Geingob to powwow with Baillères
Alberto Baillères, the Mexican billionaire who intends to buy the 71 000-hectare Erindi Private Game Reserve, will pay a courtesy visit to President Hage Geingob today.
An official State House invite confirmed that the 87-year-old Baillères, who wants to buy Erindi through Rembo Ltd, will meet Geingob this morning.
It is, however, unclear how long Baillères will be in the country and what his further itinerary will entail.
Questions in this regard were sent to Emergo Communications, which is handling Baillères' public relations in Namibia, but no feedback was received at the time of going to print.
Namibian Sun reported recently that all the approvals for the Erindi sale were obtained from the relevant ministries, but the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) is yet to approve the transaction.
Baillères recently announced that a sales agreement is being finalised.
According to a previous media statement issued on behalf Baillères, he identified Erindi as a significant philanthropic investment.
He said one of the major factors that drove his decision to buy the game reserve was that Namibian law allows him to acquire 100% of the shares in the companies that currently make up Erindi.
Baillères intends to continue Erindi's activities in eco-conservation and the preservation of flora and fauna that are a unique and an essential part of African culture and heritage, including some rare and endangered species.
He also has experience in managing several wildlife protection ranches in different parts of the world.
Baillères has stressed his commitment to preserve Erindi for the benefit of future generations of Namibians and the world. The intention is to turn Erindi into a flagship private game reserve, and any future profits generated from this social enterprise will primarily be reinvested in Erindi.
President Geingob was recently quoted as saying that Erindi can legally be sold to foreigners since a waiver was granted way before last year's second national land conference.
This followed concerns being raised over the sale of the private game reserve to a foreigner.
Geingob said government, as per a land conference resolution, is still working on a law that will prohibit the sale of land to foreign nationals, but until that law is passed, the status quo remained.
He said government could be sued if it tried to stop the Erindi sale, and that it had no basis in law to win such a lawsuit.
Erindi was granted a certificate of waiver on 6 October 1999 by then lands minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, in terms of section 16 of the Agricultural (Commercial) Land Reform Act of 1999.
Erindi was also found to be unsuitable for resettlement purposes.
“The transaction-orientated due diligence confirmed that while Erindi would not be suitable for farming or resettlement, it holds important potential as an area for wildlife conservation. The buyer's plans for Erindi will greatly benefit the tourism sector, job-creation and skills development, and of course in consequence the Namibian economy,” according to a statement issued on behalf of Baillères.
ELLANIE SMIT
An official State House invite confirmed that the 87-year-old Baillères, who wants to buy Erindi through Rembo Ltd, will meet Geingob this morning.
It is, however, unclear how long Baillères will be in the country and what his further itinerary will entail.
Questions in this regard were sent to Emergo Communications, which is handling Baillères' public relations in Namibia, but no feedback was received at the time of going to print.
Namibian Sun reported recently that all the approvals for the Erindi sale were obtained from the relevant ministries, but the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) is yet to approve the transaction.
Baillères recently announced that a sales agreement is being finalised.
According to a previous media statement issued on behalf Baillères, he identified Erindi as a significant philanthropic investment.
He said one of the major factors that drove his decision to buy the game reserve was that Namibian law allows him to acquire 100% of the shares in the companies that currently make up Erindi.
Baillères intends to continue Erindi's activities in eco-conservation and the preservation of flora and fauna that are a unique and an essential part of African culture and heritage, including some rare and endangered species.
He also has experience in managing several wildlife protection ranches in different parts of the world.
Baillères has stressed his commitment to preserve Erindi for the benefit of future generations of Namibians and the world. The intention is to turn Erindi into a flagship private game reserve, and any future profits generated from this social enterprise will primarily be reinvested in Erindi.
President Geingob was recently quoted as saying that Erindi can legally be sold to foreigners since a waiver was granted way before last year's second national land conference.
This followed concerns being raised over the sale of the private game reserve to a foreigner.
Geingob said government, as per a land conference resolution, is still working on a law that will prohibit the sale of land to foreign nationals, but until that law is passed, the status quo remained.
He said government could be sued if it tried to stop the Erindi sale, and that it had no basis in law to win such a lawsuit.
Erindi was granted a certificate of waiver on 6 October 1999 by then lands minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, in terms of section 16 of the Agricultural (Commercial) Land Reform Act of 1999.
Erindi was also found to be unsuitable for resettlement purposes.
“The transaction-orientated due diligence confirmed that while Erindi would not be suitable for farming or resettlement, it holds important potential as an area for wildlife conservation. The buyer's plans for Erindi will greatly benefit the tourism sector, job-creation and skills development, and of course in consequence the Namibian economy,” according to a statement issued on behalf of Baillères.
ELLANIE SMIT
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