Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698753554802.pdf (Namibia)
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA Private Bag 13344 WINDHOEK NAMIBIA Ref: Enquiries: Tel: (+264-61) 2839111 Fax: (+264-61) 258 398 CONTRIBUTION BY HONOURABLE ENGEL NAWATISEB, DEPUTY MINISTER OF MICT (MP), ON THE DEBATE OF THE APPROPRIATION BILL 2018 / 2019 Thursday, the 29th March 2018 Honorable Deputy Speaker Honorable Members, I am rising to contribute towards the Appropriation Bill tabled recently by our able Finance Minister while at the same time agreeing that this budget is presented at a time when the global economy is slowly recovering at low but visibly progressive rates and levels.
These are indications of having averted the deepening of the crisis which could have severe consequences.

These gains which came about because of principled yet painful actions taken by authorities during the previous budget cycle must be sustained and, as a nation, we should resolve to nurture these emerging gains and keep spending pressures under control.

A 11 "ffj"i,,1 ""rrp'monnence must he addressed to the Permanent Secretarv.
For us to grow, eliminate poverty, protect and create jobs and reduce inequality, we should avoid depending solely from GRN as the corporates, solely from hand-outs as citizens and solely from tenders as entrepreneurs.

Honorable Deputy Speaker, honorable Members, I have not seen enough to convince me that there is aggressive involvement of the private sector in supplementing GRN efforts to carry the plight for the economic advancement of our people as a collective.
May I advocate therefore, for us to consider the establishment of a body that will crystalize and scrutinize the Corporate Social aspect aimed at ensuring that each and every Responsibility business operating in Namibia and subsequently benefitting from index of our economy, should make a voluntary the consumer contribution towards their direct local communities.
I refer here to residents in various locations of our country who are the buying power and are sustaining the operations of those respective businesses.

Efforts by some companies to contribute through the CSR initiatives are quite visible but others are hiding behind the shadows of those that are ambitious.
through I think time has come to take stock of companies that are making in that an impact targeted manner and others that are hell bent communities year in and out under the pretext of Corporate Social Responsibility.
efforts to only support government's cross-aiding Namibians are the owners of our natural resources that are being to make business sense and exploited by the private sector survive in their economic rights, therefore the spread of benefits through CRS considerations must also accrue to all citizens especially remote corners of our country.
those that sits in the most such if we towards the fiscus are able to commit indirect collective Thus, certainly we will help to contributions and rebuilding fiscal strengthen macroeconomic buffers, support inclusive growth and economic diversification, contribute to the eradication of poverty and the improvement of social welfare, income further inequalities and achieving shared prosperity.

fundamentals contribute reduction to of As I am concluding, Honorable Deputy Speaker, Hon.
Members, by and stakeholder like to see such investments made through social I would contributions to companies primarily focus towards government priority areas such as the development of the ICT infrastructure to benefit our citizens in remote villages whose lives at times are compromised because of and lack of network their coverage to circumstances hospitals, clinics, police and other essential services government is rendering throughout all 14 regions of our republic.
to telecommunication inconveniencing inaccessibility institutions to report their The issue around sectoral contributions through stakeholders as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, is very close to my heart, hence thank you for the opportunity, Hon.

Deputy to make that point.

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