Popular Democratic Movement Member of Parliament Diederik Vries has implored the newly appointed Land Reform Advisory Commission to adhere to the functions of the commission in fulfilling the objectives of the Act.

In his contribution to the appointment of the commission in Parliament on Tuesday, Vries called out previous advisory commissions who he said made themselves guilty of multiple discrepancies that are contrary to the functions provided for by the Agricultural Land Reform Act.

“The Land Reform Advisory Commission must draw inspiration from the Affirmative Action Act by taking into consideration historical facts of communities that lost land during colonial regimes, and give preference to such communities in an attempt to advance equity in land resettlement,” he said.

Vries further added that the members of the commission should promote transparency in the recommendations made and should not advance previous discrepancies that let the objectives of the Agricultural Land Reform Act go to waste.

Vries made his contribution after Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein motivated the approval of the appointment of four members to serve on the commission for a three-year term last week.

According to Schlettwein, the appointment of these individuals is made in terms of Section 4 Subsection (1) (g) of the Agricultural (Commercial) Land Reform Act, (Act No. 6 of 1995), as amended.

“In addition to the members nominated for the appointment to the commission, the commission draws membership from the Agricultural Bank of Namibia, associations involved in agricultural affairs as well as four persons, of whom at least two shall be females and who are not employed in the public service, and who are suitably qualified regarding the functions of the Commission.”

The Land Reform Advisory Commission is responsible to make recommendations to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform and advise in relation to any powers conferred upon the minister in terms of the Agricultural Commercial Land Reform Act.

The appointed members are Gerson Katjimune, former chairperson of the Namfisa Board of Directors; community activist Jan Jarson; Spendu Tjipe, former Deputy Director in the Ministry of Gender, Equality and Child Welfare; and Maria Immanuel, technical advisor at the Agriculture Trade Forum.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency