Seaflower boss blasts Kawana
The fisheries minister has challenged the Seaflower boss to back up his claims of favouritism over fishing quotas with evidence.
OGONE TLHAGE
WINDHOEK
Fisheries minister Albert Kawana has demanded evidence from fishing executives accusing him of favouring those close to him during the recent auction of government's fishing quota for development objectives.
This follows the result of the auction in which the government raised N$8.4 million out of a targeted N$627 million. Adriaan Louw, the chairperson of Seaflower Pelagic Corporation, accused Kawana of favouring those close to him in the allocation of fishing quotas.
“The scorecard dictates investment and job opportunities very high on the criteria. Kawana for sure just gave rights to a handful of connected comrades and did not adhere to scorecard and value addition,” he told Namibian Sun. “So, again, some few will politically benefit and buy Ferraris [and] Bentleys and have no regard for the poor population and also do not know what a hake or horse mackerel looks like,” he said.
Louw also took issue with the revenue the government generated from quota fees. Louw felt it added no value to the economy.
“Something the people don't realise is if middlemen and government continue to pursue empty, hollow, zero-contribution quota fees that bring no value to the average Namibian, it erodes the normal profit a fishing company must make in order to survive,” he said.
Risky business
According to Louw, there are bad fishing years, just like other economic sectors experience bad years. He compared the fishing industry to the agricultural sector.
“What happens if fishing companies have a bad fishing year? Vessels break down? Bad market prices? Bad debt?
“Fishing is a highly specialised feast or famine. You need to make profits also to cover bad years. It's precisely like farming: Some good years, some bad,” he said.
Kawana responded that Louw must offer proof to back his claims.
“Did he give you proof of those companies?” Kawana asked when confronted with the allegations.
“He must prove how I am connected to those companies so that I can inform the nation,” Kawana said.
Caution
The chairperson of the Namibian Fishing Association, Matti Amukwa, recently said government should reconsider its planned auctioning of fishing quotas.
Government intends to auction fishing quotas once the Marine Advisory Council has decided on the total allowable catch for the 2021 fishing season.
“The industry will not support this; we were not consulted,” Amukwa said. He added that there was room for improvement after the government's spectacular auction failure.
Amukwa said the government would have to use the scorecard to regulate the allocation of fishing rights.
WINDHOEK
Fisheries minister Albert Kawana has demanded evidence from fishing executives accusing him of favouring those close to him during the recent auction of government's fishing quota for development objectives.
This follows the result of the auction in which the government raised N$8.4 million out of a targeted N$627 million. Adriaan Louw, the chairperson of Seaflower Pelagic Corporation, accused Kawana of favouring those close to him in the allocation of fishing quotas.
“The scorecard dictates investment and job opportunities very high on the criteria. Kawana for sure just gave rights to a handful of connected comrades and did not adhere to scorecard and value addition,” he told Namibian Sun. “So, again, some few will politically benefit and buy Ferraris [and] Bentleys and have no regard for the poor population and also do not know what a hake or horse mackerel looks like,” he said.
Louw also took issue with the revenue the government generated from quota fees. Louw felt it added no value to the economy.
“Something the people don't realise is if middlemen and government continue to pursue empty, hollow, zero-contribution quota fees that bring no value to the average Namibian, it erodes the normal profit a fishing company must make in order to survive,” he said.
Risky business
According to Louw, there are bad fishing years, just like other economic sectors experience bad years. He compared the fishing industry to the agricultural sector.
“What happens if fishing companies have a bad fishing year? Vessels break down? Bad market prices? Bad debt?
“Fishing is a highly specialised feast or famine. You need to make profits also to cover bad years. It's precisely like farming: Some good years, some bad,” he said.
Kawana responded that Louw must offer proof to back his claims.
“Did he give you proof of those companies?” Kawana asked when confronted with the allegations.
“He must prove how I am connected to those companies so that I can inform the nation,” Kawana said.
Caution
The chairperson of the Namibian Fishing Association, Matti Amukwa, recently said government should reconsider its planned auctioning of fishing quotas.
Government intends to auction fishing quotas once the Marine Advisory Council has decided on the total allowable catch for the 2021 fishing season.
“The industry will not support this; we were not consulted,” Amukwa said. He added that there was room for improvement after the government's spectacular auction failure.
Amukwa said the government would have to use the scorecard to regulate the allocation of fishing rights.
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