MET’s ‘finest staff’ honoured at Annual Field Staff Awards
Environment and Tourism Deputy Minister Hon Uahekua Herunga, MP officiated at the 2011 Field Staff Awards, an annual event that celebrates the work of the MET’s ‘finest, friendliest, bravest and most diligent staff members’.
Retired Director of Parks and Wildlife Management, Ben Beytell, received the top honour of the evening, being the Lifetime Achievement Award. Beytell served in MET for 35 years and was particularly known for mentoring junior staff and helping to establish the north-eastern protected area network.
New awards for customer service and Namibia’s protected area of the year were added to the prestigious list of honours.
Addressing staff and invited guests at a function held in Windhoek on 21 November 2011, Hon Herunga explained that the Flamingo Award recognized dedicated staff working for their friendliness and consistent service delivery. Petrina Kandjimbi of Mahango Station, Bwabwata National Park, made history by winning the award, while Katrina Neshuku of Ongwediva was the runner-up in the category.
The Deputy Minister explained that the Oryx Award recognizes Namibia’s best managed protected area, as determined by the NAMETT tracking tool. Waterberg Plateau Park won top honours, with Chief Control Warden Manie le Roux, Chief Warden Bethold Kandjii and Warden Obed Rukoro collected the floating trophy on behalf of their park.
Other awards were as follows:
|
Award Category |
Winner |
Runner-up |
|
1. Springbok Award
|
Titus Tjiondo, Otjovasandu, Etosha National Park |
|
|
2. Flamingo Award
|
Petrina Kandjibi, Mahango, Bwabwata National Park |
Katrina Neshuku, Ongewediva |
|
3. Incident Book Award
|
/Ai-Ais - Rosh Pinah |
|
|
4. Lionheart Award
|
Piet Aukhumeb, Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park |
Piet Beytell,
Directorate of Scientific Services |
|
5. Welwitschia Award
|
Anton Katjau,
Otjovasandu, Etosha National Park |
Bonny Simataa, Otjovasandu, Etosha National Park |
|
6. Oryx Award – Protected Area of the Year
|
Waterberg Plateau Park |
|
|
7. MET Lifetime Achievement Award |
Ben Beytell,
Retired, Windhoek |
Mr. Benson Ntema, Retired, Caprivi Region |
Read the full speech of the Hon Minister
Read citations of each of the award winners