The Namibian government will for the first time auction its 60% share of the country's annual horse mackerel and hake output to the highest bidder by the end of October, as it scrambles to raise funds for equipment and medicines to fight the coronavirus pandemic, according.
JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
Fisheries minister Albert Kawana says he is using the Marine Resources Act 27 of 2000 to allocate fishing rights and quotas, and not the gazetted amended Act of 2015 which enabled the Fishrot bribery scandal.
A lawyer who spoke to Namibian Sun on condition of anonymity yesterday said Kawana was ‘lying’ by stating that he was using a law that was discarded five years ago and was no longer in existence.
Former fisheries minister Bernardt Esau, who is in jail awaiting trial over the so-called Fishrot bribery scandal, pushed for amendments to the Marine Resources Act 27 of 2000 so that he could get more powers to decide who gets fishing rights.
Tunacor welcomes more workers
CRACKS might soon appear in a scheme to employ 425 former factory workers of Seaflower Pelagic Processing (SPP) at Tunacor Fisheries Limited because the contingent of factory workers will receive a full salary with benefits for not working while their new employer will receive a hefty Christmas bonus to boot.
In an unprecedented ‘transfer’ of workers to make good on a promise made by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Dr. Albert Kawana, and the Erongo Regional Governor, Neville Andre late in November, Tunacor Fisheries Limited signed a protocol agreement with the National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor) to temporarily employ 425 workers of Seaflower Pelagic Processing (SPP) in exchange for a horse mackerel quota of 4 000 tonnes.
17 December 2020 | Fishing
INDUSTRY MUST WORK: The fisheries ministry says it allocates quotas to avoid the total shutdown of the industry. PHOTO: FILE
OGONE TLHAGE
WINDHOEK
Fisheries minister Albert Kawana has denied allegations that he has shown favouritism to fishing companies close to him, saying whenever a quota allocation is announced, the industry is provided with all the relevant details.
He was accused of allocating a quota to his son, an claim he strongly denied.
Remarking on a hake quota allocation that was awarded, Kawana said it was done to ensure the continued operations of fishing companies and factories.
“I send a list to the respective associations so that those companies can negotiate for quotas. I provide the associations with the details so that production is not disturbed,” he said.
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