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namib times SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 6537 TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2016 Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net
Schlettwein announces huge infrastructure projects for Erongo
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Elephant damage
Erwin Leuschner
Huge developments are on the cards for the Erongo region during this financial year. After the recent tabling of the N$66 billion budget, Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein last week met with the coastal business community to discuss details, answer questions and also announce what projects Government has earmarked for the fiscal year. “Government has not lost sight of its policy priorities, in spite of the pressure on the growth of the overall budget,” Schlettwein said, when he met the Swakopmund business community on Friday morning. The event was organised by the local branch of the Chamber of the Namiba Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI). About 60 business people attended the event. It came as little surprise that Schlettwein announced major developments in the infrastructure of transport, water, electricity, housing and the ICT sector. “This is crucial to enable economic growth,” he said. This forms part of the plan to make Namibia a major logistic hub and facilitate trade with neighbouring countries. “The rail infrastructure will be a vital part of the logistics sector; therefore the railway network upgrade for 16/17 was allocated N$330 million. This includes the construction of the Tsumeb-Kranzberg railway
line, which is due to begin in this financial year and “will better link the Coast to the Central and Northern regions.” The total amount earmarked for the railway sector during the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) amounts to N$2.6 billion. Many road users will be pleased to hear that government will start on major road upgrade projects during this financial year. Soon the construction of the Swakop-Henties BayKamanjab road to tarmac standard will begin, which will cost government N$154 million during this financial year. “This is the shortest route from the Oshikango border post to the harbour at Walvis Bay and will ease the load on the B2,” Schlettwein said. He also announced the widening of the Karibib-Swakopmund road to 2+1 cross-section, to “improve safety, efficiency of road-based logistics”. This 177 kilometre stretch will cost government N$107 million over Continues on page 2
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Weekend of accidents
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Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein
Employees of New Era N$440 000 raised for the quest for Crohn’s Disease Investment down tools
Regulations could send Namibian oysters to EU
Sharlien Tjambari
Up to now a total of N$440 000 was collected after Chris Smith (80) completed his fundraising initiative to heighten awareness of Crohn's and ulcerative colitis after he walked 360 km from Windhoek to Swakopmund from 1-13 March.
See report on page 2
Chris said he intended to walk for 30 days but to his surprise the journey became more adventurous and fun and he walked at a faster pace than anticipated. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term mainly used to describe the ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease. Both UC and Crohn’s are chronic conditions that involve inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. UC only affects the large Continues on page 2
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Chris Smith resting near Nonidas
Kusrugby kry slae Bladsy 20