[meteorite-list] Namibia: So Much Potential But Not Enough Funds (Hoba Meteorite)

From: Dave Freeman mjwy <dfreeman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:53:43 -0700
Message-ID: <45AFD047.4040101_at_fascination.com>

Sounds like a great tourist destination, a big rock, alcoholics and drug
addicts, crime, town in debt up to their ears, danger of electricity amd
water being turned off, high unemployment, and a large military presence.
Well pack my bags!
Poorly thought out release by Mr. Kangueehi, maybe the spoof and phish
people will move to Namibia for the new center of commerce.
Dave F.

Ron Baalke wrote:

>http://allafrica.com/stories/200701170803.html
>
>Namibia: So Much Potential But Not Enough Funds
>Kuvee Kangueehi
>January 17, 2007
>
>The Deputy Mayor of Grootfontein, Paulus Hangula, has revealed that the
>residents of his town owe the Town Council over N$26 million in water
>and electricity debts.
>
>Speaking to New Era over the weekend, Hangula said the Town Council is
>fighting a losing battle trying to recover the money, as many of the
>residents are unemployed and struggling with accumulated debts.
>
>The deputy mayor said that, apart from the high unemployment rate which
>is the primary factor behind the debts, alcohol and drug abuse is also
>rife. He noted that there are very few employment opportunities at the
>town, and most of the employed residents are members of the Namibia
>Defence Force
>
>(NDF) and are stationed at the military base.
>
>Hangula said other residents employed are civil servants, people working
>at the local shops and farm workers employed on the surrounding farms.
>
>"Since the mining operations at Kombat and Tsumeb were scaled down, this
>has affected the town's cash flow."
>
>He complained that most of the commercial farmers in the area invest
>little money in the town and spend their money instead at
>privately-owned businesses, resulting in the majority of the town's
>residents not benefiting from it. He noted, however, that everything is
>not all doom and gloom, as town has the great potential of becoming a
>big tourist attraction.
>
>Hangula said Grootfontein lies on the main roads, which connects
>Windhoek to the north-eastern part of Namibia including the Okavango and
>Caprivi regions. He stressed that, like Otavi and Tsumeb, Grootfontein
>is very green and during spring provides spectacular viewing.
>
>"Grootfontein is really an ideal overnight stop if you are travelling to
>the Caprivi and Tsumkwe."
>
>Hangula pointed out that a special tourist attraction is the meteorite,
>which can be found on the farm Hoba, some 24 kilometres outside the
>town. One of the world's largest meteorites ever found, it is 3 metres
>long and one metre wide, weighs 50 tons, has a volume of 9 cubic metres,
>and hit the ground here some 80000 years ago. The meteorite in Hoba
>consists of 82% iron, 16% nickel, 1% cobalt and various trace elements.
>
>With the passing of the years, the Hoba Meteorite has been somewhat
>reduced in size by visitors breaking off pieces to take home as souvenirs.
>
>The deputy mayor revealed that, despite the fact that many organizations
>educate people on HIV/Aids, the disease is still very rife at the town.
>He called on these organizations to intensify their campaigns and to
>apply different strategies in order to make them more effective.
>
>He said that although the rate of violent crimes is not very high at the
>town, vandalism is rife especially at schools, churches and other public
>places.
>
>Grootfontein has a population of approximately 10000 people.
>
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Received on Thu 18 Jan 2007 02:53:43 PM PST