This Can’t Go

On ALLOW me to express my opinion regarding the Roads Authority debacle that was covered by The Namibian of Thursday January 25 2007.

The decision made by the Roads Authority’s Board to terminate three senior members’ contracts without a valid reason, is a prime example of irresponsible and politically motivated decision making taking place in Namibia. The judgment by one of our esteemed judges proved that the decision flawed if not criminal.The sad truth is that the board members will not be held responsible for these decisions that will result in damage payouts exceeding N$3 000 000.This excludes legal costs, costs for time lost and low morale of staff members and of course the cost for the Presidential Commission hearings whose only achievement was to contribute to the regression of one of the more successful sectors in Namibia, the road sector.(Employees who were identified as corrupt during the Commission’s proceedings are still in the employ of the Roads Authority).This has become all too common in Namibia where decisions with possible grave consequences are made by board members without the necessary restraint.Fiduciary responsibilities and accountability are foreign concepts as no board member dealing with public funds was held responsible for loosing or misappropriating such funds.This excludes the times diligent board members were victimised and accused of wrongdoing in order to get writ of them in the interest of ulterior motives and self-interest.This in a time when The Road Fund Administration complained that not enough revenue can be collected to maintain existing road infrastructure, let alone construct new roads in Namibia.It is high time Namibians realise that all this money that is being lost and wasted by duly elected and appointed officials, is coming from their hard earned salaries.To our leaders, stop talking Corporate Governance, live it.Anti graft Via e-mailThe judgment by one of our esteemed judges proved that the decision flawed if not criminal.The sad truth is that the board members will not be held responsible for these decisions that will result in damage payouts exceeding N$3 000 000.This excludes legal costs, costs for time lost and low morale of staff members and of course the cost for the Presidential Commission hearings whose only achievement was to contribute to the regression of one of the more successful sectors in Namibia, the road sector.(Employees who were identified as corrupt during the Commission’s proceedings are still in the employ of the Roads Authority).This has become all too common in Namibia where decisions with possible grave consequences are made by board members without the necessary restraint.Fiduciary responsibilities and accountability are foreign concepts as no board member dealing with public funds was held responsible for loosing or misappropriating such funds.This excludes the times diligent board members were victimised and accused of wrongdoing in order to get writ of them in the interest of ulterior motives and self-interest.This in a time when The Road Fund Administration complained that not enough revenue can be collected to maintain existing road infrastructure, let alone construct new roads in Namibia.It is high time Namibians realise that all this money that is being lost and wasted by duly elected and appointed officials, is coming from their hard earned salaries.To our leaders, stop talking Corporate Governance, live it.Anti graft Via e-mail