Government has committed itself to implementing recommendations of the national Indaba (dialogue) seeking to find solutions that would ease the effects of the global economic crisis on the Zambian economy.

Vice President, George Kunda told the delegates when he officially closed the Indaba this evening that government would put in place all necessary measures to table the recommendations before cabinet.

Mr. Kunda said this is to ensure that the Indaba recommendations received implementation authority from the highest government level.

“Government has taken note of various recommendations coming out of this Indaba. Government will therefore ensure that all necessary measures are put in place to table these before cabinet to ensure implementation authority is given at the highest level,” he said.

He observed that Zambians in general and in particular delegates to the Indaba, have shown sacrifice, commitment and patriotism by staying for dialogue in the last two days in order to help government find solutions to the global economic crisis.

Mr. Kunda, who is also Minister of Justice, noted that the high turn out for the Indaba was testimony that Zambians wanted immediate solutions to the global financial problems, which have also affected Zambia.

“With your support, government will overcome these challenges,” he said.

He has since called on all local and foreign stakeholders to work together with government to implement the recommendations and realize the desired solutions to the economic challenges facing the country and the world.

The Vice President also paid profound tribute to both local and foreign experts and ordinary delegates for their sacrifice and contributions to the Indaba.

And Professor Oliver Saasa said in winding up rapporteurs, that there was need for government to show political will through supporting the recommendations that came out of the two day Indaba, which was held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.

Professor Saasa said government should develop a clear plan of implementing the recommendations.

He said there should also be clear and effective monitoring of the implementation of the recommendations, which should be done in a transparent manner.

He however cautioned that as government implements the recommendations, it should be weary of not disturbing the needs of sensitive sectors such as education and health.

Professor Saasa recommended that a task force that would deal with all matters arising from the global economic crisis should be set up, adding that a sustainable investment in human resource should also be encouraged.

And during presentations of the recommendation by specific Indaba groups, the mining group assured the nation that the Zambian mining industry would survive the crisis.

The group has however recommended that a taskforce be set up immediately to evaluate and review the entire mining industry in response to the global crisis.

Group Rapporteur, Sixtus Mulenga, said the Mining Sector in Zambia was still resilient and would therefore not be suffocated by the current global economic crisis.

Presenting recommendations of the group, Dr. Mulenga said the current cost of copper, which is US$ 4,000 per tonne was not very bad to necessitate the dying of the Zambian mining industry.

He said the Zambian mining industry has survived many economic recessions in the past, adding that it would in the same way survive the current global financial crisis.

The group recommended that in the short, there should be a review of the mines and minerals development act and considers restoration and review of the development agreement.

Other short term measures to survive the global economic crisis are the need to develop a policy of encouraging local entrepreneurship in the mining industry and fully implement the Zambia Development Agency Act and the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).

Dr. Mulenga disclosed that as a medium term measure, the group recommended a reduction of the cost of doing business through e-commerce and single window clearance and provide incentives to domestic suppliers instead of taxing export oriented copper houses.

On the long term basis, the group recommended that there should be a policy stability guarantee, which has however worked well in Zambia in the past.

He said because of good government policies, the country has received about US$ 4 billion as direct foreign investment in the last decade.

He also stressed the need to maximally exploit also mineral potentials which the country has.

Dr. Mulenga said although the mining sector seems to be adversely affected by the economic crisis, chances of regaining its normal operations in the near future were very high.

Meanwhile, the group on energy recommended that Zambia must actualize her full potential in hydro power generation and that a master plan in the sector should be developed in order to foster development in the country.

Among many other groups that made recommendations were the tourism, finance and business.

The indaba, which comprised people from all walks of life and professions, was officially opened yesterday by President Rupiah Banda.

ZANIS/KSH/ENDS.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has arrived in the country for a two day tripartite high level North-South Corridor conference.

Mr. Kibaki touched down at the Lusaka International Airport around 16:40 hours aboard a presidential jet.

He was met by President Rupiah Banda, cabinet ministers, senior government officials and Kenyan nationals living in Zambia.

The Kenyan President was then treated to a variety of Zambian cultural performances before being driven to Intercontinental Hotel were he will be lodging.

