Government says the regional economic integration process that Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)Â has embarked should help in uplifting the lives of the people in the region.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati said uplifting of peoples lives should be achieved through national and regional sustainable development.
Mr Mutati said Zambia and other countries in the region should sustain economic
development through cooperation and expansion of markets.
He stressed the region would fail to sustain economic development if it does not
cooperate.
Mr. Mutati was speaking when he officially opened the 4 th SADC Meeting of the
Ministerial Task Force meeting on Regional Economic Integration in Lusaka today.
He said the region has a challenge of narrowing the gap between the decisions being
made and the implementation process on the ground
He said implementation of decisions will result in creation of wealth, jobs and
poverty reduction which on average stand at 50 percent in the region.
And the Minister further noted that Zambia has in the past years recorded positive
economic development as evidenced by the growth of 5.8 percent Gross Domestic
Product.
Mr. Mutati said economic indicators are that the country will continue on its
positive growth.
And Outgoing Chair of Council of Ministers Timothy Thahane implored the region to
work together if it has to achieve wealth creation.
Mr Thahane who is also Lesotho’s Minister of Finance Development and Planning noted
that wealth creation and jobs should contribute to the region’s prosperity.
The region’s prosperity can only enhanced if only the imbalances in trade are minimised or removed principally on SA side that does not want to import goods from neighbouring countries for it regards them as inferior and poor packaging. The only food stuffs that are found in SA groceries are SA and overseas products while SA products are all over SADC region. On the other hand, the introduction of common currency in the region like the use of Rand or Pula can assist countries like Zim to stand on their knees in terms of flow of foreign currency in the country.
Trouble with trade is that no one let alone SA retailers can force SA consumers to buy goods of inferior quality just to redistribute wealth. Our packaging has to improve. Africa, generally speaking, has shown great potential to pick up economically over the past 10 years. Lets get our infrastructure in place and get the chinese and others to bring in light manufacturing and help these guys making bottled water and other things to package it better. So if the Zambian govt will find K500 billion for CC, i could do a road from Lsk right thru kafue national park or to the lower zambezi. That will do a major boost to our economy than all this abstract debate about HOW to adopt a constitution. The zambian people already spoke to Mungomba and co. Let the elected boys and girls do their bit, or face consequences in 2011.
Used my son’s name on #2 to introduce myself to a new identity as i see we getting some trouble with IDs here. KK deported me so i cant underestimate the state. But just noted there’s another George elsewhere on this blog. so apologies.
#2 GEORGE/FRANCIS.You`ve raised a very good point about the quality of packaging that is done in Zambia.My niece brought me some castard from home which I should say tasted real good but the packaging was way below standard.The colour coding was bad and what was worse was that the expiration date was hand written.If we`re thinking of penetrating the international market,standards must be raised in order to compete at such levels.Furthermore,for the regional economic intergration to be appreciated,boarder clearances should be expedited.This could help alot in boosting E-commerce done on an international scale.
#1.BA JOZE…Is it true that you filming “SHELI”?I will desperately need a copy whenever you`re done.So don`t forget to hook me up,coz that`s one way in which our Zambian culture will be promoted.Good job and I`m proud of you and the entire crew.
SONDASHI CALLS FOR RENAMING OF CONSTITUTION CONFERENCE BILL
(From the Post Newspapers Zambia)
Former works and supply minister Ludwig Sondashi yesterday said he saw no reason why the constitution conference bill should not simply be named constituent assembly bill.
“Renaming this bill as a constituent assembly bill was going to overcome a lot of resistance and misunderstanding,” he said.
Sondashi, who is a lawyer, said it was important that the constitution conference be given powers to adopt the recommendations.He said there was no need to recommend to the minister of justice what was agreed upon by the constitution conference.
“Since the government is concerned with the huge cost of undertaking the constitutional process, it is therefore important that no allowances should be paid to any member of the constitutional conference, not even members of parliament, except for transport costs, lodging costs, and out of pocket expense allowances of K100, 000 per day per person,” he said.Sondashi said all the members of the conference should be seen to sacrifice for the betterment of Zambia.
“It is important that members coming from identified groups must be selected and nominated by the groups themselves,” Sondashi said.
The challenge for patriotism can never be better expressed than what Dr. Sondashi has said here. I’m keen to see true selfless patriots from all political divides. No allowance for seating on the constitutional conference. Dr. Sondashi is a senior constitutional lawyer with vast experience besides being a former Justice Minister of Zambia.
I quote his speech again:
“Since the government is concerned with the huge cost of undertaking the constitutional process, it is therefore important that no allowances should be paid to any member of the constitutional conference, not even members of parliament, except for transport costs, lodging costs, and out of pocket expense allowances of K100, 000 per day per person,” he said.Sondashi said all the members of the conference should be seen to sacrifice for the betterment of Zambia.
