MINISTER of Information and Broadcasting Services Lieutenant-General Ronnie Shikapwasha has been ordered to intervene and ensure that Gateway Television (Gtv) compensates subscribers about K2.5 billion it owes them.
Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa made this ruling in response to a point of order raised by Sinazongwe member of Parliament (MP) Raphael Muyanda.
Mr Muyanda wanted to know whether Gen. Shikapwasha was in order to keep quiet when Gtv had closed, with the company owing its over 3,000 subscribers K2.5 billion.
In response, Mr Mwanamwambwa said since Gen. Shikapwasha was the Minister in charge of Broadcasting Services, he should intervene on behalf of subscribers.
Mr Mwanamwambwa said, however, that the intervention should be within the law.
And Parliament yesterday heard that Government collected K126 billion revenue in form of windfall tax, as at December 31, 2008.
Deputy Minister of Finance and National Planning Chileshe Kapwepwe told Parliament that only Kansanshi, Chibuluma and NFC Mining paid tax of K109 billion, K7.6 billion and K8 billion respectively.
Ms Kapwepwe was responding to a question by Nchanga MP Wilbur Simuusa (PF) who wanted to know how many mining companies had paid windfall taxes by end of December 2008.
And Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane said Mopani Copper Mines, Konkola Copper Mines, First Quantum Mining and Operations Limited, Lumwana and Luanshya Copper Mine had not paid the tax due to operational difficulties they were facing.
Dr Musokotwane also said Government had not yet obtained tax from Kansanshi Mine because the company took Government to court.
He said Government was waiting for the case to be disposed of.
Dr Musokotwane said Lumwana could not pay the tax because it had not yet started operations.
He said the rest of the companies did not have the capacity to pay.
The Minister was responding to Lusaka Central MP Guy Scott (PF) who asked why other mining companies had not paid the tax.
Dr Musokotwane said Government had no choice but to protect the jobs of Zambians who worked on the mines.
Dr Musokotwane said Government would discuss with the affected mines how the liability would be resolved.
And Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Daniel Kalenga told parliament that Government had no plans of dissolving the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and bringing back the National Agricultural Marketing Board.
This was in response to Choma Central MP George Chazangwe (UPND) who wanted to know whether there were any plans to dissolve FRA and what measures Government had taken to enhance food security.
Mr Kalenga said Government had established a task force to look into the matter.
And Mr Mwanamwambwa urged Dr Musokotwane to ensure that economic reports and other vital documents related to the budget were availed to MPs.
This was in response to Pemba MP David Matongo (UPND) who raised a point of order on why the MPs were not in possession of the documents, when the budget had already been announced.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
They definately should
Ok, but let read first.
This sounds interesting. Let me also read first!
Zambians have gone through a lot and need to be spared please 😕
Good on you Mr Speaker Sir!
Moderator yashani? l-)
I can`t see anything coming out of this. GTV will only give 50pin to those assigned to this task and that`s it.
We know how things should be done but pakafye Lesa akese.
Ba 3RqU naimwe, insansa kuchinjanako kabili :d/
Awe Moderator washupa we? Ubukile ku right lelo? :d
Same sh******t story, what do you think are they going to do,nothing? these people(GTV) gave us a reason just like our GRZ did to withdraw from hosting all africa games. who is going to pursue our GRZ because they gave the same reason of economy reccession. :((:((;)[-(
Ronnie doesn’t comment on issues affecting the people koma ngati it’s about Nyama Soya ala bilima ukulanda
what happens to the employees?bwafa mu **==**==
Just leave them Kaili tatwasalapuka pa Zed,these infectors will continue making money in our country without Zedians benefiting anything.This is not the first time this is happening.
Matworld
LT award winner for :-j:-j:-j
Once more we see the gov’t being reactive to issues.Why did Gen Shikapwasha wait to be reminded in parliament and why were we not told before that some mining companies had not paid the windfall tax? This is not a serious gov’t and has to be prodded every time to take action.No vision.
De better do that or else fikabipa!
This is how incompetent our ministers are..Surely does it need to take the Speaker of the National Assembly to order the minister to intervene…What these chaps are good at is talking back at the opposition…For sure Zambia is running on auto pilot [-o<
Gtv should refund me especially that i just paid. They should know that I work for the money I paid them.
