Namib Indepedent Issue 117 by The Namib Independent

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Issue 117 - Thursday, 18 September 2014 to Wednesday, 24 September 2014

Life better in Nam

Age of Marriage

N$106M Community Debt

Assisted Suicide

Now Corruption Smells Like Fish Tanya Calitz

The pungent smell of fish has for aeons been associated with all kinds of nastiness. In Namibia, this maxime remains true as the specific scent of our scaled friends reeks supremely of corruption. Over the last two months the Namib Independent has been on the heels of the ministry and the fishing associations in an effort to get a list of companies and individuals who have been granted fishing quotas for 2014, though to no avail. It must be noted that prior to 2014 this information had been readily accessible, not only to the media but to any member of the Namibian public who may

have had any interest in seeing the list. Obviously, the beneficiaries of one of Namibia’s most valuable resources are of incredible importance to the general public. Since the introduction of the new rights holders almost three years ago, this data has become particularly important. The new rights holders idea is a noble concept, which at its inception sought to ensure that Namibia’s poorest were able to gain benefit from the fishing industry. However, after a few years the process has been mired with allegations of favouritism, corruption and the enrichment of the

Raising

Children in Coastal Bars

already rich. The Namib Independent sought the information from the ministry in an effort to enlighten our community with the allocation of the resources that offer so many of our folk employment and wellbeing. During the inquiries it became instantly apparent that matters were shrouded with secrecy and that the run-around the paper was getting was rotten. The Namib Independent’s first email, in an attempt to get information on the quota allocations, went out on 28 July. Since then it has been a case of being sent from pillar to post, and the more the paper pushed Continued on Page 3

Lana Groenewald This weekend, the Namib Independent was shocked to discover babies and infants that live a regular “bar life”, accompanying their parents to local clubs. Exposed to

alcoholism and second-hand smoking, they are left to entertain themselves while their parents spiral deeper and deeper into the endless depths of liquor bottles. This was the harsh reality discovered by one of the

paper’s staff members when they popped into the MOTH club for fish and chips. Many adults at the coast have grown up in bars and related their experiences to the Namib Independent. A local resident said, “Children who grow up

with parents where alcohol is abused tend to follow in their parents' footsteps.” Another resident looked back at his youth with regret. “Growing up in clubs led to me experimenting with drugs and becoming addicted at a very

young age. Maybe if my parents would have left me in a healthier environment whenever they went to bars, I could have avoided a lot of heartache and pain.” Continued on Page 3

2 | News

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Duinesig Choir: Talent, Flair and a Bucketful of

Dedication Lavrenty Repin Namibians love all kinds of music, but one genre springs out as truly local: choir music. Street choirs adorn the streets of Swakopmund in the festive season, lodge and hotel staff find time to practice and entertain their guests with cultural sounds, church halls fill with eager voices and school kids countrywide take time off to join choir practice. At times these choirs can be quite unbearable, but

there are occasions when a choir group captivates you and makes you wonder what their secret is. Erich Areseb is a grade 12 Duinesig Combined School student, who has been part of the Duinesig choir since primary school. The choir, and especially Erich’s flair, produced applause and admiration when they performed at the Namport School Exhibition last Wednesday. Amongst others, Mr Olivier from the Ministry of Education said that

he “must mention the distinct contribution of the choir leader.” However, an outof-school activity, the success of the choir should be attributed primarily to the dedication of its young participants. Erich Areseb is not only a talented conductor, a challenging assignment usually reserved for seasoned musicians, but also the composer for the choir, adopting songs (like Johnny Nash’s “I can see clearly now”) into acapella form and innovating often

outdated traditional songs, to keep audiences guessing. “We take old songs and modernise them, or take new songs and give them a jazz feel. I love different harmonies music can produce and of course bringing joy to other

people,” Erich beamed. According to Mr Frederichs, Duinesig’s music teacher, the kids practice between three and four times a week as an after school activity and every second weekend, too. He also said that music has brought unity to

the group of about 35 kids from all grades and helped children from disadvantaged backgrounds overcome their circumstances. “We have different people, from different backgrounds, some come to choir sad and cold, but when we

start singing, no one wants to stop,” Erich agreed. He explained how other students look down on choir singers and call them “geeks” but the choir has made the group a family. The group has won gold at the last two national ATKV competitions and last year performed in South Africa upon invitation. The dedication is tremendously impressive because this activity has no school curriculum recognition; it offers no additional credits to students. “It prevents us from a lot of activities,” admitted Erich. “It’s a big commitment. I am also head prefect, so it is difficult.” A 2009 impact study on benefits of joining a choir found some remarkable correlations. Choir attendees better their academic success, they volunteer

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significantly more frequently than the general public, exhibit greater civic leadership and (despite being called “geeks”) choir singers have more advanced social skills. For Erich and his choir it takes dedication and commitment, not to mention talent, to achieve the unity and musical ability they have mastered. However, the motivation for joining a choir is not always immediately obvious. Perhaps, in a country with such passion for singing, the Ministry of Education should consider adding choir practice to the curriculum. “Everyone would get A’s,” laughed the talented Erich, who has opted for a “financially more viable” career path, and plans to study chartered accounting at UNAM next year.

News | 3

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Now Corruption Smells Like Fish for information, the more it became apparent that secrecy and perhaps corruption was at play. The paper's first stop in an attempt to obtain the quota allocation documents, as well as the new right holders for 2013/2014, was the Fisheries Permanent Secretary, Ulitala Hiveluah, who immediately referred us to the Director of Policies, Anna Erastus. After several weeks and numerous efforts to get hold of her (“she is away again this week, please try next week”), Erastus referred the paper back to the Permanent Secretary, who again referred us to Erastus, saying that she is the decision maker and head of the quota allocations. The paper expressed to Erastus that something seems fishy, to which Erastus’ final response read: “The information that you are requesting, you could easily also get from the industry. I am not aware of any secrecy surrounding quota allocation. The release of any allocation is the mandate of the minister as enshrined in the marine resource act 2000. Please refer your inquiry to the permanent secretary office instead of directing you [sic] questions to me.” Again the paper attempted to get some clarity from the Permanent Secretary who to date has ignored all our attempts to communicate. It must be noted that by this stage more than a month had surpassed. In a final effort to close the circle we once again approached Erastus in exasperation, only to be rudely informed: “Listen, you can go and get this information from the industry. Stop bothering me now.” In desperation we proceeded as instructed by contacting the individual fishing associations, where we were once again welcomed with disdain and disinterest. The general consensus was that the information can only be released by the Ministry, seeing that they are the head of the industry and hold authority, and that the chairpersons have a responsibility towards the sector they represent, to honour and protect.

