The SAAF Forum

It looks as though the F-7NM is the latest F-7 mark and thus has the frameless cockpit and cranked delta with leading edge slats.

pngwerume, do you know what Namibia's medium term procurement policy is? I would think they would be a ripe customer for the JF-17. Whilst the latest F-7 is a really good dogfighter, perhaps something with the ability to launch BVR missiles is being looked at for the future?

Friday, June 20, 2008 - Web posted at 7:43:47 GMT

Chinese plan sparks outcry
JOHN GROBLER

A CHINESE offer to build a new military academy at Okahandja, a huge project valued at N$70-75 million, has again raised issues of unfair competition and non-compliance with local labour legislation by Chinese construction companies.

These companies are specifically accused of failing to pay an industry minimum wage of N$8.43 per hour, not paying any contributions to the Social Security Commission or registering any form of pension fund for their local workers, as required by law.

No local architect/s and/or quantity surveyor/s appear to be involved, raising questions over construction standards and pricing of inputs.

Plans circulating for the building, referred to as the 'Comprehensive Teaching Building of Namibian Military Academy' shows a 7 430 square metre construction, to be built on a 43 000 square metre site on Okahandja's southern outskirts.

The complete plans for the new military academy were drawn up in December 2006 by the Institute of Architectual Design in Gansu, China.

CONFIRMATION
The local Chinese Embassy confirmed that it was part of a military aid package, but no other details were immediately available.

It is not included in the latest Ministry of Defence budget figures, but appears to be part of an expansion plan that has seen the military expand the Keetmanshoop base, as well as construct a new air force base at Karibib.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Petrus Shivute, also confirmed that such a deal was being negotiated, but said the project was still under negotiation and was unlikely to happen in the current financial year.

"There are still many issues to be negotiated," Shivute said in a brief telephonic interview some time ago.

"It is there but there is no final agreement yet.

If construction will start, if at all, it will not be this year, maybe two years," he added.

Shivute declined to discuss any specifics, including suggestions that the deal is to be linked to the purchase of Chinese military equipment.

Local quantity surveyors estimated the value of the building at N$70 - N$75 million, excluding civil and landscaping work.

It was also not clear if the building was to be put out to tender, once negotiations were completed.

But local architects have warned that should the deal go ahead on the basis of the Chinese architectural plans, it would be in violation of regulations reserving certain kinds of works for local architects.

In terms of Section 24(2) of the Architects' and Quantity Surveyors Act (Act 13 of 1979), only locally registered architects and quantity surveyors may draw up plans and oversee construction of public structures exceeding 500 square metres.

While there were plans to change them, these regulations - issued under Proclamation 4508 of 12 August 1981 - were still in force, President of the Namibian Council for Architects and Quantity Surveyors, Paul Munting, pointed out.

"Any architect whose plans are to be used in construction of a public building of this size has to be either registered locally as an architect, or be affiliated to a local [architectural] practice," Munting said.

In terms of Government Gazette No 3780 of February 5 2007, any construction company that employs someone for more than two days per week is also obliged to establish a pension fund for such workers.

Such funds have to be legally registered with the Namibian Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa).

While 87 local construction firms contribute to the Building Workers Pension Fund, no Chinese firms were members of this firm, said trustee of the Fund, Albert Reussing.

Namfisa's Ebben Kalondo insisted on a complete list of local Chinese construction firms before they would check if such firms had registered the requisite pension fund with them.

Reussing also pointed out that local construction companies, in terms of the industry-wide agreement with the unions, provided certain minimum working standards and protective clothing such as overalls, work boots and hard hats, which the Chinese firms did not.

Accusations 'unfair' CHINESE construction companies plan to form their own professional association to enforce adherence to local legislation, and will also be taking steps to join the local professional architectural and quantity surveying bodies, the Chinese Embassy says.

Economic Counsellor Zhang, reacting to criticism from local construction firms over alleged cut-throat business practives, pleaded for more understanding between Chinese and Namibian firms.

But at the same time, he accused Namibian construction firms of attempting to "elbow out" foreign competition.

The Namibian government had the right to decide who to appoint on big projects, he insisted.

A decision was taken recently to set up a Chinese version of the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) to enforce a disciplinary code among Chinese contractrors, Zhang said.

"First and foremost, it will be to correct misdeeds, to follow up and criticise [members] who have done wrong and pay compensation where necessary," he said.

As for accusations that Chinese state-owned firms failed to pay the minimum wage to construction labourers, the Chinese Embassy had yet to receive any complaint from the Ministry of Labour, he said.

There were well-known Namibian firms who also failed to pay the minimum wage, he claimed.

The larger problem was also that " ...

Namibian workers are not so hardworking", he said.

He however skirted issues of alleged non-compliance with affirmative action quotas and non-adherence to legal requirements to set up pension funds for workers, as demanded by Section 42 of the Labour Act.

Problems between Chinese and Namibian firms were largely because of the small Namibian economy, which led to "jealousy", he surmised.

Instead of attacking Chinese firms, local firms could learn from them in terms of new techniques and materials, which could benefit the economy as a whole, he said.

http://www.namibian.com.na/2008/June/na ... 2E01F.html

Yes, is it is a US F-16.