GAMING FOR AFRICA Swakopmund Casino Purchase Offer Still Stands


The National Union of Namibian Workers, (NUNW) has offered to acquire all the shares in the cash- strapped Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre (Pty) Ltd for the amount of N$155 million. This comes after the hotel has failed to meet


timeous payments due to employees and other parties, and has suffered losses for a anumebr of years, which have been exacerbated by the covid- pandemic. The union, through its legal representative,


Richard Metcalfe wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of TransNamib, Johny Smith. The letter from Metcalfe states: “It is of grave


concern to our client is that staff salaries at Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre (Pty) Ltd have not been paid from 1 May 2020 to date.” Metcalfe further stated that with salaries due at the end of April 2021 an amount of N$10 347 983, 33 is due and payable to employees. “Every right to fair labour practice has been


abrogated by the failure to pay staff salaries and our client reserves all its constituent members’ rights in respect thereof,” Metcalfe noted. He further added that this offer is conditional upon NUNW acquiring such shares without any debt whatsoever. The offer made will include all movable and


immovable assets of Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre (Pty) Ltd as well as the parking lot which, from a deeds search, is registered


exclusively in the name of TransNamib Holdings (Pty) Ltd. Metcalfe also stated that NUNW has no interest


whatsoever in continuing any contract with the Legacy Hotel Group, which currently manages the property, as it is a foreign entity as there are local entities who are more than capable of managing the hotel successfully and profitably. “We await your acceptance of this offer which


remains open until close of business on 31 March 2021. Upon acceptance, the usual due diligence requirements will be made a condition/part of any formal contract of sale. The rights of all employees who are members of our client are specifically reserved and do NOT form part of this offer in any manner whatsoever. Please note that our client remains amenable to purchasing the immovable


and movable assets from the company should it appear that difficulties are evident from the purchase of the company’s shares,” Mefcalfe concluded. The Namibian Government has allocated N$135 million for the purchase of the Swakopmund Hotel, according to says Public Enterprises Minister Leon Jooste. TransNamib, a 50% shareholder in the hotel


with Stocks Leisure, was forced out of the partnership after the High Court ruled that it had not provided its share of financial support for the hotel. The hotel has liabilities of N$111 million, while


its assets total N$65 million. “We have N$135 million allocated to the


ministry of public enterprises in the budget that is potentially available for a transaction. The item is currently under the Cabinet Committee on Treasury where we are evaluating various options to ensure the best outcome,” he said. Jooste would not say whether the funding for


the planned purchase had been secured from Namibia Post and Telecommunications Holdings (NPTH). NPTH had been approached by government to fund the purchase of the hotel, a proposition it rejected. Secretary-general Job Muniaro told Namibian


Sun recently that negotiations were ongoing and that the offer still stands.


World’s Most Vaccinated Country Re-Imposes Curbs, Closes Casinos


Despite being the most vaccinated country in the world, the Seychelles has reimposed a number of temporary restrictions, including the closure of casinos. The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) recently strongly


refuted claims that the local health authority is issuing false positive COVID-19 tests as a way to force tourists to extend their time in the island nation. STB said that “the initial reports alleging Seychelles was giving out inaccurate test results appeared in the Israeli press and social media after some of their nationals tested positive upon their exit from the holiday destination.” The STB’s chief executive, Sherin Francis, said it


would serve no purpose for Seychelles to interfere with the COVID tests as this would increase the nation’s statistics and reflect negatively on the destination. “After months of struggling to restart our tourism


industry, Seychelles is committed to ensuring that all our guests spend a memorable time on our islands and leave happy at the end of their stay. It would be counterproductive to do otherwise,” she said. Francis added that, however, Seychelles cannot


allow a guest to exit the country if tested positive, in compliance with Seychelles’ and international health and sanitary measures. “Every guest testing positive during their stay has to quarantine for 10 days before being allowed to return


home. This is the norm being observed everywhere. We are asking all our guests who find themselves in such a predicament to follow the quarantine guidelines,” she explained. Francis stressed that Seychelles is still safe to


visit and that such reports should not deter potential clients from visiting the island destination. This was echoed by the Minister for Foreign and


Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, who also confirmed that Seychelles is dedicated to following all safety measures and protocols in place to safeguard both its visitors and the local population. “No country in the world can claim to be


COVID-free. The government and all industry partners are dedicated to ensuring that Seychelles remains safe for all guests and that they keep the best memories of their Seychelles’ holiday. It is not in the interest of Seychelles, our partners, or our guests to do otherwise, knowing how our economy is heavily reliant on tourism,” Radegonde said. He added that the island nation “is investing a


lot of effort and funds in making sure that the experience of the guests remains undisturbed. Nonetheless, this can only be achieved if the visitors also practice the safety and health measures in place.”


Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian


Ocean, reopened its borders to visitors from all countries except directly from South Africa on March 25th. The country’s travel advisory was amended end of last month to include Brazil and India in view of the increase in cases in the two countries. Tourism which is the top contributor to the country’s economy has been badly affected by the downturn in travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The island nation currently leads the world chart


with the highest vaccinations administered, over 62 percent of all adults have received the two doses of the Sinopharm and Covishield vaccines.


JUNE 2021 19


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