“It is not my place to reveal the quota, which was allocated to the different parties within my association,” Large Pelagic Association Chairperson, Mathew Hambundi, told the Namib Independent in an interview over the phone. The interviews with the rest of the associations rang similar to the one with Hambundi. Finally it seemed that the paper had a breakthrough after speaking to Matti Amukwa, the head of all the associations, who vowed to forward the information within a week. “Yes, of course I will send you the information. I have it all in my laptop,” the reporter was informed by a friendly and forthcoming Amukwa. A month later and the paper still has not received a single line. As matters stand, Amukwa is no longer answering calls from the paper. The information above might not seem like anything new, but once again highlights the struggle the media, and even the industry, is going through to gain information that should be public knowledge, yet is kept from the public at all cost. Many reports have been released in the media over the last few years about the quota allocations and the fact that the primary beneficiaries are not poor Namibians, but the elite who in effect are able to run briefcase companies, were they sell their quotas (unpaid for) to the highest bidders, more often than not foreigners, thereby negating any promise of improving the living standards of ordinary Namibians. In a discussion with one new rights holder and incredibly successful Namibian business group, the Namib Independent was able to amass in excess of N$54 million from the sales of their quota. The fact is that this is repeated year upon year. Prior to the news breaking that three major fishing companies are suing the Ministry of Fisheries over fishing quota, allegations of corruption compromising personnel in the ministry were already doing their rounds. Allegations surfaced that Erastus received kickbacks of N$700 000 from Omualu Fishing, and another letter surfaced, showing Permanent Secretary Ulitala Hiveluah granting Etale a fishing quota for

2014, even though they had no more workers and closed up shop last year already The Anti Corruption Commission has confirmed that they have launched an investigation on Erastus. Subsequently, more discrepancies regarding 2014’s quota allocations have arisen as reported by the Namibian and Oshili Nashi Popiwe (Omake), the new newsletter on the fishing industry that was launched earlier his month, exposing all sorts of irregularities within the industry. The reports We ask a simple accuse the ministry of question and that awarding quota to JVs is all we wish:Are who do not have vessels fishermen all liars? or onshore processing facilities, thus contradicting Or do only liars fish? the Ministry’s policy to look after companies who ~William Sherwood Fox, look after its own people Silken Lines and Silver through employment due Hooks, 1954 to value adding. Relating to the above, Omake claimed that while Namsov’s quota has been cut, some of the smaller papers the government Continued from Page 1 uses to go through every companies who now have the Namsov quota aspect of one’s life with are allegedly buying fish Growing up in bars a fine-tooth comb, surely from Namsov, repacking often turns out to be the procedures should be some of it into smaller root of many people’s updated to afford these bags and taking photos drug and alcohol children more protection? of the end product with addiction problems. Inquiries sent out to a few bags distributed “Quite a few people Nampol’s Women and alongside existing products come to me for spiritual Child Protection Units, to ‘convince’ the ministry help with their alcohol social workers and the that they are doing value problem,” a local pastor Ministry of Gender addition, and therefore commented. “For many, Equality and Child Welfare receive quota. they already started resulted only in vague Taking all the above into drinking at a very young answers and deflection of consideration, it come as age, having accompanied the subject. It could not be no surprise that Namsov their parents to clubs and established whether these Fishing, Emeritus Fishing been exposed to alcohol,” children can be taken away, and Atlantic Harvesters he said. if the bar or club owner can have launched an urgent As reported on be fined or even if a fine for court application against previously by the Namib the parents is an option. the Ministry of Fisheries Independent, a 2006 Smoking in public over the drastic cutting UNICEF study revealed places is illegal according of their quotas. Namsov that in a focus group of 10 to the new Namibian law, is seeking that Minister to 14 year-olds, one in ten however, there seems to be Bernard Esau reinstate 13% had already used alcohol, a tendency to disregard this of its quota, which was cut beginning at age ten on law at local bars. According by Esau who gave them average. Yet, there is to the Ministry of Health 1%, resulting in the laying another side of the coin. and Social Services, there off of 200 employees of the “Getting drunk lost should be an inspector at company. its appeal to me due to the coast ensuring this law The trio would like seeing how drunk people is being enforced, but until the minister to publicly acted,” another local now, he remains missing in announce how much resident commented. action. At present, it is only quotas he has in reserve for “As a result, I became illegal to sell alcohol to the third allocation. more responsible when it under-18 year-olds, but not “There seems to be a comes to drinking.” for them to drink or possess misconception regarding Nevertheless, one has it, not to mention that there Namsov and its perceived to ask, what kind of lives is no law prohibiting them unwillingness to do do the children seen in from entering a bar with land processing. This clubs this past weekend their parents. investigation has revealed lead? Once the parents One has to wonder a smoke screen to break are past tipsy, do they still whether most of today’s the South African owned care if a child is hungry, problems, gender-based duopoly of Namsov and cold or tired? Sadly, violence, child abuse and Erongo Marine Products these questions remain the evils of substance in the mid-water trawl unanswered. Considering addiction could not be industry,” Omake reported. how difficult it is to adopt eliminated if children were Regarding the latter a child in Namibia, with not exposed to the harmful matter, Minister Esau the stacks of forms and environment within bars. was quoted saying; “I

“

Continued from Page 1

will not comment on the matter. Let’s leave it to the court. It’s subjudice. I have no interest in fishing companies. As a minister, I have a right in terms of the law. It takes just a split second for me to cancel a quota or rights, if I feel things are not being done right. Not overnight, but seconds. That is the power vested in me.” The Namib Independent tried their luck one more time in getting a response from the Ministry, only to be told that the Ministry feels that the matter should be left to the court, and any comment at this stage could jeopardise the Ministry’s case.

