Select Page

Retail Charter penciled

The retail Charter is gaining momentum as Task Teams have started to meet with dates penciled in getting the Retail Charter ready for launch in the third quarter of 2015 Henry Feris from Bidvest Foods will chair The Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Namibia Competition Commission Dr Michael Humavindu will be on Building materials and Hardware and David Namelnga from Dinapama Manufacturing Supplies will chair on Clothing and Apparel.

According to the Namibia Trade Forum, several retailers have proactively committed themselves to the process of getting the National Retail Charter ready. “It is important to realise that the outcome of this charter will be binding on everybody,” said NTF spokesperson Lapitomhinda Hashingola this week, addressing the issue of retailers not willing to climb on the Retail Charter bandwagon. The Fast Moving Consumer Goods Task Team comprises of 21 members who held three meetings between 24 September and 12 November last year to discuss the adoption of the Terms of References. The team suggested a Retail Control Board to the Minister of Trade and Industry. The Building materials/hardware Task Team of 8 members has held three meetings since September updating its core outline. “The meeting stressed the importance of defining the concept of local sourcing and that targets should focus on product mix and not universal values with other equally important features such as supply continuity, relevant targets and capacity building.” The eleven member Clothing/Apparels Tasks Team is yet to adopt its Terms of References and with no core outline defined yet. Chairperson and NTF Secretariat is concerned by the poor attendance of meetings. To deliberate on the feedback on the development of the Charter, NTF will hold briefing sessions with  the Minister of Trade, Calle Schlettwein. The Minister will invite all government Procurement Officers to the meeting. Attending will be; the NUNW, Hospitality Association of Namibia, Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Tender Board.

About The Author