Over three hundred delegates have so far confirmed their participation in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)- Eastern African Community (EAC)and Southern African Development Community (SADC) tripartite conference.

South African President Kgalame Motlanthe and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni are also expected to attend the meeting which will start tomorrow at the Mulungushi International Conference Center in Lusaka.

ZANIS/CM/PK/ENDS

The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has appealed to citizens in the country to faithfully pay taxes if they were to enjoy government’s improved service delivery.

ZRA Director of operations in Northern Province, Charles Shapi, said this when he addressed over 60 Mpulungu businessmen during a tax payers’ seminar held at the civic center on Friday.

Mr. Shapi said it was unfair for people, who neglected to pay tax, to cry for better services from public institutions because it is the same money from the taxes that government utilizes to provide goods and services.

He said ZRA has this year launched the tax payers’ week whose theme is ‘Develop Zambia, Pay Your Taxes’, adding that this initiative will be held at the beginning of every business year, which starts on 1st April, for the authority.

Mr. Shapi explained that the main essence of this initiative is to appreciate the support taxpayers render to the Authority in its duty to collect money on behalf of government.

“Every citizen has a national duty therefore, to give what is due to government if we are to see an emergence of a prosperous Zambia, free of the poverty that has afflicted many our dear brothers and sisters for decades,’’ he said.

He revealed that this year, ZRA has a challenge of raising 70 per cent of the national budget from domestic sources, saying it was incumbent upon every citizen to pay tax to support the budget.

Mr. Shapi warned the business people that it was a criminal offence to evade tax and urged them to pay freely to avoid falling into conflict with ZRA officers.

“As long as you are in business, you can’t avoid taxes, there is a saying that ‘death and taxes are the only two things in life that humans cannot avoid’. Besides, we have several ways of recovering monies from those defaulting or evading tax, so just pay.’’ Mr. Shapi told the gathering.

He explained that amount collected from a citizen will go a long way in enhancing service provision by government, adding that ZRA’s interest is not to be a liability to people but to help facilitate the smooth running of businesses in the country.

And speaking earlier, Mpulungu District Commissioner, Willie Simfukwe, said the initiative which ZRA has introduced will create a mutual understanding between tax payers and officers.

Mr. Simfukwe saying this will in the long run contribute to increased government revenue.

He added that it is this money collected by ZRA which will go towards the recruitment of civil servants like teachers, nurses and Doctors, policemen and others, who will eventually provide adequate and efficient services which the Zambian people are hungry for.

Simfukwe said after the seminar, Mpulungu businessmen must no longer fear ZRA officers but consider each other as partners in national development.

“Even in Biblical times, tax collectors were feared and hated. Jesus for one was criticized for dinning with them but he came out clearly that people must ‘Give to Caesar, what belongs to Caesar’. So ZRA officers are there to do a job for us and must not be feared and hated,” he stated.

ZANIS/EK/KSH/ENDS

The Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative (MMCI) has donated assorted items worth K15 million to the women’s fellowship of the Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ).

And the MMCI has pledged K1 million in cash to the same fellowship.

Former first lady Maureen Mwanawasa, who is also MMCI chairperson, said the donated items will benefit the vulnerable people, whom she said were facing a lot of challenges in the country.

Mrs. Mwanawasa made the donation today when she officiated at a fundraising tea party organized by the women’s fellowship of the Reformed Church in Zambia.

She said in order for the vision 2030 to succeed, the underprivileged people should be incorporated in the national development plans of Zambia.

She noted that the church’s commitment to serving the underprivileged people in society was in line with the MMCI’s objectives in its five year strategic plan.

Mrs. Mwanawasa noted that the economic meltdown has not only hit the developed world but it has also impacted negatively on the people living in poor countries.

Speaking at the same occasion, Women’s Fellowship of the Reformed Church in Zambia chairperson Cynthia Banda the fellowship aimed at raising funds for the establishments of multi-skills resource centre that would create various business activities.

Mrs. Banda said the resource centre will have skills such as carpentry, baking and tailoring among others.

She urged women to assist the less privileged people by providing skills.

ZANIS/WM/KSH/ENDS