Raising Children in Coastal Bars

4 | News

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Statistics Say Life in

Namibia Improved

Since Independence Lavrenty Repin Many statistics look worrying, and it is often easy to jump to the conclusion that the world and this country or in a catastrophic trajectory towards collapse. But when looked at objectively, and over a long period of time, the same brazen statistics often tell a different story: a story of progress and improvement, which conjures a little brighter, positive outlook on the future. Here are some good news for you. The most primitive, yet most reliable and certainly most available indicator of improvement of life, is by definition the length of life that a person can expect to live. Life expectancy for Namibia is an exhilarating story of war, tragedy and success; records of which date back to 1800, where on average, life expectancy in the sub-Saharan country was 32 years, and remained so until the Herero and Nama genocide. It brought down life expectancy to its lowest at just five years in 1904. By 1908 it stabilised back at the 30s mark, only to drop drastically down again nine years later, at the peak of the first World War, to 15 years of age. A high child mortality has a resounding impact significance on the average life expectancy of a country. Until 1940, Namibia, and indeed the rest of Africa, remained in the dark ages so to speak, as the world moved forward to better health and prosperity. But while the western world’s life expectancy visibly fell during the Second World War, Namibia’s began to

steadily rise. By 1945, end of World War 2, it was at 36 years. By 1980 it rose to 58. In the country’s independence year, an average Namibian would live to be 61 years of age! Yet, something happened between then and 2002, and the life expectancy fell by nearly ten years to 54. When Hifikepunya Pohamba took over the country, life expectancy was in a drastic decline. In 2012 (last available data), statistics looked promising: Namibia enjoyed its highest life expectancy of 64 years. But it is not just life expectancy that saw a radical shift in the past ten to 20 years. For instance, in 1990, arid desert-ridden Namibia could provide only 64% of its population with permanent access to water. By 2010, 93% of Namibian’s had access

to water! A 30% jump in just 20 years’ time. 6.5% of children under the age of five were malnourished in 1993, compared to 4.3% in 2007. Although improvement is slow, the number is significantly lower than many Asian and African countries today. Since the 1960s the average food supply (kilocalories per person per day) has been above the average daily requirement of 1,800 kilocalories. Today it is at its highest in history at 2,383 kilocalories, having steadily increased for the past 20 years. One of the most troubling, and most mentioned statistics in Namibia, is the high rate of child mortality. 45 children aged 0-5 years die for every 1000 born – in Norway that number is four. Yet in Angola, it is

194. Indeed, although still infinitely tragic, Namibia has the best child mortality rate of all its bordering countries, and only 15 years ago, the figure was as high as 71 child deaths per 1000. Perhaps this has something to do with the promising fact that today the average number of children a woman has in her life is 3.1; it has been in a steady decline since its peak in the 1970s, when an average woman would bear seven children. Not just in Namibia, but worldwide, families are having less children (global average 2.5 per family), which means more parental attention, better food and better accessibility. Education and awareness have certainly contributed to this, but most importantly is the reduction in child

mortality. In the past, uncertainty in whether a child will survive in his or her first years meant that many families opted to have more children for better survival chances. With a better health system and availability of contraceptives comes better family planning, and more chances for future children. This is the perfect example of how each factor contributes to the well-being of the country. A final, important focus is how many people live under the extreme poverty line of below U$1,25 a day. In 1993, half of Namibian’s lived in extreme poverty. Today, the number still high, but not quite as daunting; at 21% of the population. Is 30% a reasonable, or even commendable decline for a 20-year-period or could the government

have done a better job fighting poverty? That is a question best left up for debate. And certainly, looking through various statistics, it is easy to become disheartened. Africa is behind the world on every single issue, from food to infrastructure to education and health. But besides doses of healthy pessimism, it is also important to perceive the data accurately and in context. It is worth mentioning that this research found that most statistics remained repetitive, not really improving or declining, or improving very slowly; not worth mentioning. Certainly, some were troublinglike the recent decline of nearly 10% of literacy rates in the country. But ultimately, growth, especially for those that need it most (children, mothers and extreme poverty victims) is selfevident. Various official sources used for statistics.

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Thursday, 18 September 2014

Erasing Carbon Footprints in Swakopmund Siglinde de Villiers The Junior Town Council of Swakopmund is spearheading a gogreen initiative at the coast, organising a cycle march at the beginning of October in order to

raise more awareness for eco–friendly ways. Companies and residents can come together with their bicycles to drive 10km around town. The march will take place on Saturday, 4 October and all companies

as well as coastal residents are invited to participate. All interested cyclists are to meet at 10h00 at the Swakopmund Tennis Club, the starting point of the cycle march. The route ends at the Swakopmund Amphitheatre.

“This is not a race,” Councilor Kain Angilley from the Junior Town Council in Swakopmund told the Namib Independent. “Everyone can cycle at their own pace, enjoying the scenery as if they were taking a casual

Cyclist March Raises Awareness

for Eco-Friendly Transport stroll around town,” he added. “The aim of the cycle march is to create awareness for more ways of alternative transport forms that do not leave any carbon footprints.” Since many of the councilors love cycling, using it for an event to create awareness about eco-friendly transport seemed obvious.

“We asked ourselves the question: Why not incorporate an ecofriendly topic behind it and encourage local residents to be part of it?” Angilley said. Thus the plans soon took form and the Senior Town Council and the Swakopmund traffic department became involved. “The main sponsor of the

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event always had the dream that Swakopmund becomes a town that only uses eco-friendly transport,” Angilley related. “Creating more awareness is a small step towards that dream.” The traffic department will ensure the safety of all cyclists and there will be one water point along the way as well as refreshments at the finishing line.

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Thursday, 18 September 2014

Age of Marriage Up As Education Improves Siglinde de Villiers

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In the past 54 years, the age at which Namibian women married increased from an average of 21 in the 1960s to 28 in the early 21st century. Even though there are several reasons for this, the modern Namibian woman is less bound to traditional practices. In turn, there is less pressure to marry according to customary marriage rituals. Customary law rituals have always undermined the rights of women. One of these practices is the payment of Lobola, or a brides-price, where the bride became the property of her husband, to do with as he pleased. In some ethnic tribes of Namibia, a deceased husband’s family retains the right to all of the couple’s property, leaving the widow with nothing, even though she might have bought part of it. “Marriages would be arranged by parents, not because of the qualities of a girl, but because of the property involved. It was more of a business venture,” an aged local resident told the Namib Independent. In short, when it came to marriage and being married, women had little or no voice at all. According to the Legal Assistance Centre of Namibia (LAC), women started to marry at an early age in order to be taken care of, and take care of a household. However, as this started to change, so did the age of becoming married. Since independence, Namibia has moved from an era of relative isolation into a period of intense international contact. “This factor has given stimulus to the treatment of gender issues by both state agencies and non-governmental organisations,” stated the LAC. The LAC continued to explain that the position of women