I need to change the subject. I need a forum to discuss the stupidity of Multichoice Zambia in making us watch crap in as far as football is conerned. Anyone interesred?
More Messages of Condemnation pool in for the LT based disgraced blogger Chapi. This is over his verified conspiracy role in the flopped Oasis Forum violence demonstration plans. Zambian Patriots from different interest groups have become under personalized questions why they have tolerated the traitor this far when they know the hole he is using to launch these wishes of a Zambians under some carnage for denying Sata the Presidency in 2006.
LUSAKA TRADER TALKS AGAINST DEMOS DURING SADC MEETING
A LUSAKA businessman has joined calls against demonstrations over the Constitution-making process during the Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting. Mr Masautso Lulanga, who is Msanzala Auctioneers managing director, urged police in a statement in Lusaka yesterday not to allow any demonstration as these would only bring about confusion.“Why demonstrate to Presidents of other countries when our own President is always ready to listen especially over this issue?,†he wondered.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Leslie Mbula, has challenged Zambians to take advantage of the SADC summit in Lusaka as an opportunity to seek ways of improving in various developmental areas.
He said it was an honour for Zambia to host such a conference.
In an interview in Lusaka, Mr Mbula said for a long time now, Zambia had been involved in implementation of various SADC protocols, which should make Zambians proud.
He said the efforts contributed to various forums should be appreciated by all peace loving SADC members whose interest was to see development in various sectors to improve the conditions of living of the people in the region.Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Tens Kapoma, said Government was happy with the preparations made so far ahead of the summit and was committed to ensuring that the meeting was a success.Zambia is expected to assume the chairmanship of the regional grouping during the summit which opens tomorrow in Lusaka.
# 6 For the first time you hav posted good news and observations. I wil now add to Sondashis suggestion. All who have a salary should not be paid allowances but the allowances should be calculated on their sitting and then be chanelled in some investments like at UTH, education, opharns, roads, building new houses in general poverty reduction and improving the std of living.
By the way for the going money is there but it must be used properly.
I totally concur with the Pragmatist#7!! Most often our MPs are just money spinners willing to go on any band wagon as long as there are allowances!! Bravo to Sondashi – he couldnt have given advise to those who can absolve 2common sense”
I totally concur with the Pragmatist#7!! Most often our MPs are just money spinners willing to go on any band wagon as long as there are allowances!! Bravo to Sondashi – he couldnt have given better advise to those who can absolve 2common sense”
Easy (10),
And when will you ever post something worth a smart person others will endorse? I’m sick and tired of your usual shallow views and broken English ever since you showed up on the blog. You have reduced the standards so low. That is why am not surprised with the mushrooming of kaponyas here. They have spotted your challenges going by the substandard blogging characteristics you carry. Go to some night school and improve yourself then give your life to blogging. Otherwise, your current caliber has shunned a lot of professionals from participating having noticed that you like jumping on every debate with your broken English no matter your challenges on the material under discussion.
#14 Oberver you know I dont fight on the blog. This is a free forum where anyone can contribute regardless of his education. Your unlce Gary Zulu secretary general but he never spoke any quality english. Now for you for not moving with time and space that languages change I troubled I dont know what to say. Iam not here to study english on this blog if you dont understand what I write just leave and dont read. But I know you will read it because I have very interesting and meaningful ideas. Your comdamention just proved it that my posting are being read by you who are not creative and think shall. Once more Iam not looking a distinction in your queene tongue. I thank God I can speak more than one International languages. If any professional *****s are shuning this place then they should just for somewhere else to blog. I have interest in making personal discussions and discredit someone. My own is to contribute suggestions.
#14 look at this obever std is not sexual transmitted dieases but the abbrevation for the word standard
#1 You brought out an important issue of trade deficit beteen RSA and the rest of Africa. There is lot of factors you have to consider in this respect. RSA’s quality control mechanisms are at par with the west. The other thing is production costs. We have to invest in equipment and processes to improve efficiency which will in turn bring down operational costs. The other thing of course is GRZ. The price of doing business in Z is too high. If you look at 17.5% VAT and 20% Duty plus corporate taxes at the end of the day you have to price your products at 100% to make 20% profit. Remember most of our raw materials are imported. Bottom line, We can cry and complain. But until our government becomes manufacturing friendly…its a pipe dream. The other thing is we need capital investment in turning raw materials that exist in Zambia into usable materials that we can use. look at cotton. we grow cotton sale to RSA and then go buy the cloth to make suites from RSA. how can you compete?