Staff Reporter
Windhoek-Cabinet has approved the Public Service Act Amendment Bill submitted by the Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila to provide for the designation of permanent secretaries as executive directors while deputy permanent secretaries will be called deputy executive directors.
This was announced in Windhoek at a recent meeting on the outcome of Cabinet decisions by the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Tjekero Tweya.
Critics of the permanent secretary designation previously alluded to the fact those appointed as permanent secretaries had a false sense that the positions were permanent and thus with the new designations executive directors and their deputies will sign five-year employment contracts.
Cabinet approved the amendments to the Public Service Act Amendment Act 2017 to provide for the substitution of the designations of permanent secretary and deputy permanent secretary with executive director and deputy executive director respectively. And the prime minister will table in the National Assembly the Public Service Amendment Bill 2017 on clarity on representation on internal disciplinary hearings.
Cabinet also approved an increase in the minimum wage for domestic workers as follows: a minimum N$1502.05 monthly rate or N$346.89 weekly rate and N$69.37 daily rate.
Cabinet endorsed that the Government of the Republic of Namibia undertake outreach visits particularly to Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Swaziland to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the light of the intensified efforts by Morocco aimed at isolating Namibia.
Morocco has in recent months initiated hostile diplomatic measures against Namibia because Namibia has spoken out strongly in support of the Saharawi people’s self-determination. The Namibian government has shown support and solidarity to the people of Western Sahara in their quest for freedom after Morocco was re-admitted as a member of the African Union (AU).