* INSIDE: FLOGGING TO BE OUTLAWED '* 50c (GSTlnc.) Wednesday March 14 White Admin slammed over Medicity move THE outgoing White Administration has come under attack over", the new private hospital Medicity, and any staff shortage the Windhoek State Hospital complex may face as a result. Yesterday it was reported that the as a "major crisis". state hospitals face a " major crisis" Von Finckenstein also said the as 30 highly-trained nurses and at incoming government would con­ least three specialist doctors prepare tinue to offer private facilities at the to leave state service to take up state hospital. "attractive" jobs at the private hos­ "There's no need to panic. I am pitalin Eros Park. convinced short-term arrangements A medical official at the state will be met, leading to long-term hospital, Dr B jam von Finckenstein, solutions," he emphasized. also lashed out at what he described "Obviously the blame for the as the "sensationalist" reporting of current situation should be directed the issue in a DTA English morning towards the Administration for newspaper. Whites ... actually, they indirectly " I am sure our very well-trained financed the Eros Park hospital by doctors, specialists and others will making available just more t)1an R20 cope with the challenge," he told million at a meagre interest rate of The Namibian. "(That type of re­ around five per cent over 20 to 25 porting) could create entirely unnec­ years," he said. essary fears," Von Finckenstein Von Finckenstein said this did not added. seem like a very sound financial THE DREAM and the reality. Unemployed workers watch as a poster 'Our Free Nation - Namibia', While the move would pose prob­ depicting smiling, well-dressed children, gets put up on a billboard. Photograph by John Liebenberg. lems, he felt it could not be described CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 GHOST CAUSES CHAOS '"~-- Grootfontein nurses haunted by fear-----' A CRISIS situation could develop the prospect of being harassed by the RAJAH MUNAMAVA year when the vehicle they were trav­ touched her. at the Grootfontein hospital as nurses alleged ghosts. elling in collided with an Untag vehicle On Monday this week, two other . fearing what they perceive as ghosts . A number of the nurses yesterday saying they were certain there was a in the town. nurses in a children's ward were alated take to fleeing at the slightest noise expressed dissatisfaction at having ghost at the hospital and that they The two ran into a room and peeped to the mysterious world of ghosts during night hours leaving patients to contend with such harasssment have the identity of the ghost through their window three times, when one of their patients starte.d to in their wards unattended. without enough security. The story started last week when seeing a ghost they recognised as one behave abnormally. For the past week, the hospital has One nurse suggested that she would two nurses on night duty - a sister of the nurses killed in the accident. According to one of the nurses, seen near chaos as nurses allegedly rather take leave until the situation Amukoshi and Dora Amadhila - heard They claim the former nurse in ques­ Magneimi Vatilifa, an l l-year-old . hearing banging doors, running wa­ calms down. Others want to immedi­ footsteps behind them while walking tion was in her.usual work uniform. patient started screaming. When the ter taps, footsteps and other weird ately switch back to the day shift. to their residences in the hospital They were joined by one other nurses asked what was going on, the noises run out of the wards in fear. However, there is no talk of resig­ complex. nurse who also witnessed the inci­ patient replied he was seeing a ghost And worst still, two of the nurses nations yet and people are talking They turned to look and immedi­ dent and verified their findings. The and gave the name of one of the claim they have literally seen the about working in much bigger groups ately recognised a late nurse from the following day Dora Amadhila found nurses who is dead. ghost and even recognised it. as a security measure one nurse said. same hospital who passed away in a a burn on her neck. She attributed A few hours later, the water taps in Nurses checking in for night shifts The nurses refuse to accept that motor car accident last year. this to the ghost, saying the spot on are reportedly restless and nervous at they are perhaps being superstitious, Three nurses died in October last . her neck was where the ghost had CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 , "Miss Independence' scrapped < ", THE controversial 'Miss Independence' beauty competition has been CELEBRATE scrapped as part of the omclallndependence celebrations. It was confirmed yesterday by deputy Minister-designate Pendukenl Ithana that the competition would not form part of the omclal programme for Independence. INDEPENDENCE If It goes ahead at all, It will