AR-News: (Africa) Wildlife Resorts Owes the State Millions

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

The Namibian (Windhoek)
March 15, 2004 
Posted to the web March 15, 2004 
Lindsay Dentlinger
Windhoek 
NAMIBIA Wildlife Resorts (NWR) establishments owe the Treasury more than 
N$34,2 million in parks entrance fees.
This emerged in the National Assembly on Thursday.
 
Almost half of this amount has been outstanding since the 2000-01 fiscal year.
On Thursday, Minister of Environment and Tourism (MET), Philemon Malima, was 
asked by CoD whip Nora Schimming-Chase to explain the situation.
She also wanted to know when exactly these funds would be paid to the State.
Malima admitted that the NWR had failed to pay up.
He said the company had hoped to use the money to implement its business 
plan, which included urgent improvements to its resorts and service delivery.
This request, however, has been turned down by the Finance Ministry.
It has been proposed that the NWR take a loan instead.
It was not immediately clear whether the company has already used some of the 
millions owed to the State or if it was in a position to transfer the full 
amount.
"We should not rush to conclusions that it is just the same [as] parastatals 
that rip off the State Revenue. Give the NWR time to prove itself," said 
Malima.
In January the tourism industry was up in arms after the NWR announced that 
it would increase its day visitor fees to cover the costs incurred for using 
amenities such as swimming pools, spas, braai and ablution facilities.
A month later, the NWR agreed to retract the decision and said it would hold 
off on the increases until later in the year.



full story:

http://allafrica.com/stories/200403150728.html 
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