Vice President George Kunda has assured the nation that government will not s

pare any efforts aimed at mitigating challenges associated with the global economic crisis.

Mr. Kunda says government has started working out modalities aimed at minimizing effects that may arise from the global economic and financial crisis.

The Vice President was speaking in Kabwe, Sunday, when he addressed MMD party officials and government heads of departments.

Mr. Kunda said although the effects of the global economic and financial crisis had started impacting on the Zambian economy, government under the leadership of President Banda was addressing the challenges with due attention.

He said government had devised a mechanism aimed at rationalizing expenditure to respond to some of the challenges that may be associated with the global economic and financial crisis and the soaring mealie-meal prices and other essential commodities in the country.

On government’s decision for Zambia to withdraw from hosting the 2011 All Africa games, Mr Kunda said the reason was to ensure that resources which were meant for the event were channeled to other development programmes such as the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP).

He explained that it was going to cost Zambia over K1 trillion to host the continental games, a situation he said was going to frustrate government efforts of implementing other development programmes.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kunda has appealed to MMD leaders at the grassroots to strengthen the party structures in readiness for the 2011 general elections.

Addressing party leaders in Kabwe today, Mr.Kunda said MMD members should not be complacent but start preparing themselves for the next presidential and parliamentary polls in 2011.

The Vice President further called on Zambians to concentrate on growing more food rather than resorting to holding demonstrations saying that the escalating prices of mealie-meal prices and other essential commodities were a global challenge.

Mr. Kunda said growing more food was the only measure aimed at addressing the various challenges associated with the soaring mealie-meal prices and other essential commodities that the country was facing.

Speaking at the same function, Education Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa urged MMD party members to explain to the nation the various development programmes that government has and was implementing.

Professor Lungwangwa said there is need for the MMD party officials to play a leading role of explaining to the people of the various government programmes that it has and was implementing.

He further disclosed that government through his ministry has from 2006 to 2008 spent over K600 billion on the construction exercise of modern high schools in the country.

Professor Lungwangwa also disclosed that over K200 billion has been spent on the procurement of school learning materials adding that a total sum of K31 billion has also been spent on the procurement of vehicles for the District Education Boards (DEBS).

Meanwhile, Agriculture and Co-operatives Minister Brain Chituwo said government through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will in the next coming two months offload 60, 000 metric tones of maize.

Dr Chituwo said the move taken by government to offload 60, 000 metric tones of maize was aimed at addressing the challenges associated with the escalating prices of mealie-meal in the country.

And MMD District Chairperson George Kangwa appealed to government to address the soaring prices of mealie-meal in the country.

ZANIS/TK/ENDS

Mazabuka Town Clerk, Ekan Chingangu says his council will comply with Government directives that has nullified Mayoral elections.

Mr Chingangu told ZANIS in Mazabuka, Sunday, although the mayor elect, Shaderick Mwiinga had been given the instruments of power, his administration will have nothing to do but to ask him to surrender them to former Mayor, Edmond Cheelo.

He said the local authority will abide by the minister of local government’s directives to extend the tenure office for the Mayors and their deputies although official communication has not yet been issued.

Mr Chingangu said the council has not yet received official communication from the Ministry of Local Government but will follow what is in the Press.

But Mayor elect Shaderick Mwiinga told ZANIS, as far as he is concerned his election is not affected by the statutory instrument signed by Local Government Minister.

Mr Mwiinga said he will only accept when the council receives official communication nullifying his election.

Meanwhile local government and housing minister, Benny Tetamashimba has said the Patriotic Front (PF) mayoral elections held at Kitwe and Chingola councils are illegal .

Mr Tetamashimba said in an interview in Lusaka  that the elections were illegal and should not be recognised.

He said the town clerk was supposed to have presided over the mayoral elections but that was not the case.

The minister wondered who could have conducted the elections because returning officers were not present to supervise the polls.

He said PF councillors were just trying to create anarchy in the country.

Kitwe Town Clerk, Ali Simwinga said as far as the council was concerned, there were no mayoral elections, maintaining that Divo Katete was still the mayor of the city.

Mr Simwinga said he was the returning officer and was not aware of any mayoral elections, saying the filed nomination papers were still valid.

“I am the returning officer and when I am not there, then the elections are illegal. As far as I am concerned, our mayor is Divo Katete,” Mr Simwinga said.

In Chingola, Musenga Ward councillor Steven Mubanga expressed disappointment at the behaviour of some PF councillors.

Mr Mubanga, who is MMD district chairman ,said he was disappointed because Government’s directive was clear.

ZANIS/HC/Ends/MM/Times of Zambia

Zambia’s troubled Luanshya Copper Mine (LCM) has halted operations and will only restart if the price of copper rises, the firm’s chief executive officer Derek Webbstock said on Saturday.

Webbstock said mining operations ceased on Saturday and all 1,740 employees would be laid off.

“The mine is closed and all the workers will be laid off,” Webbstock told Reuters. “I don’t know when the operations will resume … it will only be after the price of copper is up again.”

Mines and minerals development minister Maxwell Mwale said the government would work to ensure operations of the mine resumed in the shortest possible time, but said the government would not step in and buy it.

“We cannot just come in because there are legal implications since this mine is a private property,” Mwale said. “But we are determined to make sure the mine begins to operate again because we don’t want job losses.”

Copper is Zambia’s biggest export and the mines, which are a major employer, are struggling with a fall in global metal prices.

Mwale said he held a crisis meeting with unions on Saturday but did not give further details.

LCM, a joint venture of International Mineral Resources and Bein Stein Group Resources, operates Chambishi Metals and the Baluba copper mine.

