The Committee of Citizens (CC) has advised mining companies that have laid off their workers to find ways of reinstating them now that the copper prices have started improving on the London metal exchange.
The Executive Director of the Committee, Gregory Chifire said it will not be justifiable for mining companies to continue lying off workers when they have started making profits due to the reduced mine tax regime introduced by government and the picking up of metal prices on the international market.
Mr. Chifire said in an interview in Lusaka today that the rise of the copper prices and the appreciation of the local currency are positive signs that the Zambian economy is stabilizing and attractive to more foreign investment.
He explained that government should not be blamed for the recent slump in the prices of copper and the depreciation of Kwacha, adding that the impact was due to the global economic meltdown that has affected many developing countries including Zambia.
He said, as a result, Civil Society Organization and Opposition political parties should not be demonizing government but assisting in finding solutions to the problems facing the nation.
Mr. Chifire said government’s determination to sustain its fiscal policy is aimed at benefiting all Zambians, and called upon on all stakeholders to supplement Government’s efforts.
The Kwacha has recorded a 2.8 percent appreciation against the United States dollar due to the rise in copper prices to about US$ 6,000 per ton on the London metal exchange, the highest improvement since October last year.
Stop attacking the opposition. We now need results from you Toad Face RB. He should now stop complain about global crisis. Now we know mining companies are now making money again. We need to see development no blaming the crisis, slap back the windfall tax and slash taxes for the rest of Zambian workers. For once put more more into people’s pocket
In April this year the ILO office in Zambia observed that the retrenchments and massive lay offs of employees in the mine sector in zambia can not all be attributed to the effects of the global economic recession. The statement pointed out that some investors came and made money then they divested and went somewhere else. There is need to address the issue of investing in zambia. What can we learn SRI? Deregulation and privatization have been done in a manner that disadvantages the people especially in Zambia. Investors have a free ride: no regard to human rights as well as human dignity. The so called liberalization has depersonalized the industry and many work places in zambia so that the prophecy of M. Friedman ‘the only responsibility of business is profit maximzation’ reigns…
supreme. The problem we have is bigger than the recession. it is the whole conspectus of neoclassical economics which is the seedbed of the economic policies that the world bank, IMF, etc still propagate. Here the only purpose business is to make limitless amounts of money. In this dispensation whether human rights and diginty are respected is another issue all together. From this perspective you can see that many investors are not there to improve the welfare of employees but to make money. Unless there is some form of framework; they won’t do it. But the question is : are profit maximization and the social good diametrically opposed? My answer is NO!
Sata opposed the new mining taxes when they were first implemented. Yes copper prices have gone up recently but we have to wait and see if the higher prices will be sustained. Already today the prices have tumbled slightly from the high price they gained yesterday. The opposition should be scared about the rising prices of copper as it will mean that the govt has the advantage of a growing economy as we head for elections in 2011.
Do you honestly think TODFACE will have a brain of his own. I wouldn’t be supprised if the CHAP has no Idea that the price of Copper is high at the rate it is. He is the worst thing to have happened to this country
I think those weak investors who closed mines in Zambia Should re apply for mining licence,coz they just showed how weak they opperated when they layed off workers even when profits had alredy been made.So the Chineese and Lumwana guyz needs Suport,as they did not retrench any worker while others used Global as an Excuse. Well done Chenesse NFC ,Kannsanshi and Lumwana mine
” The Executive Director of the Committee, Gregory Chifire said it will not be justifiable for mining companies to continue lying off workers when they have started making profits ”
Once and for all – private companies are not mandated to ‘make some profits’, which would be CORRUPT. They are mandated to MAXIMIZE profits, the MD/CEO can go to jail. And maximizing profits means: paying no taxes, not paying workers, sending money to the highest interest paying account or location in the world, polluting everything. If they can get away with it, because there are no laws against it. This is why there is a huge need for a government that pushes back, and that does not subscribe to ‘laissez faire’ economics. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the MMD has done.