Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Banner Left
Banner Right

Don’t give up your rights: Minister

Don’t give up your rights: Minister

FORMERLY disadvantaged Namibians getting rights to earn an income from tourism on State land, whether in or outside protected areas, should not sell or lease such rights, Environment and Tourism Minister Willem Konjore says.

Konjore said the Ministry was opposed to this. “I do not consider it to be empowerment if concession rights are handed over to a formerly disadvantaged community or a person if they would simply lease or sell those rights on to someone else,” he said.He said giving concessions to formerly disadvantaged Namibians was aimed at opening doors for them to benefit from tourism, hunting and other industries based on natural resources.Konjore made these remarks when he opened a workshop on the draft policy on tourism and wildlife concessions on State land a week ago.”Improving access to public resources for the empowerment of formerly disadvantaged Namibians with the aim of uplifting this sector of the population is of the utmost importance,” said Konjore.He said the draft policy emphasises this role of concessions.Instead of selling or leasing their rights, formerly disadvantaged concession holders could opt for collaboration, partnerships and joint ventures.Konjore also warned that tourism was a highly specialised industry that required skills and investment in product development and service delivery.”A tourism or hunting concession is not a quick recipe to wealth, but rather carries significant risks, costs and requires a lot of hard work,” he said.Konjore said there is also a need for broad-based economic empowerment rather than just for a few people, who are already capable of operating in the private sector.He emphasised that concessions are based on public assets belonging to all Namibians and should be used to benefit many rather than just a few.”I do not consider it to be empowerment if concession rights are handed over to a formerly disadvantaged community or a person if they would simply lease or sell those rights on to someone else,” he said. He said giving concessions to formerly disadvantaged Namibians was aimed at opening doors for them to benefit from tourism, hunting and other industries based on natural resources.Konjore made these remarks when he opened a workshop on the draft policy on tourism and wildlife concessions on State land a week ago.”Improving access to public resources for the empowerment of formerly disadvantaged Namibians with the aim of uplifting this sector of the population is of the utmost importance,” said Konjore.He said the draft policy emphasises this role of concessions.Instead of selling or leasing their rights, formerly disadvantaged concession holders could opt for collaboration, partnerships and joint ventures.Konjore also warned that tourism was a highly specialised industry that required skills and investment in product development and service delivery.”A tourism or hunting concession is not a quick recipe to wealth, but rather carries significant risks, costs and requires a lot of hard work,” he said.Konjore said there is also a need for broad-based economic empowerment rather than just for a few people, who are already capable of operating in the private sector.He emphasised that concessions are based on public assets belonging to all Namibians and should be used to benefit many rather than just a few.

Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!

Latest News