Chambishi’s cobalt smelter was shut down two weeks ago. But its roaster, which is used for copper refining, and the Baluba mine were still operational until Saturday.

LCM had already suspended its new $354 million Mulyashi mine proj ect while it reviewed its viability.

Mwale said LCM’s owners had not injected enough cash into the company after buying it from the government in 2003. Last week, the government said it was looking at ways of saving the mine from collapse.

Reuters

Today’s Scripture

”And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness…” (Romans 8:26 NLT).

Today’s Word from Joel and Victoria

Sometimes, people get distracted by what they consider to be a disadvantage or weakness in their lives.  It may be something about their personality or looks that they don’t like.  Or maybe they’ve been through an unfair situation: a divorce, a bad business deal, or a bad break.  We all have things that can feel like disadvantages; things that make it harder on us.  It may even be a physical handicap where you can’t get around like you used to.

But just because you have a “disadvantage,” just because you’ve been through a tough time, doesn’t mean you’re supposed to sit back and settle where you are.  God still has something great for you to do!  He wants to show Himself strong in and through you.  The Holy Spirit wants to help you  when you feel weak.  If you will stay in faith and not get negative toward yourself or your future, then God can take what you think is a liability and turn it into an asset.  What you think is a disadvantage, God will turn around to be an advantage so you can move forward into the abundant life He has for you!

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, today I give You all that I am.  I invite You into the weak places in my life so that You can turn them into strengths.  Thank You for working in my life and filling me with faith and expectancy.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Joel Osteen ministries

The Committee of Citizens has advised the opposition in Zambia not make political capital out of the current global economic meltdown as it has affected not only Zambia but the whole World.

Organization Executive Director Gregory Chifire has said the opposition should instead work closely with the government in finding lasting solutions to the effects of the global crisis.

Mr. Chifire charged, in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka Saturday, that government should not be blamed for the recent job losses being experienced in the mining sector, general increase in commodity prices and the depreciation of the kwacha among other problems.

He explained that job losses in the mines and the depreciation of the Kwacha were due to the fall in metal prices on the world market adding that this has affected the country because copper is a major Forex Earner for Zambia and not the government of President Rupiah Banda.

The Director further condemned the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) for continued increase in mealie meal prices.

Mr. Chifire accused MAZ of not being sincere in the way it is handling mealie meal prices in the country.

He noted that despite the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) off loading maize on the market at a reasonable price, some mealiers have continued to effect high prices on the commodity.

He disclosed that his organization is aware of the cartel by the mealers to frustrate government’s effort of delivering to the people.

He further pointed out that demonstrations against government over mealie meal prices should not be entertained by well meaning Zambians.

ZANIS/MM/ENDS/MM

Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU ) President Mr. Hikaumba, has said government has increased its expenditure through commissions like the Task Force and the NCC . He said that these commissions can easily be done away with to enable the country have a good cash flow to benefit more Zambians.

Mr Mr. Hikaumba has urged government to reduce expenditure and increase production to enable workers to be less affected by the world economic clampdown.

Mr Hikaumba has also challenged Union leaders to dialogue with government to look at the global economic slown down critically.

Mr. Hikaumba said during 2009 commodity prices will increase there by disadvantaging majority of civil servants and ordinary Zambians.

He said only good salaries for public workers will help cushion the effects of the clumpdown.

He suggested that government should consider salary increment regardless of the economic crisis which has affected the country.

The ZCTU President said government would want to give all sorts of excuses because of global financial crisis but however said this development calls for critical thinking.

Meanwhile, the Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) has called on government to narrow the gap between the highly and lowly paid workers by coming up with a deliberate policy on the poverty datum – line.

This is according to the resolutions of the just ended biannual conference of CSAWUZ held in Livingstone.

The civil servants have also called on government to immediately open negotiations with the union for the 2009 improved salaries and conditions of service.

The government has further been urged to conclude the negotiations before the expiry of the existing agreement.

They public workers were of the view that government should also clear all outstanding arrears for the existing housing allowances and other personal emoluments such as leave travel and settling-in allowances.

The civil servants in their resolutions also urged government to expeditiously resolve the outstanding 2003 housing allowance issue as per provision of the memorandum of understanding signed with the union.

This year’s annual conference was officially opened by Secretary to Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja.
ZANIS/ENDS/FM/MM.

Adolescents who claim they are “madly in love” might not be too far off the mark: a new study suggests that they show almost manic behaviors.

Serge Brand of the Psychiatric University Clinics in Basel, Switzerland, and his colleagues surveyed 113 teenagers at around 17 years of age, asking them to complete questionnaires about their conduct and mood and to keep a log of their sleep patterns. Of those, 65 indicated they had recently fallen in love and experienced intense romantic emotions.

The lovestruck teenagers showed many behaviors resembling “hypomania” a less intense form of mania. For example, they required about an hour less sleep each night than teens who didn’t have a sweetheart. They were also more likely to report acting compulsively, with 60% saying they spent too much money compared with fewer than 30% of teenagers who were not in love.

Moreover, the lovestruck teens were more than twice as likely to say they had lots of ideas and creative energy. Worryingly, they were also more likely to say they drove fast and took risks on the road.

“We were able to demonstrate that adolescents in early-stage intense romantic love did not differ from patients during a hypomanic stage,” say the researchers. This leads them to conclude that intense romantic love in teenagers is a “psychopathologically prominent stage”.

They add that psychiatrists should take this information into account when assessing adolescent patients who are having trouble sleeping and are showing other behavioural changes.

The symptoms of hypomania overlap with those of mania, which is diagnosed as bipolar disorder when accompanied by periods of depression.

Journal reference: Journal of Adolescent Health