Catherine Sasman
22 August 2008
Windhoek — The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) and the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) gave their full backing to the demands made by the Namibia Transport and Allied Union (NATAU) and the workers of Trans-Namib.
As for the "special leave" granted to TransNamib CEO, Titus Haimbili, NATAU demanded the swift removal of the parastatal's board and the reinstatement of Haimbili.
The organisations called on the Government to revisit the appointment of the new board of directors at TransNamib and NamPort and that there be a Presidential commission of inquiry into both parastatals covering the period from 2002 up to now.
Evilastus Kaaronda, Secretary General of NUNW, said he was "not impressed" by the recently appointed board members of NamPort, saying: "Something is just not right somewhere".
The proposed commissions of inquiry, the organisations said, should include the director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Paulus Noa, and the NUNW.
They further demanded that the State Owned Enterprises Governance Act be amended to allow for the establishment of a governance council "which will not be chaired by the Prime Minister, but instead could report to that office or elsewhere".
"[We] believe that the Office of the Prime Minister has enough responsibilities and to burden it with the governance of the State Owned Enterprises can only amount to ineffective supervision and control," the organisations claimed.
The two bodies also took a swipe at the chairperson of TransNamib, Festus Lameck, calling his action dishonest and unfortunate.
"Clearly, the TransNamib board believes in cheap and senseless euphemism as they keep referring to the suspension of the CEO as "special leave", yet they do not seem to be bothered by the effect of their conduct on the long-term CEO-board relationship," the NUNW and SPYL stated.
The organisations said the premise on which the board took the resolution to suspend the CEO is "highly questionable" and that the appointment of board chairperson Lameck was "imprudent".
The organisations accused Lameck of dishonesty for not declaring his prior interest in TransNamib - as an interviewee for the position of CEO at TransNamib - and also criticised the appointing agent of Government for allowing Lameck to serve on the board in the first place.
"The chairperson was wrongfully appointed," said Kaaronda, adding: "I hope the board will come to its senses."
SPYL Secretary for Economic Affairs, V Nekundi, said Lameck should be suspended from the board for not disclosing his apparent interests, and be put on "extra, extra leave".
Haimbili's suspension - or special leave - said Kaaronda, was "very convenient" and deceitful, as it dovetails with the termination of the contract of General Manager: Engineering, Matty Hauuanga, who is related to Lameck.
Hauuanga's contract comes to an end by October 31, and Haimbili is expected back at TransNamib by September 1.
"Board members must ensure that their private, personal or business interests do not influence their decisions, and that they do not use their position to obtain personal gain of any sort," the organisations said.
Meanwhile, President of NATAU, David Tjombe, said the call on workers to down tools as a result of the board's shenanigans - as was demanded by the union earlier in the week - is being discussed by the workers at national level.
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