under customary laws and practices became an area of major concern. “The position of widows, who often lose all their land and property to the family of the deceased, has been a matter of particular worry. Access to land by women in their own right is often cited as a priority,” the LAC said. The Draft Protocol of 2003 brought about a change in the rights of women. “Slowly, there was a move away from harmful traditional practices, since legislation now afforded protection to women,” the LAC said. The new legislation stated that women and men were to be regarded as equal partners in marriage, and rights for women, especially regarding property, were laid down. Difficult economic situations caused some women to refrain from getting married. A survey done by the LAC revealed that older women with many children stated that it was much easier to support a family in former times, and many younger women declared that they could not afford to feed children. More freedom for women went hand in hand with the liberty of education. According to the LAC, younger women all dream about a good job. “Eighty percent of women, including the older generations, stated that a good job is more important than children but they only talked about the chronology, meaning that a good job should be found before having children,” the LAC said. Unfortunately, for older women, no education meant no job and so they had no choice other than getting married at an early age. “Young people pursue further education in larger numbers today and obviously wait longer before they get married,”

said Shaun Whittaker, a leading psychologist in Namibia. “Education is one of the most important ways to find a good job in this era of high unemployment. So there is tremendous pressure on young people to study further, but also more educational opportunities for the younger generation,” he added. A younger woman shared her experience: “It was my biggest mistake to get my baby so early because I wanted to go on with my studies and find a nice job. I still love my child, but it was simply too early and now everything is so difficult.” “I think it is a welcome sign of women’s liberation that women have higher expectations of marriage. It is much more about seeking fulfillment and real companionship in a marital relationship instead of feeling pressurised to get married to the first person who comes along,” Whittaker said. Despite the progress made for the rights of women, institutions such as the Namibian Parliament, courts, tribal authorities, political parties, news media, trade unions, churches and many other organisations are still dominated by men and male viewpoints. As one Parliamentarian commented in the course of the debate around the Married Persons Equality Act: “Sometimes people adhere to outdated notions even though the real lives they live have changed. Some people also call in the aid of customary law when it suits them, well aware that such laws are flexible, unwritten and can be manipulated by those who have the power and authority. I am afraid that culture and religion are conveniently used as instruments by those who want to subject women to all forms of inequality.”

8 | News

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Walvis-based Researchers Reveal that

Dolphins Use Signature Whistles Tanya Calitz The Namibian Dolphin Project based in Walvis Bay released their study on the bottlenose dolphins’ communication techniques last week, and found that individual dolphins are likely to be using unique signature whistles throughout their lives, probably to keep in contact and address each other. The research was the Master's thesis of student Hannah Kriesell, who

graduated earlier this year from the University of Goettingen, Germany and conducted her research under the wing of Dr Tess Gridley and Dr Simon Elwen from the University of Pretoria Mammal Research Institute (MRI), here in Walvis Bay. Using 79 hours of recordings collected over four years in the presence of dolphins, Kriesell generated a catalogue of 28 signature whistles around a quarter of the population in Namibia.

Kriesell found evidence for two-voice whistle production (imagine if you could whistle two different tunes at the same time!). Two-voice sound generation occurs in some bird species and may be a way to make calls more complex - which can be a good thing if you want a really unique signature call. Dr Gridley said, “She found that the number of different signature whistles recorded increased when group

Tess Gridley – Namibian Dolphin Project

sizes were larger and when calves were present - something you might expect if signature whistles are used to address each other and help maintain contact between animals, particularly between mothers and calves.” Since 2009, Elwen and Gridley have been investigating the fascinating lives of a small population of bottlenose dolphins inhabiting Walvis Bay. Research published last week in the open access journal PLOS ONE outlines some of the first results of this study and demonstrates that individual dolphins

are likely to be using unique signature whistles throughout their lives, probably to keep in contact and address each other. This is the first time that signature whistles have been identified from any population of this species inhabiting African waters, and it is only the second wild population of this species where the features of the signature whistles have been described in detail. The outcomes of this research provide an important stepping stone for future studies into how sounds are used and whether human

activities are affecting the communication of our whale and dolphin populations. “This is particularly important in Walvis Bay where the impacts of human activity threaten the small bottlenose dolphin community. Currently there is a considerable amount of construction projects happening in Walvis Bay, including the building of a new port. Dolphins can be very sensitive to man-made sources of sound, which can mask the vocalisations produced and could lead to increased stress on a population,” Gridley

stressed. Researchers from the MRI Namibian Dolphin Project hope to monitor changes in dolphin behaviour related to such potential stressors. However they cannot continue their research unless the project receives some funding. Anyone interested in supporting this good cause for protecting and understanding these unique mammals better can contact Tess Gridley on: nam.dolphin. project@gmail.com and visit the website: www. namibiandolphinproject. com

Vacancy:

Senior Sales Executive – for Maersk namibia (Pty) Ltd An opportunity exists for a Maersk Senior Sales Executive based in Walvis Bay

N$106 Million in

Unpaid Municipal Bills

Job Purpose/Overview: • To deliver volume and revenue targets for Maersk Namibia • Identify and develop business opportunities under your responsibility • To ensure the Namibian customers’ expectations in terms of experience and access exceeded • Build and manage (internal and external) close and deep customer relationships • To ensure opportunities are pursued and clear sales plans and sales activity are delivered • To monitor performance against KPI and take corrective action where necessary • To share and collaborate with the Namibia customer services team for an integrated approach to customers • To ensure overall coordination and support between Sales Managers in the Maersk Southern Africa Cluster • Maintain a high Brand awareness and partake in selected CSI initiatives for Maersk Namibia • Promote and develop the hinterland service offering • Ensure correct usage and updates of our Customer Relationship Management system

Key Responsibilities • • • •

Tanya Calitz The municipality recently granted the town folk of Walvis Bay the opportunity to pay off their collective debts of N$106 million without being charged interest on their accounts. The announcement was made during a council meeting last week, when the Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Benson Uakumbua, said that residents whose accounts are in arrears can now make use of the amnesty period, during which time the interest portion on all accounts in arrears will be written off. “It is a well-known fact that many members of our community are struggling to settle their municipal bills for a number of reasons. As such, when

accounts remain unpaid, they generate penalties over time, which makes it even more difficult for the people to pay the arrears plus the penalties charged on all outstanding amounts,” he noted. Uakumbua said such situations have placed many families in an extremely challenging situation and it also makes it difficult for Council to recover the owed amounts. This is not the first case of ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’ by the municipality. “Back in 2011, Council did the same in order to collect outstanding money from residents and the exercise proved to be very successful,” Public Relations Officer, Anita Kaihiva, stated. It comes

as no surprise that the debt by the community has accumulated into the six-digit numbers, seeing that people constantly have to absorb the increase in food prices, electricity hikes as well as an increase in municipal bills, like water, sewage and refuse. “I would love to make the best of this opportunity,” a resident called Mary Awaseb said, “but regardless of the break in interest the bill is still too high and my income low.” However, others say they will use this opportunity to settle their accounts. The amnesty period has been set from 10 September 2014 to 31 December 2014.

