Report on the review of the Article 45 of the Constitution and Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2014

Cabinet directed the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice to prepare an amendment to propose to section 77(4) (a) of the Electoral Act, to: a) Provide clarity on the legal provisions dealing with the case of members of public service who wish to participate in elections, to the effect that such persons are deemed to have resigned upon being elected to the National Assembly/Regional Council and not before or upon being nominated. b) Provide that public servants who, at the time of their election to the National Assembly/Regional Council, have attained the age of 55 years, are deemed to have gone on early retirement upon being so elected to the National Assembly/Regional Council, and not on their nomination as candidates for elections. Status of fishermen under government employment redress programme

Designation agreements have been entered into between the ministries of fisheries and of employment creation of which four companies are in horse mackerel and eleven companies in the hake fishery to secure full time and permanent employment for former NAMSOV employees and for fishermen who lost their employment within the fishing industry during 2015.

All affected fishermen have been employed mainly in the hake and horse mackerel sub-sectors, and that a total of 2 483 ex-fishermen have been absorbed through this programme.

Cabinet directed the fisheries ministry to undertake benchmarking exercises for best practice and thereafter propose a business model to enable government to adequately regulate the marine and fishing sector, and ensure optimal broad-based benefits for Namibians.