24 jan namib times e-edition

Page 1

N$4

namib times

SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 6838 FRIDAY 24 JANUARY 2020 Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net

inside

Coronavirus outbreak:

Health Ministry to announce plan of action to the public The World Health Organisation (WHO) has convened late yesterday to revise its stance on the outbreak of the coronavirus in China. The virus since spread to several other countries with several fatalities and several hundred people already infected. New infections is expected to raise exponentially, not only in China but also globally as travellers take the virus from country to country. The Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services yesterday confirmed to Namib Times it will make a response plan public within days. China has isolated the origin of the virus to the city of Wuhan, the most populated city in central China. At the time of going to press yesterday Chinese authorities placed a second city, Huanggang, on lockdown and confirmed 17 deaths and 570 people infected. A third city is also in the process to be ordered on lockdown. The WHO first met on Wednesday and after assessing data decided to delay for now declaring the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Should the WHO have taken a decision yesterday indeed to declare the outbreak an emergency with global consequences, Namibian health authorities is expected to act swiftly to put measures in place at most ports of entry and to also have a national response plan in place should people fall ill. Closer to home at the coast, this global health phenomenon is also of significance. The Walvis Bay International Airport is expected to activate health scanning protocols for passenger arrivals should the outbreak indeed reaches global proportions. Those traveling from Walvis Bay to South Africa (Johannesburg and Cape Town) could also expect the same protocols upon arrival. Walvis Bay is also a major passenger liner destination with thousands of tourists yet to embark in the port of Walvis Bay in the remainder of January and also in February and March with a total of nine passenger liner calls [some of the calls are by the same liner making multiple calls every other week]. Coastal travel agents are also waiting for further information from the national health authorities, in order to advise clients who has to travel in the following weeks. One agent told Namib Times all travel agents have one central online source where all global developments impacting traveling are regularly updated. That includes all variables like terrorism and natural disasters among others. At the time of going to press this central information source had no information published on the coronavirus outbreak and how it affects countries globally. “We are also waiting to see what is going to happen”, this person explained. Meanwhile, it is accepted the coronavirus outbreak in China is going to have a negative impact on the annual Spring Festival migration for the Chinese New Year. The Chinese authorities have soft-quarantined the city where the outbreak started and has several restrictions and interventions in place across China to curb the spread of the virus. With the virus already detected in several other countries, including the United States it is expected that the world will very soon react to it in the same manner in the early 2000's with the dreaded SARS-virus and later N1H1.

Flamingo Primary ends Platoonsystem

Page 3

53 500t of salt loaded The Walvis Bay International Airport main building

Another #Fishrot One of Fishrot-six hired to try and make arrest person bank cards “disappear”

Page 6

Welwitschia Park plumbing complaints

Namibia's Fishrot scandal gained a new depth, with yet another person arrested in this international bribes for fish quotas scandal. On Monday, the Anti-Corruption Commission arrested Jason Iiyambo (35) on corruption charges after he allegedly attempted to bribe one of the investigating officers in the so called Fishrot case. Iiyambo was attempting to bribe the official in exchange for releasing the ATM cards of one of the Fishrot accused who is currently behind bars. A total of six people are in custody as direct players in the Fishrot scandal, among others former fisheries minister Bernhard Esau. It is alleged that the accused approached one of the investigating officers with an offer to pay N$2 million in cash for the investigating officer to remove bank cards from evidence and hand them over to the suspect. A sting operation was organised on Monday night and Iiyambo was arrested. The suspect appeared in the Windhoek Magistrates Court on Wednesday this week. No bail was granted and the case was remanded to the 20 February for further investigation. Iiyambo was charged with contravening section 29(1)(b) - a person commits an offence who does anything calculated to improperly influence an authorised officer concerning any matter connected with an investigation and section 46(b) Conspires with any other person to commit an offence under Chapter 4 of the Anti-Corruption Act, Act No 8 of 2003. Note: Iyambo was denied bail in the Windhoek magistrate’s court on Wednesday and remains in custody until the next appearance of the Fishrot-six on 20 February.

Page 7

Back in the swing

Page 15


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.