WINDHOEK ELLANIE SMIT
A number of recommendations made by Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, regarding nominations for the Meatco board were refused by the company, because it violated the rights of members.
According to a press release issued by Meatco's manager of corporate communication and marketing, Mario Poolman, some of the recommendations by the minister infringe on the rights of Meatco members and would constitute illegal action by the Meatco Board if implemented.
"The Meatco board has respectfully declined these requests by the minister after careful consideration and obtaining legal advice," Poolman said.
Mutorwa recently wrote a letter to the Meatco board, whose term of office expires at the end of August, advising them on the number of nominations he required for each position on the board. The nominations have increased significantly from the previous board selection, Poolman said.
The Meatco Act stipulates that four of the six positions on the Meatco board could only be filled and nominated by Meatco members.
The fifth position on the board is nominated by Meatco employees and the last position is appointed by the ministry, which is then tasked to appoint the board from nominations received.
According to Poolman, the minister strongly advised members that the positions should be comprised of 50% male and 50% female board members.
The minister also wanted nominations to be approved by various organisations, such as the Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union NFAWU), the Namibian National Farmers Union NNFU), the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), the Abattoirs' Association of Namibia (AAN), the Livestock Producers' Forum (LPF), and auctioneers' organisations.
However, Poolman said the implementation of these recommendations were not allowed by the Meatco Act and infringe on the rights of the company's members to freely make nominations without interference or without having to discriminate against potential candidates.
The Meatco board chairperson, Clara Bohitile, also expressed concern over the requests made by Mutorwa.
Bohitile in a letter addressed to the minister wrote: "The board is unable, in the absence of statutory authority permitting this and in the light of Article 10 of the Namibian Constitution, to impose the proposed discrimination on the basis you sought to inform the nomination process. I must therefore draw your attention to the fact that the board lacks the required authority to ensure that the Meatco members act in accordance with your decision."
"Meatco members are reminded that they are free to nominate candidates for the Meatco board regardless of gender, race or any other form of discrimination."
Poolman also stressed that although members were free to consult other relevant organisations to source appropriate candidates for nominations for the Meatco board, the approval of these organisations was not required to nominate a candidate, nor may the organisations impede any nomination of a candidate.