Coaching and Development Sales Support Sales Performance Develop and Maintain Sales Strategy

Skills & competencies Required • Have strong commercial and market understanding • Being decisive, taking ownership and having a sense of urgency • Good stakeholder management skills • Ability to set clear sales strategy and direction for Maersk Namibia • Results driven - actively measures performance and takes appropriate action • Coaches the customer services team for inclusiveness and teamwork • Delegates and manages time effectively • Builds trusted relationships across Maersk and its shared functions in the Southern Africa cluster • Leverages internal and external relationships to expand business opportunities • Has strong commercial and business acumen • Has financial skills and cost awareness • Willingness and ability to travel locally and Internationally • Results driven • Developed sales and leadership capabilities • Understand market and customer requirements and drivers • Proven working experience as a sales manager or senior sales executive • Sound understanding of how best to generate profit This is a local position therefore we invite applications from Namibian citizens. The individual will report directly to the Managing Director of Maersk Namibia. Kindly apply via our recruitment website: www.maersk.com applications close: 25th September 2014

News | 9

Thursday, 18 September 2014

VACANCY DISPATCHER Location: Husab Mine, Swakopmund Reports to the Fleet Management Systems Superintendent Responsible for the efficient and safe operation of the mine fleet management systems. Key Performance Areas: • Operate the mine fleet management and control systems; • Optimise mining operational performance within the mine plan; • Maximise equipment performance (reduce shovel hang time and excessive queues at shovels); • Maintain data integrity of the pit database by monitoring and maintaining dispatch KPIs, especially road networks, beacon positioning and equipment performance; • Identify and report all system hardware and software problems; • Ensure shovels and other loading units are loading the correct material types as per mine plan; • Ensure data integrity explanations and monitoring; • Maintain and control system log; Requirements and experience: • Grade 12 with a pass mark in Mathematics, Science and English; • Five years’ experience in open pit mining operations; • Must be fluent in Microsoft Office suite; • Proven experience in Operations Systems control; • Proven experience in mining operations supervision; • Excellent communication skills with demonstrated strengths intact and diplomacy; • Be results driven and accountable for actions; • Ability to operate and provide critical thinking in high pressure situations; • Ability to analyze and interpret large volumes of data; • Valid Driver’s license.

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• Recruitment Superintendent (2 year contract) • Recruitment Advisors (2 year contract) • Client Service Coordinator • Drill & Blast Engineer • HR Assistant

10 | News

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Nuclear Science

POST YOUR news, views & comments on our

consultancies and trusted professors, Dr Swieger’s insisted. The NUI is also negotiating towards a diploma in Occupational Health, which Dr Swiegers said has huge potential job opportunities, with the growing demand and continued hazard and environmental risk professor, who have published awareness in the country. “Training and education is a a local handbook on radiation glue we can use to bring people safety, which may be utilised as learning material, making the together – it is a sort of magic, course uniquely and proudly it unlocks people’s minds,” a local. Even so, the program visibly excited Dr Swiegers was designed with international concluded.

Degree Hits Coast Lavrenty Repin The uranium industry, despite setbacks, is a booming one in Namibia, but in a lot of ways Namibians are missing out on the boom. One of these ways is employment, and for a country this young, creating a skilled workforce is both a great challenge and an unprecedented must. Although the Namibian Uranium Institute (NUI) was introduced as a much needed advisor to the rapidly growing nuclear industry on issues like health, radiation exposure and environmental impact, a large facet of the Institute became its training program. This program served to narrow the knowledge gap, and create a Namibian workforce for the mines. However, it is limited only to Namibia, and lacks appropriate recognition. NUI Executive Director, Dr Wotan Swiegers, spoke to the Namib Independent about how his organisation is spearheading a partnership with the Polytechnic to see Namibians trained in the lucrative field of nuclear science. “There was an obvious gap in training of radiation safety officers and a whole wide demand for that to be developed,” Dr Swiegers stated. Using the radiation management plan and advice from the atomic board, the Institute set up a training facility to tackle this complicated issue. Although the immediate gap was semi-filled, the certificate that students received only extended to the Namibian mines, holding to accreditation elsewhere in the world – the program is essentially a temporary solution to an on-going problem. Dr. Swieger explained that the course is aimed at issues encountered in Namibia; radiation safety officers are trained to handle radioactive material, assess risks and use specialised

machinery. The job, however, actually extends past the Uranium mines, and also focuses on medical procedures where radiation is required, the most familiar of which is Radiotherapy used for treating cancer patients. Namibia only has two such centres, which means a significant lack of facilities that forces many patients to travel to South Africa for treatment, Dr Swiegers mentioned, adding, “Nuclear medicine in Namibia is simply undeveloped.” Other industries where such skills are required include agriculture, crop treatment, engineering and welding. “We still need a critical mass of people that are radiation safety officers,” Dr Swiegers stated, also suggesting that teachers should take this course, to help brush up on fundamental science and mathematical skills. Presently, the NUI has successfully signed a memorandum of understanding with the Polytechnic of Namibia, who are now assessing the size of the educational project and the needs analysis thereof. With the addition of this Nuclear Science course, which ranges between one and two years, incorporating a bachelor’s degree, and an honours degree, students can then do a Master’s in Nuclear Science in UNAM, which now offers the diploma, and even pursue a Phd in the scientifically challenging field without once leaving Namibia. The qualifications, Dr Swiegers said, will be accepted globally, and are accredited by worldwide standards. This makes Namibia a pioneer in a highly specialised field that few African countries have invested in. Swakopmund and the NUI will play a large role in facilitating this diploma, especially for practical experience and introducing the various mines to potential future employees; thus opening new doors for students. Students will also work

with expansive instruments with the assistance of local mines and use professional laboratories when those are vacant. Dr Swiegers will be working with Dr Gunhild and Dr Von Urtzin, a former UNAM

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POWER OUTAGE EMERGENCY NOTICE OF POWER OUTAGE TO RUBY SWITCHING STATION - WALVIS BAY

EMERGENCY NOTICE OF POWER OUTAGE TO WALVIS BAY TOWN

Notice is hereby given that the electricity supply will be interupted on the following date:

DATE: DAY: TIME:

21 September 2014 SUNDAY 07:00 - 12:00

21 September 2014 SUNDAY 07:00 - 13:00

The power outage will affect the power supply to the following customers:

• Rooibank

• TN Mobile/Telecom

• Namwater Pump Station • Rooibank NDF • Walvis Bay Airport

• MTC • Dune 7

• Kuisebmond • Narraville • Long Beach • Meersig

The reason for the outage is for Nampower to do urgent maintenance on their 66kV lines.

