Donkey saga: Outjo residents 'spread lies'
The Outjo town council is accusing residents opposed to a Chinese donkey abattoir of 'spreading lies' and being 'anti-development'.
Officials at the Outjo municipality have taken a combative position against residents who are protesting a provisional approval of a controversial Chinese donkey abattoir, accusing residents of spreading lies and of being anti-development.
In comments recorded in the minutes of a May ordinary council meeting in May, where officials resolved to conditionally approve Fu Hai Trading Enterprise's plans to open an abattoir, the town council summarily dismissed a long list of concerns and objections handed to them by the residents. “The council, having studied the objections, is of the opinion that misleading information has been shared with some community members about the planned donkey abattoir, which resulted in them having signed the objections.”
The council also objected that many of the objections were similar and had been duplicated and that “well-known people in the community” were attempting to “block investment opportunities.”
Although sweeping statements dismissing the concerns of residents were recorded in the minutes, not a single concern submitted to council was responded to.
“If you look at the minutes of the 15 May ordinary town council meeting, you will see that the council did not take in consideration any of the concerns we, as a community, supplied,” an Outjo resident noted.
The resident said the community did not oppose development, and in fact welcomed plans for economic development, “but at what cost are the municipality and council willing to push this abattoir? We sent a list of questions in March but have had no response from them at all on a single question.”
The council's minutes moreover contain no expert reports on water supply and infrastructure, sewerage, power-supply infrastructure, road connections and other relevant details that are usually considered when local councils approve large development projects.
In early July, Outjo mayor Marius Sheya told Namibian Sun the council had seen the objections, but after “objectively” considering the Chinese donkey abattoir plan they approved it for the benefit of development in the town. The minutes of the meeting also dismiss a warning from the Roads Authority (RA) at Outjo, that conditions around the entrance to the undeveloped property where the planned abattoir will be constructed, do not meet the necessary safety standards for constructing an access road. This warning was described as a “premature” objection by members of the council.
Community concerned about council's attitude
Many in Outjo say they just want honest answers and accuse Outjo council members and the municipality's senior officials of refusing to engage in a transparent matter with the community since the start of the project.
“The problem we are facing currently on this issue with the municipality is that they are not transparent. Even after I contacted them personally, when I heard about the plans for the donkey abattoir, and I asked them to arrange a public meeting so the issues can be addressed, they don't come back to us or tell us anything,” Neil Mazenge, a close supporter of the Outjo Community Committee (OCC), told Namibian Sun this week.
The OCC has been spearheading efforts to get the municipality to play open cards with concerned residents, including seeking legal advice on how to address a number of serious concerns. Mazenge said one of the main headaches on this issue is that the council could have avoided accusations of lack of transparency and increasing suspicions around the Chinese run abattoir, if they had played open cards from the start or responded to the community's pleas for increased transparency and information.
He said his concerns are related to future employees of the abattoir, health and safety standards at the abattoir, the lack of transparency between the council and the town's residents, in addition to a list of other well publicised concerns.
“Tell us the facts. If they are good, then I don't have a problem. But if you don't even answer the simple questions, there is a concern about that lack of transparency.”
JANA-MARI SMITH
In comments recorded in the minutes of a May ordinary council meeting in May, where officials resolved to conditionally approve Fu Hai Trading Enterprise's plans to open an abattoir, the town council summarily dismissed a long list of concerns and objections handed to them by the residents. “The council, having studied the objections, is of the opinion that misleading information has been shared with some community members about the planned donkey abattoir, which resulted in them having signed the objections.”
The council also objected that many of the objections were similar and had been duplicated and that “well-known people in the community” were attempting to “block investment opportunities.”
Although sweeping statements dismissing the concerns of residents were recorded in the minutes, not a single concern submitted to council was responded to.
“If you look at the minutes of the 15 May ordinary town council meeting, you will see that the council did not take in consideration any of the concerns we, as a community, supplied,” an Outjo resident noted.
The resident said the community did not oppose development, and in fact welcomed plans for economic development, “but at what cost are the municipality and council willing to push this abattoir? We sent a list of questions in March but have had no response from them at all on a single question.”
The council's minutes moreover contain no expert reports on water supply and infrastructure, sewerage, power-supply infrastructure, road connections and other relevant details that are usually considered when local councils approve large development projects.
In early July, Outjo mayor Marius Sheya told Namibian Sun the council had seen the objections, but after “objectively” considering the Chinese donkey abattoir plan they approved it for the benefit of development in the town. The minutes of the meeting also dismiss a warning from the Roads Authority (RA) at Outjo, that conditions around the entrance to the undeveloped property where the planned abattoir will be constructed, do not meet the necessary safety standards for constructing an access road. This warning was described as a “premature” objection by members of the council.
Community concerned about council's attitude
Many in Outjo say they just want honest answers and accuse Outjo council members and the municipality's senior officials of refusing to engage in a transparent matter with the community since the start of the project.
“The problem we are facing currently on this issue with the municipality is that they are not transparent. Even after I contacted them personally, when I heard about the plans for the donkey abattoir, and I asked them to arrange a public meeting so the issues can be addressed, they don't come back to us or tell us anything,” Neil Mazenge, a close supporter of the Outjo Community Committee (OCC), told Namibian Sun this week.
The OCC has been spearheading efforts to get the municipality to play open cards with concerned residents, including seeking legal advice on how to address a number of serious concerns. Mazenge said one of the main headaches on this issue is that the council could have avoided accusations of lack of transparency and increasing suspicions around the Chinese run abattoir, if they had played open cards from the start or responded to the community's pleas for increased transparency and information.
He said his concerns are related to future employees of the abattoir, health and safety standards at the abattoir, the lack of transparency between the council and the town's residents, in addition to a list of other well publicised concerns.
“Tell us the facts. If they are good, then I don't have a problem. But if you don't even answer the simple questions, there is a concern about that lack of transparency.”
JANA-MARI SMITH
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