The purpose of this article is to assess the pros and cons regarding the approval of the basic income grant (BIG).To put it simply, BIG is a system whereby every citizen of a particular country (In this case, Namibians) over the age of 18years old and under certain circumstances even younger and who qualifies for the social welfare grant’ would be rewarded a monthly allowance (e.g. $500) so that there are able to live above the poverty line without having to work for it. Whether it’s for the eradication of poverty or curbing unemployment rates, the BIG scheme would be welcomed by almost everybody’ but, the tax payers. As a student I understand the plight of the unemployed and or, the uneducated...That never had the privileges’ to set foot in a University classroom so they would get the necessary skills to compete for the few good jobs on the labour market. However’ I am also privy, to the fact that’ those who have had the opportunity are faced with post tertiary predicaments. What am I talking about? Well’ due to economic transitions or rather when a country ’s economy is taking a nose dive most private organisations cannot sustain the number of employees they have as a result they turn to downsizing as a means of cutting costs. This cost saving exercise is effective and beneficial to the businesses at the detriment of the respective employees. The government is then pressured to come up with employment creation schemes (e.g. TIPEG) at hasty so as to fill the void in the labour market. This sets off a chain reaction whereby University graduates compete for the limited spaces or entry level vacancies with school leavers, but there are only so many jobs that the government can create’ and eventually the country is slapped with an escalating unemployment rate. Three groups make up the unemployed faction of the labour market namely, the unskilled, the school leavers and the university graduates to which there are no available jobs. This unemployed group is 9% less than the employed group also known as the productive group in society, which is an alarming indicator of the cost of living in Namibia. The basic income grant (BIG) is not a solution but, a desperate attempt at bridging the gap between the haves and the have not’ a way of keeping the unemployed above the poverty line.
There is a pattern between crime, poverty and substance abuse (alcohol) whereby heinous crimes such robbery and its associated crimes (murder, breaking and entering, assault GBH) are usually motivated by the pursuit for money and a better standard of living. As little as the BIG offers to individual citizens, the crimes rates will be significantly halved. On the other hand, BIG would certainly mean a jerk up of tax rates and a reduced workforce of skilled employees on the labour market as a result of graduates seeking jobs elsewhere to evade taxes and, for better employment benefits. The BIG scheme, may also promote comp lances in the Namibian citizens to acquire skills and become productive members of society. The BIG scheme may just be what the government needs to come up with a well rehearsed and structured employment schemes as opposed to making hasty decisions and coming up with disastrous schemes with lots of loopholes which would open flood gates for corruption for instance the TIPEG scheme. The advantages of the basic income grant (BIG) clearly out weights its disadvantages. With the integration of this scheme, the government would have some needed time to orchestrate and devise better employment schemes for sustainable solutions.
In my conclusion I am convinced that the basic income grant would be an ideal scheme provided that it is implemented properly and guarded against corrupt practices. Namibians without an income or any means of survival rarely have access to proper medical care when needed and education or food, I believe that the little the government can spend of the tax payer’s money would make a difference!.
The contents of this article is my own work and viewpoints regarding BIG inferred from past Newspapers and group discussions with friends!