• Hermes • MTC • TN Mobile/Telecom

The reason for the outage is for NamPower to do urgent maitenance on their 66kV lines. Erongo RED will endeavour to supply crucial area with electricity.

Erongo RED regrets any inconvenience that may result from these outages. PLEASE NOTE: YOUR INSTALLATION MUST BE REGARDED AS “LIVE” AT ALL TIMES AS THE POWER SUPPLY MAY BE SWITCHED ON AT ANY TIME DURING THE ABOVEMENTIONED PERIOD. Issued by: Public Relations Division Benjamin Nangombe Tel: +264 64 214600

Enquiries Control Centre Renier Gomachab Tel: +264 64 217609

TEL +264 64 214600 ERONGO RED BUILDING

FAX +264 64 214601

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News | 11

Thursday, 18 September 2014

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12 | Lifestyle

Thursday, 18 September 2014

LIFESTYLE I Gave Up Sex For a Year We had both broken up from relationships the previous year and had been running amok on the Melbourne singles scene. It took up so much time and mental energy — drinking and partying to meet women, one-night stands if we got lucky, texting, hooking up and, ultimately, getting out of hooking up. I slept with at least 20 women in 2012. There were a couple of girls I’d started to develop feelings for, but I kept them at arm’s length because there were always more women on the horizon. Looking back, I was getting an ego fix from all the attention as Marty and I tried to outdo each other with who could get the most notches on the bedpost. However, on some level, I was bored and over it. “So, mate, what’s on for the weekend? Anyone lined up?” asked Marty as we cracked open a couple of beers on the deck of our share-house in December 2012. The words escaped my mouth before I had time to think about what I was saying. “Nah, that’s it for me,” I said half-joking, halfserious, though I was enjoying winding him up. “I’m going off it for 12 months — no more chicks, no more sex, no more nothing.” Marty rolled about, laughing. “You? Don’t be ridiculous! You couldn’t last a week!” Then my ego emerged, but in a different capacity — did he think I couldn’t do this? Now I was serious. The idea had started brewing after I read Think and Grow Rich, a book about success written by Napoleon Hill in the 1930s. There was a chapter on sexual transmutation, i.e.

channelling your sexual energy in other directions to become more productive. It fascinated me, even though the idea of not having sex seemed unfathomable. Yet, something in me twigged. I needed to regain my focus and get productive. I also knew my behaviour wasn’t healthy. “No, really, I’m off it next year for an entire year, from January 1st,” I replied, for the first time thinking that it could be a possibility. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” said Marty, incredulous. “Two-thousand dollars says you couldn’t last.” “You’re on!” I said, having no clue what I had just agreed to. Then an idea came into my head: I’d donate the money to charity. I’d been sponsoring an 11-yearold girl in Cambodia through a charity my friend, Nicky Mih, set up called Free to Shine, which helps girls at risk of sexual exploitation. It was a win-win situation. I would get to do all the things I’d been saying I was going to do and give myself a complete break from women, and I was going to raise money for the charity. Marty put a status update on Facebook and it went ballistic. All my friends were saying things like, “No way could Ireland’s horniest export last an entire year without sex!” and started waging bets. I set up the ‘Pete’s Chastity for Charity’ page and money started pouring in. The mission was set. From January 1, 2013, to January 1, 2014, I was to remain celibate, though kissing was allowed. My last sexual encounter was on Boxing Day with a girl I’d seen a couple of times. I started the year in a blaze of celibacy. However, I nearly failed

on Australia Day, when I was drunk at a bar and flirting with a hot girl on the dance floor. “Right, we’re going home!” she said as she grabbed me by the hand and started leading me out of the club, until my mates stepped in. “Pete! No, mate, stop! Come on, it’s not even the end of January!” they pleaded as they brought me back to my senses. Then, in February, I met Clare, a beautiful woman I’d tried to date the previous year, with no success. To be honest, I had liked her at a physical level and was just trying to get her into bed. But this was the first time I connected with a woman I fancied and wasn’t trying to sleep with. Sex wasn’t on my agenda, so I connected with her mind. It felt new and unfamiliar. We dated for two months. It was a struggle, because we were allowed to kiss and then had to stop at the most natural thing to do next. It was frustrating for both of us. I nearly broke my chastity vow with her; she actually had to stop me. Things became heated and I was like a man possessed. It scared me. It was my decision to break up with her. I was supposed to be having a year to focus on myself, and I also saw a few patterns from the past starting to repeat themselves. Clare was a catalyst; she made me realise I couldn’t be on my own. I started seeing a life and relationship coach and, through my sessions, came to understand that trauma from my childhood had made me shut down emotionally. Deep down, I wasn’t in touch with my feelings. There was no real excitement or joy in my life. I didn’t like myself as a person, so I put on a persona, pretending everything was OK. I turned to sex to feel the emotions that I was missing. I had been filling myself

up from the inside out for validation. I had to look inward and deal with my damaged inner child so I could feel again. This was a turning point for me. As the year progressed, being celibate became easier. I didn’t miss sex, and I also began to see women differently. It was as if I was seeing them through fresh eyes. I used to be very shallow, focusing solely on their looks and bodies, but now I truly wanted to know who they were and what they thought. I began to look deeper and realised that all relationships are about the quality of the connection. Women I wouldn’t have noticed before became

more attractive to me. I was meeting potential partners, but I wasn’t getting involved because I was celibate. I focused my energy on my new business, looking after my health and healing my past, and as I did that I began to like the man I’d become. By September, Pete’s Chastity for Charity had raised $50,000. I spent two weeks working with Free to Shine in Cambodia, building houses and spending time with the kids. It was humbling to see how the money was being spent. Nicky had been able to hire two outreach workers and enrol 25 girls in an education scholarship program, all because I’d

at e r G ls Dea

decided not to have sex. As New Year’s Eve rolled around, there was so much pressure on me to break my chastity vow that I went to bed completely sober at 10.30pm. On January 2, I went away with my mates to Byron Bay [on the NSW North Coast]. On our first night out, they told my celibacy story to the entire bar and brought girls over to meet me. I hated it. It may sound corny, but I wanted the first time to be special. After three days with the boys, I met up with Laura. We’d been in touch over the past year via my fundraising page. When I first saw her photo, I thought there was no way I could get to know

her because she was so gorgeous. She was also in Byron and we arranged to go on a date. Over dinner at a Japanese restaurant, the conversation flowed. We had ice cream, then ended up hanging out on the beach for hours. It was such a strong connection. Eventually, she asked me back to her place. She was staying in a tree-house resort with a beautiful four-poster bed. It couldn’t have been more romantic. I had to pinch myself that it was really happening. We spent the whole night talking and in the morning I broke my chastity vow. We’re still together now.

