Former Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) chairman Errol Hickey has welcomed the new ZTB board chaired by Timothy Mushimbwe.
Speaking in Ndola yesterday, Mr Hickey said the new board was comprised of competent individuals capable of further improving the tourism sector to positively contribute to the economic development of the country.
He however challenged government to support the board with enough funds for it carry out its mandate as marketing of Zambia’s tourism products can only be done effectively if funds are sufficient.
He also urged government to ensure that roads leading to tourist attraction centres are accessible so that tourists will be willing to visit these centres.
Mr Hickey also noted that there was need for the tourists attraction products located in the Luapula and Northern provinces to be improved and well marketed so as to increase the tourist attraction products the country can sell to the outside world.
And the former ZTB chairman expressed optimism that Zambia stands to benefit from the 2010 World Cup Soccer games in South African if the tourism sector is well managed in the run up to the tournament.
He said government should ensure that the country’s stadiums are worked on so that the country can benefit from the World Cup games in 2010.
He also observed the need for the hospitality’s industry to well brace itself competitively for the country to manage to attract soccer fans to lodge in Zambia.
Yesterday minister of tourism announced members of the new board for the Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) was formerly chaired by Errol Hickey.
ZANIS
I am still troubled to come to terms with the idea of Board members getting sitting allowances for making weired decisions. Our country need to grow economically and as such there is need to learn from others and see how they run the boards.There is no need to pay ther board members. The reports emanating from ZNBC are very disturbing and why not just run the boards on voluntary basis so that the monies are channelled to improving the welfare of the workers. ZESCO, and other organizations including institutions of learning have boards members who are paid for sitting making retrogr decisions.
The probelem Jeff is not the sitting allowance but rather the calibre of people who are appointed to these boards and the people who appoint them. People appointed to the boards are supposed to add great value to the companies or organisations to which they are appointed because of their experience, knowledge and the like. In other words they are giving a service at a fee (Siiting allowance) It works well with private comapnies where business is cut throat. In GRZ Plc the selection criteria is political and tribal hence no progress.
Whats equally true is that these Boards add very little value to the insitutions they serve. The actually become a burden on them. So called Board members mostly jump from one meeting to another to simply get the allowance. I hvave seen them attend a Board meeting for only say 30 mins and then disappear leaving others to continue deliberating. Importantly for such a member the allowance will have been registered for. How i wish GRZ can commission a study on the effectiveness of the Boards in quasi GRZ insitutions.
Interestingly each Minister wants to have his or her “own” Board members. Its become a way of rewarding friends with easy money jobs as Board members. I just hope that the new Board Chairman for ZTB will not overshadow the Director of ZTB. Errol Hickey was more visible than management of ZTB. He however gave his role a good shot.
I wish the board the best, tourism is really one of the most under functioning sectors in the economy. As for the allowances, , there is notjhing wrong, the problem is in the calibre of board members , the frequency of board meeting ( these should be maybe quarterly) etc.
As for ndine’s # 4 point. It could also be that the Minister want people who reward their vision/. I say this because I know Errol Hickey and Timothy Mushibe ( the new chairman), believe me neither one of them would be excited the allowances that they receive as chairman
Sorry in paragraph two I mean people who share their vision