Maravi

MPs’ car loan is unjustified

COMMENT - More great Letters from The Post

MPs’ car loan is unjustified
By Disappointed citizen
Monday February 12, 2007 [02:00]

Am I the only one ridiculed by the state of affairs in our country Zambia? No offense intended, but what are we thinking as a nation when we consider it acceptable that politics continue to be a tool for the wealthy and the opportunist to further the gap between the poor and them (the politicians)? Perhaps let me ask; is it not ironic that someone elected in a position of serving others and maybe even saving ones from the hands of poverty walks away with more than what the thousands he/she serves could ever have the opportunity to accumulate in their lifetimes even if these resources were pooled together?

For those that may not see what I am trying to get at I'll make it even plainer. Why should members of parliament enjoy the benefits that they selfishly award themselves at the expense of the hardworking taxpayer? Why should one be driving a fifty three thousand US dollar ($53,000) vehicle in a country that is among the poorest in the world? If the average Zambian walks into Standard Chartered Bank or ZANACO today, asking for a K200 million loan, my guess would be that the bank would seek for proof of earnings that would have to be in the range of over K200 million per year, the rationale being that you need to be earning that kind of money in order to be able to pay back that loan and still have a net take home pay.

Even more so, just the thought there are people in our country who can afford the luxury of dropping that kind of money on a car sounds almost as insane as legalising slavery. Are they really looking to 'earn' a billion kwacha over five years? So then, what next I ask? A billion kwacha loan for a house in Kabulonga, to be paid over your 5 year term of office? Another 1 billion for your kids to study abroad?

The reality is that Zambia is going to retrogress economically for at least another 5 years or for as long as the selfish are the ones in power. This is my food for thought to the selfish men/women in power. I hope to hear from you 'leaders', for I know if we continue to talk about these things, we might actually overcome them.





COMMENT - " We desperately need a new system of governance because selfishness is fast destroying the concept of what governance ought to be! "

I completely agree. There are ways to fund all these services by using 1/3 to half of national revenues to enable local government to supply education, healthcare, policing and public amenities. That is the way forward. Also, expenditures must be tracked and there must be full financial transparancy and democratic accountability of government, including local government.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=22434

$53,000 car loans!
By Disappointed, Victor K. Chilekwa
Monday February 12, 2007 [02:00]


I salute The Post because it is the only paper that informs Zambians. Our leaders are busy stealing in broad daylight through their inflated loans, travel and subsistence allowances, unending serminars and workshops, while the ordinary civil servant waits for his meagre salary. In addition to their already government designed misery, their housing allowance is never paid on time despite it being a paltry K100,000 per month! Whilst no one expects the MPs, ministers and other top plunderers to have poor conditions, the concentration is just too much on this civil servant knows too well that it would take up to 10 years to be paid his/her retirement benefits so he/she has to create his/her own future by being innovative. In short, he/she is forced to steal.

Besides look at the foolishness of our leadership style whereby their children don’t go to the government schools. Government schools are only left to the poorest of the poor. If a mere MP can be given a car loan of US $53,000 (which translates to about K218million), why can’t teachers, police officers, nurses, and other lowly placed civil servants get loans of K100million? These MPs and ministers have taken the masses for granted. The teachers, police officers, nurses and other civil servants are not there to simplytoil for the top plunderers to enjoy.

If indeed stealing makes President Mwanawasa sick, which we now doubt very much, why should he allow this sickening frequency of ministers, MPs, who only seem to concentrate only on their stomachs, leaving the plight of the majority? We cannot count on any MP to work for the people, except for themselves- this also includes the President, ministers and opposition MPs.

We desperately need a new system of governance because selfishness is fast destroying the concept of what governance ought to be!



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=22433

Budget speech okay, but...
By Jefferson Mwangwewo, Kitwe
Monday February 12, 2007 [02:00]

The budget speech was well presented and has brought about hope in many Zambians.
Well done, Minister Magande !!

However, allow me to say that the process of implementation of the budget should be looked into seriously and put in place as soon as possible.

As the task force is a watch dog on corruption, so let there be a watchdog on the budget implementation proccess.

There should be some checks and balances to ensure that all the funds in the 2007 budget and many budgets to come are accounted for at all times.

I suggest that as the finance minister presents a budget speech to the nation at the beginning of each year, the minister should be able also to come back to the nation at the end of the year and present, what I may call “an audit speech”.




http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=22430

Losing battle against corruption
By Jenkins Chisoni, Glasgow
Monday February 12, 2007 [02:00]

I agree 100 per cent with acting TIZ leader Mr Lifuka that the government may be losing the battle against corruption.

However, I wish to add that permanent secretaries as contolling officers must be empowered with security of tenure like the office of the DPP and judges.Without security of tenure, they will continue to under-perform and we should not blame them as they have family interests to look after.

Professionalism will also be enhanced if this suggestion were acceptable.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=22435

Unions are not transparent
By Yambayamba
Monday February 12, 2007 [02:00]

I write to comment on the labour movement that represents the public service workers in the country with reference especially to the union for teachers. The three unions are operating like our political parties as they are not transparent, not accountable to the stakeholders but instead pre-occupied with other issues. Statements that come from the union leaders are mainly intended to popularalise themselves and not to solve the problems.

Do members know the investment done to their subscriptions as explained by the union leaders if at all they do? Do the union leadres remain in their positions based on performance or by manipulation? Who told you the leaders that once in leadership, always in leadership? Stop cheating the members that you are carrying out some educational activities, please. Let us use 2007 as a year of genuine representation to our members and not just to enrich ourselves using our own self imposed luxurious conditions. Let us be accountable to the general membership and not assume a VIP status.





http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=22393

Levy and the Chinese economic zone
By Alfred Mulenga
Sunday February 11, 2007 [02:00]



The concept of Economic Zone is welcome but I just hope that the President has been adequately advised on the merits and demerits of establishing an Economic Zone. This concept is sometimes referred to as an Export Processing Zone.

It is set up to attract foreign direct investment. Under this Zone, foreign manufacturing companies which produce for export will benefit from; Tax exemptions, financial incentives, well serviced industrial base and good infrastructure. These services are offered at modest form and labour unions are excluded.

The following are some of the merits of establishing an economic zone; it creates employment for the local people, helps in transferring new skills and expertise to local human resource, boosts the export of non-traditional goods, increases foreign earnings, creates linkages to increase output and raise the standard of local enterprise that supply goods and services to the Zone. It also introduces new technology and, finally, acts as a stimulant to important sectors.

On the contrary, firms operating in the zone are prohibited from offloading on the local market, making linkages impossible to other sectors. Budget revenues are affected as firms in the Zone are offered incentives such as tax holidays, and the Zone also attracts shoddy industrialists who set up plants for illicit activities such as smuggling, unauthorised goods or intellectual piracy.

The exemptions from customs duty and taxes amount to export subsidies and these subsidised goods from the Zone end up in the local market and start competing with indigenous local producers and importers exerting unnecessary pressure on the local industry.

Lack of enforcement of labour rules and absence of worker representation tend to undermine the ability of the Zone to upgrade skills to improve work conditions and productivity and thereby to become more dynamic and internationally competitive.

Labels: BUDGET, CARS, CORRUPTION, FREE ENTERPRISE ZONES, MINISTERS

posted by MrK @ 7:13 AM