By Otniel Hembapu
WINDHOEK – Widely renowned as one of the torchbearers of Namibian sport, Director of Sports in the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport, and Culture, Dr Vetumbuavi Veii yesterday confirmed to New Era Sport that he would retire end of this month after 25 years of hard work and dedication.
Veii, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, says he has nothing but a great story about his remarkably career that spans two decades, serving his country with pride at the highest level.
“I’m proud of where we started and where I’m leaving things, no hard feelings or whatsoever. We took over at a very difficult time when the country was just coming out of the apartheid era where segregation and all various types of social ills were rife but we fearlessly managed to build a strong foundation with the ultimate aim of giving hope to the future generations,” said the long-serving astute administrator.
Veii, along with others, was at the forefront during the formation of various sports institutions such as the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC), Namibia School Sports Union (NSSC), Disability Sport and the Tertiary Institutes Sport Association of Namibia (TISAN) and was also instrumental in drafting the new Sports Act and Sport Policy.
Despite a blossoming career, which saw him earn respect across the whole of Africa, Veii admitted that all is not so rosy as expected 25 years after independence, as the country still struggles to overcome many challenges such as the lack of transformation in most predominately white sport codes while poor funding towards sports remains a core problem within the ministry.
“Challenges of racism, lack of adequate funding and development are still there up to this day and until our leaders realise the potential of sport and the change it can bring in society, I’m afraid we still have a long way to go. Sports is an industry in many countries around the world and has the power to unite, empower and transform the country as a whole, but we in Namibia don’t see those values in sports and that is one of the reasons we a lagging behind in some departments.”
“But I’m hopeful that the young leaders that will takeover will take a holistic approach in dressing these issues and most importantly, I want them to work hard and build on the foundation we have laid in order to take our country to greater heights,” concluded Veii.