‘Fun budget’ not negotiable

THE hundreds of thousands the City of Windhoek intends splurging on entertainment this year, is ‘simply necessary … even in these harsh economic times’, according to Chief Executive Officer Niilo Taapopi.

It does not mean that the City is ‘out of touch with reality’, he said on Wednesday.In a letter handed to the Namibian Employers Federation (NEF), the Public Service Union of Namibia (PSUN), the Namibia Consumer Trust (NCT) and the Citizens for an Accountable and Transparent Society (CATS) at a meeting on Wednesday afternoon, Taapopi said ‘some of the operational expenditures such as entertainment are simply necessary to carry out operational responsibilities of managing this organisation’.Items in the City’s entertainment budget include n N$140 000 for Taapopi and his team of special executivesn N$25 000 for Mayor Matheus Shikongon N$143 000 for general entertainmentn N$87 500 for farewell partiesn some N$220 000 for staff social eventsn refreshments of N$132 588 and n N$215 000 for a New Year’s Eve party.Barely two hours after the meeting, Mayor Shikongo, opening the first monthly City Council meeting of the 2009-10 financial year, said the Municipality’s commitment ‘to enhance the quality of life of all our people through the provision of sustainable municipal services remains the core of our budget consideration’.’We are aware that most of our people (are) still living [below] the poverty line,’ Shikongo said.The Mayor attributed the public outcry against the City’s approved spending spree to a ‘lack of understanding of the municipal budgeting process and the prevailing challenging environment within which, we as the Council, has to operate’.In his letter to the concerned group, Taapopi said it is important to realise that the City is a huge organisation, which justifies the approved entertainment budget. The amounts for entertainment are below ‘any standard, both in the private and public sector in Namibia and elsewhere’, he said. According to him, the Mayor is an important public figure ‘in terms of the national protocol’, and almost every international delegation who visits the country, also visits the City.’It is then naturally expected that the City offers hospitality as is done by all organisations,’ Taapopi said.Drilled by the concerned group on the N$215 000 set aside for a New Year’s party, Taapopi passed the buck, saying that it is ‘public event demanded by the citizens of Windhoek’.The N$143 000 for general entertainment, Taapopi said, is to provide refreshments at all official Council meetings, workshops and delegations visiting the City. This is on top of the N$132 588 set aside under a separate ‘refreshments’ vote in the budget.Taapopi explained that the N$87 500 budgeted for farewells and retirements, which is 25 per cent higher than in last year’s budget, forms part of the ‘conditions of service and is budgeted in line with the number of retirements that are anticipated’.However, he bluntly refused to shed any light on the City’s salaries and wages, as well as the allowances for the Mayor and Councillors, citing the Local Authorities Act requirement for confidentiality.According to the budget, the Mayor and his 14 City Councillors will receive N$2,7 million in allowances this year.The municipality will spend about N$462 million, nearly 30 per cent of its entire operational budget, on salaries and wages this year. Of this, nearly N$115 million is for allowances.Apart from the City Council’s chunk, the budget also provides for housing allowances of N$88 million and transport allowances to the tune of N$20 million.All municipal employees qualify for housing allowances. The majority also get transport allowances, while management qualifies for car allowances.Also included in the budget is N$4,5 million for ‘other allowances’, without specifying what the millions are for.There is a steering committee allowance of N$5 000 too.Taapopi assured the concerned group that the City ‘will scrutinise all expenditure thoroughly throughout the year to ensure that no unnecessary expenditures are incurred’.Mayor Shikongo, applauding Windhoek’s residents for ‘actively participating’ in the running of the City’s affairs, also sounded a warning last night.’It is important to realise that we can, together, make or break what we have built up over the years, unless we all focus our energy on real issues that are at the core of our service delivery systems,’ he said.Shikongo further said the Municipality ‘continues to welcome residents’ complaints, concerns and practical suggestions in making Windhoek a better place to live in’.The NEF, PSUN, NCT and CATS provisionally have another meeting with the City’s management next Thursday.The concerned group has threatened mass protest if the Municipality refuses to review the budget.jo-mare@namibian.com.na