Compensation for loss of income of Namibian fishermen

MCHENRY VENAANI, MP, CHAIRPERSON OF THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT’S COMMITTEE ON TRADE, CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION, NAMIBIA’S LEADER OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION AND PRESIDENT OF POPULAR DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT (PDM) WRITES:

The Acting Chief Executive of Samherji

Mr Björgólfur Jóhannsson

Samherji Fishing Company

Akureyri, Iceland

I am penning this important missive to your company to demand conscious resolution on the plight of over 4 000 Namibian fishermen.

Namibia is losing nearly billions of dollars yearly in illicit financial outflows, base erosion, transfer pricing and corruption, resources that could have oiled our own socioeconomic development. Mostly this practices goes unpunished and have a detrimental effect on our people while those that practice these insolences continue reaping undue benefits.

We are aware and alive to the fact that your company, Samherji, has allegedly entered into a fraudulent and corrupt fishing deal coined as the #Fishrot files, a documentary televised on Al Jazeera during November 2019. Samherji allegedly extracted billions dollars’ worth of valuable fish and sea products from the Namibian coastal waters benefiting itself and the now disgraced Ministers in Namibia currently incarcerated, to the detriment of the country's populace in general and to the fishermen who lost their jobs subsequent to this deal.

Whereas we are aware that this case is currently under investigation on the Namibian side, we are calling on your company conscious to underscore the need to restore the plight of Namibian fishermen that lost their income over a long period of time due to this avarice practice by your company.

We are aware that your company is contemplating leaving Namibia, a move that we welcome but that falls short of the tenets of responsibility to the thousands of aggrieved people.

Therefore we demand that Samherji pay out to all fishermen that lost their jobs a monthly salary equal to the amount they would have earned today, taking inflation into account, for the years of loss of income together with a pensionable lump sum calculated on the amount. Noting that many fishermen have committed suicide due to destitution that befell them thus a category must be considered so that their families benefit from these payouts.

This is of course with regard to your undertakings that you have made in your press release, stating that you will work together in close dialogue with the relevant authorities.

We would at this juncture like to inform you that as the official opposition political party, the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) we are part of these relevant authorities and as such we will participate in all negotiations especially with regard to the plight of the fishermen who lost their jobs and income.

This act could go a long way in only attempting to heal the deep injustices it has put on the lives of fishermen and the national economy of our country.

Therefore we call upon you to favorably reply to us within fifteen working days. Failure to do so may result in seeking a court interdict that can be attached with regard to the assets that Samherji owns in Namibia including the N$400 million, for we believe in the tenets of justice.

I hope and trust this letter will receive your salient attention and looking forward to favorable feedback.