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It Happened to ME! | 13

Thursday, 18 September 2014

It Happened to ME! A Child’s Despair

- Coastal Girl Shares her Childhood Nightmare Tanya Calitz “For as long as I can remember, since I was a very little girl, my dad used to call me to his bedroom for ‘bedtime stories.’ I hated it, but had no choice. Day after day, for many years, my father would sexually abuse me,” coastal girl *Lisa Smit tells me during a lunch date this week. She says the best way she could explain it to me is by comparing it to a child that has to brush their teeth every night and does not like doing it, but has no choice and is simply told that they have to. “I always knew that I did not like the way my dad touched me, but I did not know that it was abnormal. In my young, adolescent mind all dads did this to their daughters,” Lisa explains. It was only when she became a little bit older that she realised that these sexual acts only happened when her mother was not home, which made her realise that not all was right. Lisa says that there are a lot of things and experiences she is blocking out, because she is not ready to deal with them, but every now and then some memories come to mind, that deeply sadden her and take her back to that frightened little girl. “My dad used to call me to his room and say that he wants to tell me a story, but I knew what he wanted to do. I would be terrified and shout from my room, in tears, that I did not want to go to his bedroom. This would then upset him a great deal and to make me feel guilty and bad for not wanting to go to his room he would say that I don’t love him,” Lisa shares her heartbreaking

story. Once lured in, Lisa’s dad would pin her between his legs and forcefully shove his hand down her underwear and enter her body. The more she would cry and ask her dad to stop, the harder he would do it. This type of sexual abuse went on for over ten years, on a daily basis. Around a year before the abuse stopped, Lisa’s parents got a divorce and she was ordered to stay with her dad, which terrified her. Lisa recalls that her dad got sleeping pills from the doctor after their divorce to help him sleep. “My dad used to give me some of the pills and would tell me to take them, because it would help me sleep. Out of fear I would take the pills, because my dad told me to. The next morning I would wake up in his bed, having no recollection of what happened the night before. I used to get sick all the time and constantly end up at the doctor with bladder infection. My mother got suspicious, but would never push it. I remember the doctor asking my mother the one day, if there was anything else going on in my life, because it is not normal for a girl my age to have so many bladder infections and wet the bed, but she shook her head and said no. I wanted to scream out, yes yes yes, there is something else, but again I refrained from saying a word.” One weekend while visiting her mother, Lisa asked her mom if she could stay with her a little bit longer, because she really missed her. She then phoned her dad and he granted her one more hour with her mom. Eventually her mom took her home, but she was about ten minutes late. Those ten

minutes made all hell break lose. “My dad was standing in the kitchen. I could see that he was upset. I tried to draw attention from his anger by asking a question about school. The next thing I knew I was on the floor. My dad had struck me to the ground. I knew I had to get out. I crawled to my room, but he followed me in there. I sat on my bed with my legs pulled up to my chest. He started banging my head against my bedroom wall and hit me hard through the face. Blood was streaming down my face. After he had hit me, I was ordered to go wash the blood from my face. My sister witnessed this and ran to my mom’s house. The next day my mother came to fetch me and took

me to school. She asked me what had happened and what was going on, but I refused to talk,” *Lisa tells me. Lisa had a friend who would stay over at her house a few times, but then one day she told Lisa that her dad had hurt her in a funny way. The friend told her mother about what Lisa’s dad had done, who immediately laid charges against him. A few days later kids came up to Lisa at school and asked her if it was true that her father raped children. “I was horrified. I wanted to die. I felt so embarrassed and scared that my secret was going to come out. Shortly after the school’s counsellor called me in asked me if

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my dad also did bad things to me, like touching me inappropriately, but I lied and denied it all,” Lisa says. “My dad appeared in court, but the judge let him off on N$3000 bail and ordered that I live with my mom. Nothing came of it and my dad was a free man. After that I did not see my dad much. My mother had married again and my sister and I were now living with our mom full time. “I got sent for counselling, but refused to talk. I was silent about my abuse for years. I could not verbalise, or admit it. It was just too scary to say out loud.” To be continued . . . *All names have been changed in this true-life story.

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14 | Worldwide

Thursday, 18 September 2014

W o rldwide British Tourists Murdered in Thailand

Two young British tourists who met while backpacking have been murdered after partying on a beach at a popular island resort in southern Thailand. David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, were found half-naked with several deep wounds to their bodies near a beachside bungalow on the island of Koh Tao, Thai police said. A nationwide manhunt was reportedly under way for a third British backpacker whom police suspect of carrying out the

attack before fleeing the island. A local police official told reporters that the pair had been murdered with a garden hoe found nearby on the island, which is popular for its serene beaches and diving sites. Locals were reported to have blockaded Koh Tao's only pier to prevent the killer escaping. According to the Daily Telegraph, however, the local police chief, Colonel Songsak, said a British man who may have known Miller had left the island. Police Colonel Prachum Ruangthong said the male victim had sustained extensive

Woman Charged with

Helping Best Friend

injuries to his head and the woman had injuries to her face. Investigators were checking CCTV from local bars and restaurants, and appealing for witnesses. Ruangthong said a bloodied garden hoe used in the "gruesome" attack and bloodstained clothes were found near the bodies. Another local police chief said the pair were believed to have travelled separately to Koh Tao, a popular island for backpackers in Surat Thani province, and met while staying at the same budget hotel beside the beach. CCTV showed they went to the same bar and left together at 1am on Monday,

said Major General Kiattipong Khawsamang. Local media reports said there had been a beach party for about 50 people, mainly tourists, on Sunday night that continued into Monday morning. Witheridge is believed to have been travelling with three other friends while Miller is thought to have arrived on the holiday resort island with two others. Local police official Jakkrapan Kaewkhao said the two travellers had arrived in Thailand separately on 25 August. "Their bodies were found 30 metres from the bungalow," he said. An employee at the seaside resort where the pair had been staying

Commit Suicide

A 22-year-old woman accused of helping her best friend take her life is the youngest person to be charged of assisted suicide, according to a prominent pro-life charity. Milly Caller was arrested and bailed pending an investigation into the death of 21-year-old Emma Crossman, who was discovered by police at a Sleaford, Lincolnshire, and address on 15 January. Police have today revealed that Ms Caller has been charged with assisted suicide, making it the youngest charge for assisted suicide in the UK, according to the pro-life charity Care Not Killing. “In terms of somebody being arrested for assisted suicide within the borders of the United Kingdom this is the youngest we’ve heard of,” a spokesperson said.

