GOVERNMENT has said it will not take kindly to investors particularly in agriculture and mining sectors who are disregarding the country’s labour laws with impunity.
Vice-president Guy Scott said Government had no problems with investors getting a return of their investment as long as they were in compliance with the country’s laws.
Dr Scott said this in Kitwe yesterday when he officially opened the 57th Copperbelt Mining, Agriculture and Commercial Show (CMACS) held under the theme ‘Sustainable and Environmentally Responsible Development –Beyond Zambia’s Jubilee’.
The vice-president was particularly disappointed with expatriate farmers in Mkushi district who said were disregarding the country’s labour laws by not paying their employees the Government prescribed minimum wage.
“I am very disappointed that there was even a meeting in Mkushi where they were discussing why farm workers are not being paid according to the minimum wage,” he said.
Dr Scott said investors should not only rush to building houses and buying posh vehicles such as limousines but fail to pay workers according to Government prescribed minimum wage.
He advised investors particularly white farmers against coming to invest in the country with the view of making quick profit and leave the country there after.
“When you come to invest in the country know that you are here to stay and we want you to start behaving like Zambians. We don’t object to you making your money because we want you to make money and that way the economy of Zambia will develop, but again you need to respect the law of the country,” he said.
Dr Scott assured investors in the mining sector of protection of their investment saying Government was not interested in grabbing any of their assets as long as they complied with the country’s laws particularly those on tax.
“We don’t want to see people jumping up and saying we are making so much profit but then you are involved in tax avoidance,”
“Don’t make boastful remarks, on how much you are making, its offensive, lets be civilized,”Dr Scott said.
He said Government would not go to sleep and allow investors engage in tax avoidance.
Dr Scott called players in the mining industry to put their acts together and ensure that the country got back on top in terms of being number one copper producing nation on the continent.
And Copperbelt Show Society chairperson Bill Osborne said the agriculture sector in Zambia was proving to be vibrant as witnessed by the recorded maize bumper harvest.
Mr Osborn also cited other sectors such as the livestock, poultry which he said had continued to show positive growth.
However, called Government to address challenges such the high cost of production as well as cost of doing business which he said were hampering the smooth growth and development of the agriculture sector.
Mr Osborne expressed happiness with this year’s show which he said had attracted quality exhibition from players in various sectors of the economy both locally and internationally.
Earlier, Dr Scott toured exhibitors stands round the show and was accompanied by Mines Minister Christopher Yaluma, Agriculture Minister Wilbur Simuusa, his Commerce Trade and Industry counterpart Bob Sichinga and Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge.
Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Wynter Kabimba who is also Justice Minister also joined the vice-president at the official opening of the show.
All this happen due to lack of political well. why do investors not fool around in DRC, Angola & other known countries? why is Zambia always in backward gear? Investors are big headed bcoz they bribe their way in and so it becomes hard for controls to be followed. Where is the labor department? what are they employed for? Look at Solwezi, the labor office is not even felt. Investors say your gvt can do nothing to us. and most investors have resorted to bringing foreign labor and leaving Zambians in the cold. Do something bwana bosses
Too little too late or lazy. And the tourism industry?
Good that PF start listening that Guy Scott need to work more, and especially when Ba Sata need alot of rest.
Guy Scott issuing empty threats, just to appear like he cares, while you fools are hiding the constitution, we are taken advantage of because we have a bad constitution period, you know it yourself because you too are abusing it everyday for your personal advantage
Africa, and Zambia in particular ever being robbed in everything. They robbed us in pre-colonial days, during colonial days and post colonial days. They rob in daylight, at twilight and at night. We do not even know how to stop the stealing from us. We seem to be covered in a blanket or is it a bubble where there is smoke screen we can’t clearly see what goes on really. Human labour was used as slave labour and today being paid below what has been coined as minimum wages. Resources tapped while we look and paid little for them! Just what will it take to clearly see what actually goes on? Which breed of citizens will ensure equality in business. They bring experts who get paid more than local but most of these experts only manipulate data presented to them by locals. What must it take?
ubupuba, always yapping but no positive results. Everything in the economy is going backwards and these empty tins are talking the opposite. Agawal stole hundred of millions of Dollars and nobody is talking in favour of the poor Miners who made the profits which the Indian Devil is boasting about possible. All they talking about is tax avoidance because they know once that money is paid out by Agawal, it will go straight into their coffers and then supreme vultures like Sata and Scott will be the first ones to get a lion’ s share. What about the poor Miners whom Agawal’ s support devils have been using like shovels or tools bafikala ?
Ok Dr Scott, you have spoken sense today but do you mean it?? I have had lengthy arguments with some white farmers and all they think about is making maximum profits, employing few Zambians as possible, dodging whatever taxes they can at the same time, they have a very low opinion of all Zambians despite the fact it is us the same Zambians they think are useless that have given them an opportunity to work and make money here! Solution??? Well its simple we must grab all their farms and give them to agric college graduates to develope. This would be a justified action as these white farmers have terribly abused Zambians in many ways, they have made their millions without developing their areas, look at Mkushi what a shame that with all those rich white farmers there is poverty there..ctn
Ctn…I also wish to give examples of the many rich white farmers in Southern Province what have they done to assist their communities?? Nothing they just enrich themselves, same applies to other big farmers like Sable and Zambeef, evil white racists that don’t care about any of you, please here let us put politics aside, these white farmers must go!! They don’t have honest intentions and they are making us a laughing stock by milking us in broad daylight, empower Zambians regardless of their political leanings, let’s not make a mistake of what happened in Zimbabwe where only Mugabe’s chosen benefited, everyone as long as they are Zambian and capable of farming be they UPND,PF,MMD,ZRP should be given land and the means to develop land and create employment and revenue for Zambia! I…