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namib times
SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 6752 FRIDAY 18 MAY 2018 Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net
Etosha Fishing imports 3 300 metric tons of frozen pilchards for its cannery As part of its ongoing operations, one of the oldest pelagic fishing companies in Namibia, Etosha Fishing, confirmed this week the import of 3 300 metric tons of frozen pilchard which would be worked at the company’s cannery in Walvis Bay. Importing frozen fish and adding value to the product locally is an established business strategy for Etosha Fishing which since 2010 has imported an estimated 50 000 tons of fish for local value adding. The latest import shines a very positive light on the pelagic fishing sector which since 1996 has been battling the odds to stay afloat. Some of these odds included a zero total allowable catch (1996), low annual total allowable catches for nearly two decades now and a recently announced 3 years moratorium on pilchard catches in Namibian waters are some of the odds the pelagic sector is battling. In a statement this week Etosha Fishing said despite a three year moratorium imposed on pilchard catches by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources last year, the Company with the move to import frozen pilchard and canning it locally secured employment for all its seasonal workers. Workers can be assured of a job until at least mid-December this year, according to the statement. In addition hopes are
also high for a contract with the Glenryck- and Lucky Star brands to can pilchards for the Glenryck and Lucky Star for 2019. That would mean securing jobs for another year. “Our cannery has been fully operational since January and we anticipate continuing normal operations for the remainder of the year. I am also confident that we will be operational until the end of 2019,” Etosha Fishing Managing Director Pieter G r e e ff i s q u o t e d . Greeff gave the assurance despite no Namibian pilchard catches, the import and local value adding will keep all job activities unchanged. The first bulk shipment of 3 300 metric tonnes of frozen pilchard was received by Etosha Fishing last week. The company’s world class cannery has been working uninterrupted since January and the latest import of frozen fish keeps the production schedule rolling. Greeff in his statement also confirmed the Company also conclu-
The removal of asbestos roof sheeting is a dangerous business. Workers of Adcon was seen yesterday dressed in safety gear to protect themselves again asbestos fibre as they were removing the roofing sheets of an old house in Walvis Bay. Adcon, in conjunction with Wesco, is also soon to commence with the removal of the asbestos sheeting on hundreds of houses at Arandis. Asbestos is associated with a variety of fatal lung diseases, including the feared asbestosis. Asbestos roofing was very popular in the construction industry of yesteryear, but as its health dangers became known it is not used any more.
ded this year's wage agreement with the Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers Union ( N A S AW U ) . T h e wage agreement covers all seasonal landbased employees. “We had to devise various plans and business strategies to ensure that our cannery remains operational, even if it means we only operate at a break-even level. If we had to close down our cannery as a result of the moratorium on Continues on page 2
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Justice for Sedick
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Küska 2018 Page 10
Locker vom Hocker
Namibia Marine Phosphate celebrates court victory Successful appeal could now lay the table for marine phosphate mining Namibia Marine Phosphate (Pty) Ltd regards the matter as concluded and welcomes the opportunity to resume working with the Namibian Government to establish a marine phosphate mining industry for Namibia. That is the message after the Company won an appeal in the High Court of Namibia earlier this month that the Minister of Environment and Tourism erred in withdrawing an environmental clearance certificate issued by the Environmental Commissioner in September 2015 for marine phosphate mining to go ahead. In a statement Namibia Marine Phosphate's Executive Management says: “The Company advises that on
Friday May 11, the High Court of Namibia ruled that the Minister's decision to withdraw the Environmental Clear-
ance Certificate issued to the Company by the Environmental Commissioner on 5 September 2016, is no decision
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Danny Boys is ready
at all and must be set aside. The Company thus succeeded in its appeal. Details of the Continues on page 2
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