GTV subscribers will never get their money. If they do, it will be years and years later. Viva DSTv
Sorry GTV subscribers i saw this coming viva Dstv indeed.Why should govt intervene did they do the same in compensating ZA passengers?
good mr. speaker sir, investors are taking advantange of the citizens of this country e.g kwachamania
DSTV have annouced that they will be showing all premership games again starting this weekend
No comment:-??
l-)
:d:((:o
wait a minute, how much does the government owe retirees? How may retirees are waiting for their money? How many retirees have died while waiting for their money? GTV is will just divert attention from real issues. Compare 3000 subscribers against people who have lost jobs. I would rather worry so much about job loses.
another foreign investor you will continue crying
another foreign investor you will continue crying :((:((
GTV’s parent company was liquidated and the subscribers will be treated as unsecured creditors. prority will be to pay secured creditors. subscribers may be paid after 4 years or not.
:))
#18.u dnt reason no wonder u said that.
#18.u dnt reason no wonder u said that. :((
The Speaker should be seen to have an even hand when it comes to such issues – why didn’t he start with Zambian Airways which left alot of people stranded and nothing was done to find alternative means of getting those stranded to their destinations?
I feel GTV’s issue is beyond the local management but for Nchito Airways – one only has to see the bling they have been acquiring when times were good.
Why should a company not pay tax ? This sounds like someone refusing to pay the rent or mortgage because they were on holiday.
Surley there are some measures in place on how and when tax should be paid.
This sounds like the system in the 1920s.
i lost some cash in meridian bank, i payed smartcentre more when they left zed and now i dont know how long it will take for these guys ba GTV to refund me. but naishupa.
The govt should penalise companies for paying tax late or for not paying it .
Why cant the govt have a body to protect people in such situations?
The money that these companies take, is pipos hard erned cash . This is daylight robbery.
GTV must refund the pipo or pay the price.
# 24 His Excellency ,
You have a point , but the other pipo equally deserve their money back.
Why are you encouraging these pipo to get away with such behaviour
#31 Umusungu the Speaker didnt need to intervene in the case of Zambian Airways because the whole govt machinery was tripling on each other to ‘fix’ the owners. The govt, on the other hand, hasnt been on the GTV case. And I guess you know why!
The Govt should equally find out from from Multichoice Zambia why the Zambian subscribers are paying almost twice compared to the subscribers in South Africa and other Southern African countries were they operate.
The BIG ONE is why Multichoice charges in US Dollars in Zambia only. Why has our govt allowed such because it is only in Zambia it is happening.
Probe the owners of Zambezi airlines also this could turn out to be a sister Co. of ZA Bakabwalala
I love Muiti-Choice. DStv….so much more!
GTV was told by multi-choice Zambia, that the broad-casting business is not for everyone..hahahahaha. That’s why I refused to install GTV for my Family in Zed, until I was really sure of their performance.
My brothet wanted to buy DSTV RSA… now he has to wait to see the DSTV Zambia is going to broadcast the Engligh FA games as Mwila is indicating.
The bottom line is GRZ is always scared to deal with ba zungus. I wonder why. Someone know from day one that this GTV is a british kantempa… but this Kantempa went to bed with GRZ to restrict DSTV in Zed… ala bwafya…
The biggest problem is that our GRZ NEVER learns to protect the intest of Zedians.
Why give it a fuss about the GTV issue and just talk about Windfall Tax.The same government cant see the value of Gold being produced in some mines.Cant we mine the precious Gold ourselves.’John Cena’ they cant see gold being mined and monies externalised! Work up,find out
Pursue Zambian Airways in the same manner. They delayed my flight to JHB !
BaGTV BALITUMPA SANA INE NDEFWAYA IMPIYA SHANDI :((:((
I bought my GTV decorder on the last weekend of December 2008 and was due to pay my second subscription by 4th Feb. Now, was GTV in order to sell me a decorder at K434,000 to be used for a month only? I think GTV must take back its decorder and give my money back. It will go a long way in supporting my children’s education since I haven’t paid the full tuition for one of them. God forbid!
:)][-x
i jst cant beleve dat gtv has gone it was a great company bt anyway we all go through those rough times :((:o