MCA compact comes under fire in the NA

THE envisaged Millennium Challenge Compact (MCA) worth N$2,4 billion that Namibia recently signed with the US government would compromise the sovereignty of Namibia and “undermine domestic political institutions,” a Member of Parliament claimed yesterday.

Contrary to expectations that the MCA agreement would be withdrawn by Prime Minister Nahas Angula in Parliament yesterday after the Swapo Party Politburo deliberated on it last week, DTA politician McHenry Venaani started the debate in the House. A provision in the development aid deal, which was severely criticised by the Swapo Youth League, namely that all Namibian laws would not be applicable during implementation of the MCA, was also seen as highly questionable by Venaani.He wanted to know from Government why MPs did not receive the full document and asked whether US lawyers were hired by the Attorney General to advise the Namibian negotiating team.”I want to know who is in the Namibian team and who the Namibian legal experts are and if it is true what we hear outside these Chambers that negotiations are still ongoing?” Venaani wanted to know.He further requested a clear answer from Government on whether it was true that US companies would be business partners in private lodges to be constructed in and around the Etosha National Park.”Why did Government deny this [after the media reported on the matter]? The DTA politician asked.He recommended that the matter should be referred to two parliamentary committees, the Committee on Economics and the one on Legal Affairs, for further scrutiny.Venaani was the only speaker yesterday and Swapo Chief Whip Hans Boois postponed the debate to November 13.A provision in the development aid deal, which was severely criticised by the Swapo Youth League, namely that all Namibian laws would not be applicable during implementation of the MCA, was also seen as highly questionable by Venaani.He wanted to know from Government why MPs did not receive the full document and asked whether US lawyers were hired by the Attorney General to advise the Namibian negotiating team.”I want to know who is in the Namibian team and who the Namibian legal experts are and if it is true what we hear outside these Chambers that negotiations are still ongoing?” Venaani wanted to know.He further requested a clear answer from Government on whether it was true that US companies would be business partners in private lodges to be constructed in and around the Etosha National Park.”Why did Government deny this [after the media reported on the matter]? The DTA politician asked.He recommended that the matter should be referred to two parliamentary committees, the Committee on Economics and the one on Legal Affairs, for further scrutiny.Venaani was the only speaker yesterday and Swapo Chief Whip Hans Boois postponed the debate to November 13.