Aviation problems are being sorted out in Namibia?
 

Aviation problems are being sorted out

BRIGITTE WEIDLICH

THE public and the tourism industry should "remain calm while we are sorting out the deficiencies" in the civil aviation industry, Works and Transport Minister Helmut Angula said in Parliament yesterday.

"We remain committed to solemnly solve the problems before the international soccer events in Angola and South Africa."

Both events will take place in 2010.

In a ministerial statement delivered in the National Assembly, Angula referred to a string of serious accidents involving small planes in the past year.

Most of them happened in and around Windhoek - the most recent one claimed one life at the beginning of this month.

"From October 1 we will have a team of experts from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) here to assess Namibia's aircraft operations, flight and airworthiness, personnel licensing and aviation operators," Angula promised.

"Our Ministry is working hard to expedite the tabling of the proposed bill on the Namibian Civil Aviation Authority, which is to be set up once signed into law.

We already approached the Public Service Commission (PSC) to approve market-related salary scales for this new body in order to attract well-qualified staff.

"In the same vein, the PSC supported our proposal to offer market-related salary scales to attract skills currently needed in the Directorate of Civil Aviation."

The absence of comprehensive aviation laws since Independence was compromising Namibia's Icao membership, Angula warned.

"We have unfortunately witnessed a number of aircraft disasters with evidence that most of the accidents occurred as a result of (an) unfortunate safety culture," Angula told the House.

He reminded MPs of the 2006 Icao assessment, which showed significant deficiencies in some areas considered crucial for a state's effective oversight of the civil aviation industry.

"A recent assessment (2008) showed that very little progress was made as a result of the Ministry's inability to retain and attract competent and qualified incumbents.

"This resulted in Namibia being categorised down on the recommendation of the Icao Audit Result Review Board.

This can cause our country to be blacklisted unless we demonstrate commitment," Angula said.

Blah blah blah

Heard it all before. Its anyway too little too late.

Oh, and this IS me being positive!

:bored:

Sounds like the typical politicians' drivel... with a touch of African incompetence (and corruption?) thrown in for good measure...

ooooohhh hope I didn't touch a nerve... ;)

Fixing problems ...
 

Well, the resignation of our wonderful 1/4 pounder Big Mac is a beginning.:ok:
I could think of a couple of others that should follow ...

Unfortunately the problem in Aviation in Namibia is bit more complex. Any idiot (sorry uninformed bureaucrat) thinking these problems could be fixed by salaries or an assessment is sorely mistaken:=

At least it is a step in the right direction, rather than not do anything. My suggestion to my esteemed colleagues in any field of nam aviation is: If you know or suspect any misconduct, negligence, or inappropriate procedures, be it maintenance, FCL, instruction, loadsheets,etc. report it to these auditors, so that their effort can root out some of the "evil". This is an opportunity we have to make use of , rather than moan again afterwards about this and that.
Just my 2 cents worth.

What me worry..?

True, a step in the right direction it most certainly is. I just hope this is not just another window dressing excercise as we have seen too often in the past. A few weeks later, it is all forgotten and matters continue as before ...

Any idea if and where this Icao Audit Result Review Board could be contacted? I for one am most certainly willing to spill some beans:E

Looks like everytime there is a new Minister, I guess the 7th since independence, they start all over again. Already in 1999, the presidential commission of enquiry recommended an autonomous authority. Nothing happened. In the meantime, two mid-air collisions, many aircraft accidents and an exodus of highly skilled officers have left civil aviation in shambles. All they interested is politics, appoinment of incompetent party loyal managers etc, etc.