Tributes to Emma poured in following her death, with one neighbour calling her death ‘an absolute tragedy’. “She just seemed so lovely, happy and bubbly all the time,” Sue Price, who lived on the same street as Emma, told The Mirror. “We never expected anything like this.” Writing on Emma’s Facebook page, John Ridley wrote: “I will never forget you as I look up into the sky.”Another friend called her “heaven’s most beautiful angle.” Caller, of Great Hale, will appear in Lincoln Crown Court on 16 October. If convicted, she could face up to 14 years in prison. Source: http://metro.co.uk/

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told AFP that the bodies were found behind large rocks on the beach. "It was the first time this has happened on the island, I have never seen anything like this," the staff member added, requesting anonymity. Thailand's lucrative tourism industry has been battered in recent months after a prolonged political crisis ended in a coup that saw the army suspend the constitution and impose a curfew and strict martial law on the country. Although the curfew was swiftly lifted from tourist hotspots, visitor numbers have not recovered. Source: http://www.theguardian.com/

Motoring | 15

Thursday, 18 September 2014

MOTORING 10 Unusual Motoring Facts From Around the World The world is a big place. Lots of different cultures, traditions, laws and history all combining to make a it a fairly mixed up and facinating environment. Below are 10 of the more unusual motoring events and facts from across the globe. 1. The Longest traffic jam ever occurred in France on the 16th June 1980. It stretched from Paris to Lyon, a distance of 109 miles (176 km).

6. During World War I, 6,000 French troops were transported to the First Battle of the Marne in Taxis. It took 600 Paris Taxis to do the job. They were ordered by General Joseph Gallieni, military governor of Paris at the time. The Allies won the battle.

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The Companies That Want to Take Motorists Higher

7. The average American spends around 100 hours a year commuting back and forth between work.

2. Police in the city of Monrovia, Liberia have 8. Due to the increasing number of electric and hybrid controlled the flow of traffic by hand since 1990 when powered vehicles, firefighters and other emergency the traffic light system stopped working. services personnel are having to undergo special training which teaches them how to safely manage the 3. The first land-speed record was conducted in 1890 high voltage power sources which may be exposed and by Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat, or the "Electric extremely dangerous after a vehicle accident. Count" as he was later known. Using his electric car he achieved a top speed of 39.24 mph (63.15 km/h). 9. The World's longest car was a specially constructed The record only stood for a few days before it fell to limousine which was built in California. Where else? a slightly faster electric car. Less than 100 years later It was 100 feet long (30.5 metres), and featured a (99 to be exact), Thrust SSC became the first vehicle to swimming pool and king-size waterbed. When the pool break the sound barrier. Now that's progress! was covered over it could also carry a small helicopter at the rear! 4. Taxis have been operating in the city of London since 1636. Back then there were only 50 taxis serving 10. The Pan-American Highway, which stretches the entire city. from Circle, Alaska to Puerto Montt in Chile - a distance of 16,031 miles (25,800 km), is the longest highway in 5. Vehicles sitting in traffic jams around the world the World. use up to 5.7 billion gallons (26 billion litres) of fuel each year. Source: http://www.diseno-art.com/

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Flying Cars:

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N$319 995 2012 VW Tiguan Diesel DSG

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If a flying car was something you thought belonged in Back to the Future, think again: the future is here. A number of companies are in the race to produce a soaring motor vehicle that will capture the public’s imagination – and their money. Last week, the government announced that driverless cars will be allowed on Britain’s roads from the beginning of next year, but those with a more adventurous streak – and a lot of cash – might want something a bit more exciting than a robotic chauffeur. ‘From the discovery of the first kites in China, to the earliest attempts to fly with wings made of feathers and lightweight wood attached to arms, flight has been the oldest dream of mankind,’ said Dan Wareham from Gilo Industries Group, based in Dorset, the aviation company behind the Parajet SkyRunner, a flying car that is part allterrain road vehicle, part light-sport aircraft. ‘We live in an age where almost anything is possible and almost everything is available. Strange then, that the well-established fantasy in which flying cars are part of a futuristic landscape has remained completely out of reach to the captured imagination of millions.’ The SkyRunner, developed by Parajet International, uses a propeller and a parachute to glide through the air. It can reach up to 55mph in flight and has a maximum soaring altitude of 15,000ft. A pre-production version of the vehicle has undergone test flights and has been granted an airworthiness certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration in the US. Further testing will take place over the next 12 months and it will go into production next year, retailing at about £75,000. Parajet says it can train non-pilots to steer the craft in just two weeks, and while its initial target market is recreational, the company believes the SkyRunner could be used by the emergency services, farmers, police and the military. ‘For us, the concept of building a practical flying car was too much of an opportunity to pass by,’ said Wareham. ‘The challenge was to design and engineer a vehicle that was capable of long periods

of flight, yet tough and agile enough to tackle tough terrain and city driving. We also wanted to create an aesthetic look that captured the essence of adventure; that worked both as a car and an aircraft.’ Two other vehicles which use a similar propeller/parachute combination are the Pégase from French company Vaylon, which will be available to buy next year, and the Maverickflying car, which is already on sale in the US for £55,000. However, some manufacturers have taken a different approach: combining a car with wings. US Company Terrafugia has built the Transition, a street-legal flying car with retractable wings that fits two people. You can reserve one now for a total cost of £165,000. In addition, Terrafugia is developing the TF-X, a four-seater hybrid electric flying car with vertical take-off and landing capabilities. Meanwhile, in Slovakia, AeroMobil has made and tested a flying car with foldable wings. The AeroMobil 2.5 has a range of 700km (430 miles) and has a top flying speed of 200km/h (124mph). An advanced prototype – the AeroMobil 3.0 – is in development, and is expected to go on sale in 2016. ‘The next AeroMobil will be a fully autonomous vehicle, which we hope will change how we travel for short and middle distances,’ said the company’s chief executive, Juraj Vaculik, who explained the fascination with flying cars. ‘They save us lot of time, whether traveling at medium distances of up to 500 miles or in crowded large metropolitan areas. They are more efficient as they consume a lot less gasoline and fly to the target point directly, so they are more environmentally friendly.’ But isn’t the idea of a flying car just pie in the sky, something that can only be enjoyed by The Jetsons and Marty McFly? Not so, said Vaculik. ‘When we did our initial research, we were surprised how crowded the market for flying cars seems to be getting. There is a possibility of thousands of flying vehicles in the skies in the not too distant future.’ Source: http://metro.co.uk/