We Can’t Slow Down

PLEASE allow me some space in your paper to air some views on the Budget that was presented recently by Finance Minister Saara Kuugongelwa Amadhila.

I am certain that the budget is a conservative one, but I do not agree with the Minister of Finance who forecast the budget deficit going down within the next three years. Namibia as a developing country has to consolidate on past achievements and therefore I am convinced that more investment is necessary to provide the needed infrastructure in education, health, communication (roads, telecommunications, etc.), trade and industry especially in manufacturing industries, technology, human resources development, etc.I am not convinced that we have invested enough to be able to scale down on the levels of expenditure as such.If we still have to invest then it becomes essential to increase the deficit.Obviously, I do agree that we have to reduce the deficit soon, but not now.How can Namibia afford to slow down in terms of investing in education, health, etc. when we have children taught under trees, in some constituencies we do not have a single clinic, etc.We also need to make comparisons with other countries in the world.In Europe developed countries have gone beyond their set deficit levels, because there is a need for satisfying certain needs and that should also give us a reason not to reduce our deficit until sufficient investment has been recorded.I therefore do not foresee the reduction in budget deficit within the next four to five years, given the huge backlog in all aspects of socio-economic development of our country.It is therefore against this background that I am pleading with the Minister of Finance to be very careful in her approach to the budgetary deficit of this country.Shanghai Via e-mailNote: Real name and address provided – EdNamibia as a developing country has to consolidate on past achievements and therefore I am convinced that more investment is necessary to provide the needed infrastructure in education, health, communication (roads, telecommunications, etc.), trade and industry especially in manufacturing industries, technology, human resources development, etc.I am not convinced that we have invested enough to be able to scale down on the levels of expenditure as such.If we still have to invest then it becomes essential to increase the deficit.Obviously, I do agree that we have to reduce the deficit soon, but not now.How can Namibia afford to slow down in terms of investing in education, health, etc. when we have children taught under trees, in some constituencies we do not have a single clinic, etc.We also need to make comparisons with other countries in the world.In Europe developed countries have gone beyond their set deficit levels, because there is a need for satisfying certain needs and that should also give us a reason not to reduce our deficit until sufficient investment has been recorded.I therefore do not foresee the reduction in budget deficit within the next four to five years, given the huge backlog in all aspects of socio-economic development of our country.It is therefore against this background that I am pleading with the Minister of Finance to be very careful in her approach to the budgetary deficit of this country.Shanghai Via e-mailNote: Real name and address provided – Ed