Walvis Council needs turnaround strategy

THE Walvis Bay Town Council needs a turnaround strategy to improve its financial position, Management Committee chairman Mandume Muatunga told the Council’s budget session on Monday night.

He said the Council could increase tariffs, but this would make services unaffordable to many of the town’s 60 000 residents and lead to even worse financial results. Muatunga also suggested that the community’s dependence on the fishing sector for local economic development should be limited, since the closure of some fishing factories had already negatively affected large numbers of families.This also had a negative effect on Council’s financial results because the laid-off workers could no longer pay their municipal bills, he said.For this reason, he said, the Council and the local business community should look into diversification of investment activities and the Council should play a role of facilitating and creating a conducive investment environment.Walvis Bay’s estimated revenue for the 2007/2008 financial year is just over N$159 million, while the planned expenditure ensures a projected surplus of about N$5 000.It was decided not to increase any municipal service tariffs.Proposed capital spending for the 2007/2008 financial year is estimated at N$40 million.Some of the major projects include land development, tarring of streets, the design and construction of the new treatment works at Langstrand, the last phase of the hostel redevelopment project in Kuisebmond, replacement of road maintenance vehicles and the resealing of streets and pavements.Muatunga also suggested that the community’s dependence on the fishing sector for local economic development should be limited, since the closure of some fishing factories had already negatively affected large numbers of families.This also had a negative effect on Council’s financial results because the laid-off workers could no longer pay their municipal bills, he said.For this reason, he said, the Council and the local business community should look into diversification of investment activities and the Council should play a role of facilitating and creating a conducive investment environment.Walvis Bay’s estimated revenue for the 2007/2008 financial year is just over N$159 million, while the planned expenditure ensures a projected surplus of about N$5 000.It was decided not to increase any municipal service tariffs.Proposed capital spending for the 2007/2008 financial year is estimated at N$40 million.Some of the major projects include land development, tarring of streets, the design and construction of the new treatment works at Langstrand, the last phase of the hostel redevelopment project in Kuisebmond, replacement of road maintenance vehicles and the resealing of streets and pavements.