THE introduction of a pollution levy payable by companies operating in Namibia's coastal waters are among the priorities of the newly established National Marine Pollution Contingency Plan (NMPCP) management committee. The committee was inaugurated at Walvis Bay yesterday by works and transport minister Alpheus !Naruseb, who was represented by deputy director for marine pollution control Pinehas Auene. The NMPCP was approved by Cabinet in April and is an update of the 2007 National Oil Spill Contingency Plan. Funding of the 2007 plan was considered unsustainable and relied heavily on the taxpayer. zThe new plan seeks a sustainable funding model by placing emphasis on potential polluters to fund Namibia's preparedness. “Sustainable funding remains a challenge, especially under the current economic climate, and is one of the most crucial challenges to be tackled by the management committee. Without sustainable funding, the national plan cannot be reviewed regularly; key personnel cannot be trained; and equipment cannot be bought and deployed. In short, the plan cannot be operationalised without sustainable funding arrangements,” !Naruseb stated. He urged the NMPCP management committee to “without delay” consider sustainable funding models. “This will ensure the burden of funding for marine pollution preparedness and response is placed on the potential polluter rather than the taxpayer,” he stated. The National Marine Pollution Contingency Plan (NMPCP) aims to streamline Namibia's marine pollution preparedness and responses in line with international conventions. Namibia is required to have in place mechanisms for managing marine pollution risks, especially oil spills from ships and drilling platforms in its waters. However, risks have evolved because of the growth and significance of the port of Walvis Bay as a maritime gateway to southern Africa. “As a result, more and bigger ships are visiting our ports to carry our imports and exports as well as that of neighbouring [landlocked states]. More ships generally mean that the likelihood of an incident is higher,” stated !Naruseb. After the presentation, Auene explained that a funding model might include a stand-alone pollution levy, or a levy which is part of an existing levy system. Another option, according to him, would be to use the Environmental Investment Fund. “Because it is something that will have to become law, stakeholder consultation prior to any decisions will have to be part of the process,” Auene told The Namibian yesterday. The NMPCP management committee consists of 17 members from the Office of the Prime Minister, nine ministries, four regional councils, Namport, Namcor and the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Industry Associations. It will report to the minister of works and transport. The committee held its first meeting after its inauguration yesterday.