PDM proposes value-addition quota on raw materials

Selma Ikela Windhoek-Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani will propose in parliament this year that there be value addition to 30 percent of any Namibian raw materials – from mining to agriculture. Value addition to raw materials will create employment in the country than elsewhere on the international market, says Venaani. “This year we will go to parliament, take a motion that 30 percent of Namibian minerals that are leaving our shores, we must add value to them, to create jobs in our country because we are sitting with an economy that is bleeding with a high rate of unemployment of over 46 percent, while we sitting with a mining sector that is not paying enough tax and value addition is not happening,” remarked Venaani during the PDM press conference held on Monday morning. He said the mining sector in Namibia pays less tax than ordinary citizens, i.e. the general population pays more tax than the big mining sector. “We are saying let us move away from the rhetoric and move to action and legislate that all mines that want to invest or have invested in Namibia – at least 30 percent of the resources they have in this country must be processed so that we see how many jobs could be created by the sector. We target the mining sector as a point of entry. We are also looking at other extractive industries but we should start somewhere – the basis for us is the mining sector as a measure to stimulate the economy.” The PDM leader added that this year they intend to heighten the level of political transactions. “This is the year we are going to push for greater ideas to take our country forward. We shall lead from the frontline and ask all political adversaries and actors to heighten the level of debate because politicians think that to insult one another is the best way of advancing the social-economic trajectory of our people – we in the PDM tend to differ,” he said. Venaani also said they are going to have a round table discussion with the Electoral Commission of Namibia to ensure next year’s presidential and National Assembly elections are credible, free and fair. Venaani said the 2014 presidential and National Assembly elections were chaotic in the sense that there were no paper trails and people stood in long queues for many hours.
2018-01-24 09:26:52 7 months ago