BETHANIE -  Berseba constituency councillor Jeremias Goeieman last week lashed his administrative staff during a community development committee (CDC) meeting in Bethanie. 

“You don’t conduct or convene local development committee (LDC) meetings, so if you are no more interested in doing so, do the honourable thing and leave freely. Resign or I will ask the community to get rid of you. I am serious,” he told staff members. 

The politician continued that their only agenda is that of the development of the impoverished Berseba constituency. “Our aim is to alleviate poverty, fight hunger and unemployment and in so doing restore the dignity of our people,” he added. 

When explaining the roles of members of the CDC, he mentioned that it is among others to identify and assess community needs/problems for consideration in constituency development plans and capital projects, prepare and evaluate development proposals for the constituency for submission to the regional council, and initiate, encourage, support and participate in community self-help projects and mobilise people, material, financial and technical assistance in relation thereto.

Goeieman continued that a community or local development committee furthermore has the sole responsibility to monitor and evaluate the implementation of development plans as approved by the regional council, write reports and serve as a communication channel between the regional council (constituency office) and people in their localities. 

“Therefore, if the CDC is alive and kicking, vibrant, energetic, proactive and creative, that constituency will flourish and the inhabitants will reap the fruits of such positive traits,” he reasoned. The councillor also commended committee members who work tirelessly towards the upliftment of their communities. 

“I am here referring to those individuals who understand their roles and sacrifice their valuable time and resources to assist the people who trusted them for their development,” he explained.  

He furthermore reminded them that it would give them major satisfaction in the end, when achieving something for their communities and be agents of change. 

Goeieman also informed the members that they, politicians and administrators’ engagements with the communities should also be sessions where they share knowledge and impart skills in order not to leave community in that dark hole of illiteracy and lack of information. 

sklukowski@nepc.com.na