Schlettwein dismisses 'capture' claims
Finance minister Calle Schlettwein has rubbished claims that Chinese interests have captured the Namibian government. According to him, there is no indication that the economy was being controlled by Chinese interests.
The Affirmative Repositioning movement held a panel discussion last week to talk about the issue of state capture by the Chinese.
Schlettwein hit back yesterday, saying government's involvement in the economy was proof that no formal elements were being favoured.
According to him, government makes up 57% of the economy, eliminating any indications of possible state capture.
The retail and wholesale sectors of the economy were also not being controlled by Chinese interests, Schlettwein maintained.
“Who is the main shareholder in the retail and the wholesale sectors? Look around, it is not China; it is nonsense,” Schlettwein said.
“It is far from being true.”
He said loans taken up with the Chinese government and related entities were too low to be considered state capture.
According to him, Namibia's debt exposure to China stood at 2.6% of its external debt stock. Schlettwein also argued that the majority of government's debt was in the local money and capital markets.
Labour commentator Herbert Jauch, human rights lawyer Norman Tjombe, as well as opposition party parliamentarians Ignatius Shixwameni and Vipuakuje Muharukua were of the opinion there were nuances of state capture present in the economy, the media reported last week.
“Swapo has sold out this country to the Chinese and other Western forces. It is quite evident that the party's costly relationship with the Chinese government is the foundation of state capture,” The Patriot reported Shixwameni, a former Swapo parliamentarian and now All People's Party leader, as saying.
“Most ministers in this country are compromised and captured. We can start with the foreign bank accounts before we look at the tenders which the Chinese gobble up,” Shixwameni reportedly said.
He also used the dialogue to discredit President Hage Geingob's relationship with Chinese businessman, Jack Huang.
“The executive has been captured. This thing of a private company coming to present to cabinet is serious,” Shixwameni said about the recent cabinet presentation by Namibia Oriental Tobacco cc.
Muharukua, from the Popular Democratic Movement, concurred with the sentiments raised by Shixwameni.
Muharukua said there were indications that state capture was present in Namibia.
“The signs of what we are seeing are indeed that China is sponsoring state capture,” he added.
OGONE TLHAGE
The Affirmative Repositioning movement held a panel discussion last week to talk about the issue of state capture by the Chinese.
Schlettwein hit back yesterday, saying government's involvement in the economy was proof that no formal elements were being favoured.
According to him, government makes up 57% of the economy, eliminating any indications of possible state capture.
The retail and wholesale sectors of the economy were also not being controlled by Chinese interests, Schlettwein maintained.
“Who is the main shareholder in the retail and the wholesale sectors? Look around, it is not China; it is nonsense,” Schlettwein said.
“It is far from being true.”
He said loans taken up with the Chinese government and related entities were too low to be considered state capture.
According to him, Namibia's debt exposure to China stood at 2.6% of its external debt stock. Schlettwein also argued that the majority of government's debt was in the local money and capital markets.
Labour commentator Herbert Jauch, human rights lawyer Norman Tjombe, as well as opposition party parliamentarians Ignatius Shixwameni and Vipuakuje Muharukua were of the opinion there were nuances of state capture present in the economy, the media reported last week.
“Swapo has sold out this country to the Chinese and other Western forces. It is quite evident that the party's costly relationship with the Chinese government is the foundation of state capture,” The Patriot reported Shixwameni, a former Swapo parliamentarian and now All People's Party leader, as saying.
“Most ministers in this country are compromised and captured. We can start with the foreign bank accounts before we look at the tenders which the Chinese gobble up,” Shixwameni reportedly said.
He also used the dialogue to discredit President Hage Geingob's relationship with Chinese businessman, Jack Huang.
“The executive has been captured. This thing of a private company coming to present to cabinet is serious,” Shixwameni said about the recent cabinet presentation by Namibia Oriental Tobacco cc.
Muharukua, from the Popular Democratic Movement, concurred with the sentiments raised by Shixwameni.
Muharukua said there were indications that state capture was present in Namibia.
“The signs of what we are seeing are indeed that China is sponsoring state capture,” he added.
OGONE TLHAGE
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