be as an entirely separate event. The decision that 'Miss Independence' should form part of the omclal cele­ brations caused an uproar In various quarters, especially as the beauty queen was to be crowned at virtually the same time Namibia's President was to be WITH BPI Inaugurated and the new Namibian flag raised for the first time. The beauty contest was announced by the DTA's Andrew MatJIla, who heads the Independence sub-committee on Entertainment and Hospitality. He thought It was a good Idea, and received backing from some sections of the COLLECT YOUR public. As soon as the news broke, Ithana slammed the proposed pageant to be " held on Independence night. "I call on patriotic Namibian women to refrain from participating In an event INDEPENDENCE T-SHIRTS that Is degrading to our fallen heroes and heroines," she said In a statement to The Namibian. INDEPENDENCE FLAGS Ithana's call received strong backing from many Namlblans, Including well· known politician Anna Frank, who felt the timing was In "bad taste". INDEPENDENCE PEAK CAPS The "row" over the beauty contest was also covered In two major South African Sunday newspapers. "Beauty 'cattle parade' slated" trumpete The AT YOUR LOCAL BP SERVICE STATION Sunday Star. "Namibia divided over beauty contest", wrote The Sunday Times. The Namibian was unable to confirm at the time of going to press whether the "We like to keep you moving" function will be staged as a separate event. 2 Wednesday March 14 1990 THE NAMIBIAN Israeli government collapses over peace talks ISRAEL'S coalition government collapsed on Tuesday over United States proposals for first-ever YOUR DAILY GUIDE TO EVENTS WOIU,IJ-WI1JE peace talks with Palestinians, a Labour Party official said. "The Prime Minister carne to the conclusion that the unity government cannot continue and that Labour's position is dangerous," Shamir aide Yossi Ahimeir said. "The option of a unity govern­ Both parties had focused on the were killed by Israeli police during Mandela wants ment has fallen," he told reporters role of Arab East Jerusalem-in any clashes on Friday and Saturday. after the meeting at the Prime Minis­ future peace talks. The dispute has lbe Labour Party and the United ter's office. strained relations with the Bush States, Israel's closest ally, demanded diplomatic ties with The ooster of cabinet member Peres, administration, and Israel has been that Likud agree to the U.S .-pro­ who had demanded Shamir accept under pressure from Western gov­ posed talks to advance Shamir' sown U.S. secretary of state James Baker's ernments to take a step towards peace plan for elections in the occupied SA to be severed proposal for Israeli-Palestinian talks negotiations. territories. in Cairo, set the stage for weeks of Defence Minister Yitzhak Rabin While Likud and Labour were united ANC leader Nelson Mandela said in Stockholm on Tuesday he political manoeuvering that could end of Labour, who had held the coalition in their opposition to the U.S. stance in national electi:ms. together through previous crises, had on East Jerusalem, they split over wanted the international community to cut all diplomatic ties with Labour and Likud are evenly bal­ been reported making a final effort to Likud's rc::fusal to accept participa- - South Africa. anced in parliament and neither would save the government, shuttling be­ tion by Palestinian residents of East Addressing his first press confer­ be able to form a coalition without tween meetings of the two factions. Jerusalem in any peace talks. ence after arriving in Sweden on the backing of smaller, religious, right­ . But Shamir handed Peres a dis­ Likud also opposes any contact Monday, he also called for intensi­ wing or leftist groups. missal letter five minutes after the between Palestinian delegates to peace fied sanctions "and any other form "We could have the situation of cabinet meeting began. talks and the Palestine Liberation of pressure the international commu­ early elections," Ahimeir said. Likud holds 40 of the 120 seats in Organisation (PLO), while Labour nity can give". both Likud and Labour have al­ parliament to Labour's 39, making says they can talk with any group "We are not in a position to choose ... ready been courting the smaller reli­ the 18 seats held by the four religious they wish. We are asking the international gious parties. If neither can attract parties essential to forming a new A Labour convention on Monday community to assist us to prosecute their support, new election> would government without elections. gave its 126-member party execu­ the apartheid system." be inevitable. Despite U.S. protests, groundbreak­ tive the authority to leave the Likud­ Replying to a wide range of ques­ The coalition's break-up sets months ing was setto begin later on Tuesday led coalition over the peace talks tions during the hour-long press of diplomatic efforts by Washington for a new Jewish neighbourhood in issue.