A male Prison warder at Choma State Prison has been physically assaulted by angry prisoners during a protest.

The prisoners were protesting over the continued delay for them to appear in a magistrates court on various charges.

Both prison and police sources confirmed the incident which happened on Wednesday to ZANIS in Choma today and described the situation as unfortunate.

According to prison sources, the prisoners turned violent upon hearing that they could not be taken to court because the magistrate handling their cases had not traveled from Lusaka.

The incident happened when police and Drug Enforcement Commission officers went to the prison to collect suspects for the court session.

It was at this point that the affected prisoners demanded to be taken to court so that they could lodge their complaint about their prolonged detention.

The suspects then descended on one prison warder, pinning him down on the ground before severely beating him up.

Most of the suspects that turned violent have spent about two years in remand prison without court appearance.

The cases for affected suspected are being handled by Lusaka chief resident magistrate Charles Kafunda who was then Choma senior resident magistrate before his transfer to the capital.

Prison sources told ZANIS that the assaulted warder has since treated for wounds, but expressed grave concern at the security situation for warders at the Prison.

ZANIS/CM/ENDS/SJK

Government has disclosed that it will soon implement a new strategy policy for financing Technical Education Vocational and Entrepreneurship training (TEVET) institutions in the country.

Science , Technology and Vocational Minster Peter Daka says the new strategy will be in accordance with the national skills development plan which will be regularly revised and updated for the improved skills development in the country.

Speaking when he officiated at the opening of a one day conference for Zambia National Association of TEVET providers (ZNATP) in Lusaka today, Mr. Daka noted that TEVET has not been effective in executing its duties due to problems in financing most of the programmes.

Mr. Daka explained that despite government appointing a technical team to undertake a comprehensive review of the national TEVET policy, service delivery by providers has not improved hence the decision to have a new financing policy.

He said once the policy is implemented , it will change the way TEVET providers who include public and private colleges have been operating.

He disclosed that his Ministry is just waiting for cabinet to finalise and approve the policy document before it is made available to providers.

Meanwhile, Mr. Daka has cited lack of adequate resource as a major challenge in implementing the policy.

He assured the training providers in the country that government has started putting in place a number of inventions aimed at enhancing good service delivery by improving capacity building and strengthening management system.

Mr. Daka has since called on other stakeholders to partner with government in delivering good training skills which are in demand for the Labour force, adding that by so doing many people will be given a chance to contribute to the economic growth of the country because they will be employed.

And earlier ZNATP president Pascal Chewe bemoaned lack of government’s support to private training institutions in the country.

Mr. Chewe said most of private colleges are operating below standards because they lack proper linkages that can be monitoring them from government.

He said there is need for government to establish good working relations with training providers in the country, if the services are to be improvised.

He explained that training providers have to be made aware on the importance of working with government and contribute positively to the growth of the educational sector.

The ZNATP president however, urged conference participants to offer courses that are in line with the changing technology and compete favourably with other international private and public institutions.

ZANIS/MM/MKM/ENDS.

African Union Ministers of trade have converged in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to discuss the financial crisis and other challenges that are being faced by the continent.

Commerce Deputy Minister Richard Taima is attending the fifth ordinary session of the two day AU conference of Ministers which opened yesterday.

The conference is also expected to reflect on developments such as increasing food prices, climate change on the continent and global trade.

This session is a key institutional framework of the AU which provides a forum to review developments on the continent, take stock and asses policy implementation.

This is contained in a statement made to ZANIS by Zambia’s Embassy in Ethiopia First Secretary for Press Dorcas Chileshe.

ZANIS/AC/MKM/ENDS.

A visiting Standard Chartered Bank Chief Financial Officer Mahendra Gursahani has expressed dismay at investors who only invest in good times .

Mr. Gursahani said genuine investors stick by their commitments in good times as well as in bad times.

He said Standard Chartered Bank believes in making long-term commitments that over-ride short term challenges.

Mr. Gursahani disclosed that Standard Chartered Bank will this year be celebrating its103rd year of unbroken operations in Zambia.

The chief Financial Officer said genuine partnership should be a continuation of a long and successful history, adding that Standard Chartered Bank Zambia will continue to remain an integral part of the local economy.

Mr. Gursahani told ZANIS in an interview today that his bank will continue to support local and international businesses in order to drive economic growth.

He has since commended Government for creating an enabling environment for investors to invest in the economy in order to enhance socio-economy development of the country.

Mr. Gursahani said the Bank will continue to use its international expertise and capabilities to introduce new, innovative products and services into the Zambian market, so as to support the rapid sophistication of financial services sector and the wider economy.

ZANIS/PM/MKM/ENDS.