tourism networking conference, he said the town is ready to do business with the outside world, adding the town council will work towards investor-friendly policies to help private businesses enhance the local economic development of the town.
He reminded those present that having been a closed off mining town since 1936 until last year, Oranjemund is now ready to grow and diversify its economy, and that this can only be achieved if investors from various sectors come on board and invest in the town.
“The town was opened to public and businesses; this means Oranjemund is ready and open for business. That is why we have invited you here, so that you can explore business opportunities and tell us how your development programmes will help transform the economic condition of our town,” Coetzee said.
Coetzee said the town is strategically located and connected to meet investors’ needs for banking, telecommunication, transportation by sea, air, and road, adding that the town is connected to South Africa, and this can be good for tourism for both Namibians and South Africans, while it can also boost business activities between the two countries.
Council will continue to collaborate with key stakeholders in an effort to transform and diversify the town’s economy, while it will create a friendly environment for businesses to operate in.
“Council shall abide to the principle of investments by ensuring that our town is friendly, clean– and most importantly, the cost of doing business is preferable and conducive for our investors, so council will create and maintain stability in our business policies to accommodate both small and medium enterprises, as well as corporate businesses,” he noted.
Management committee member, Toivo Auala, also echoed the mayor’s sentiments, saying the town is ready and is striving to look beyond diamond mining, and further stating that a look at the future sustainability beyond mining is a clear indication that the town is ready to diversify its economy, but he was quick to note that this will take an effort from all stakeholders to make it happen.
“This is a clear message that Oranjemund is open for business, and that businesses can be confident in the future sustainability of the town. We are looking forward to pursuing these efforts collectively, and will appreciate any investments for the benefit of the town,” he said The town’s first business and tourism networking conference was held under the theme ‘mining today; tourism tomorrow’.