I was out of the country on official mission and therefore was unable to respond to all the writings in the media on the “Toscanini Diamonds Saga”. I arrived Wednesday, February 20 at Hosea Kutako International and was greeted by an article in the Namibian by John Grobler titled ‘Diamond War’ gets ugly. Before I left for my mission I received a phone call and fax from Catherine Sasman of the New Era asking me about allegations made in a mysterious DVD (Unknown origin and ownership) and also received similar queries from the Economist.

First and foremost, let me categorically state that at no time or place did diamond inspectors and diamond police (PRU) act in an illegal or ultra vires manner with respect to the handling, transportation and valuation of diamonds from Toscanini or from Block 3.
The producer and distributor of the said DVD and fiction is under the illusion Namibia is a banana republic. I can confidently and safely assert that there is no diamond producing/manufacturing/dealing/trading country in the world with diamond specific legislation and regulations that are more comprehensive than Namibia. In fact, those diamantaires accustomed to working in laissez-faire environments describe our system as draconian. What is even more important is that Government officials tasked with implementing our legislation do so in a systematic, meticulous, professional, efficient and ethical manner.
Under the Act, every producer, contractor or subcontractor or holders of prospecting licences, dealers, cutters and polishers are required to keep prescribed registers in which shall be entered prescribed particulars in respect of polished diamonds immediately as soon as they are first won, recovered or received.
In a nutshell, our legislative regime is enforced by agencies that are logistically well positioned (though not always well resourced) to handle all manner of diamond security situations.
I wonder who in the land of the brave would believe, let alone take seriously, such delusional and ludicrous hogwash. Diamonds from Toscanini were brought to Windhoek on Wednesday, 28 November 2007 escorted by PRU and a diamond inspector via Eros Airport and transported to the nearby MME offices for valuation.
On the same day, G4 Security brought a parcel which had been kept at the G4 Company safe in Windhoek for some days waiting for the opportunity when the Government Diamond Valuator would be available for valuation. That parcel was from Block 3.
The two parcels were checked separately and sealed in different parcels marked as per their origins.
The two parcels were then later sealed in one big envelope and taken by G4 Security for safe keeping. Both concessions are mined by the same contractor. There was never any contamination of diamonds as is alleged. No one committed a crime as the contractor is authorized by the Security Plan as well as by Agreement with the licensee to transport diamonds and bring them in for valuation.