LETTERS

Magande's democracy
By Chishimba Chilekwa
Thursday March 08, 2007 [02:00]

I could not agree more with your editorial in The Post of Tuesday 6th March, 2007. I wish to add that the Republican Constitution is a political as well as social concern. Politics are an indispensable attribute of democracy and democratic governance. For as long as we do not have the new constitution and long after we have one, it will still be political. The MMD government would do well to recognise this.

For clarity's sake, political herein should be understood to mean "connected with the state, government or public affairs. To suggest that the current floods 'should' affect our new constitution shows how inept the planning of the current government is. Surely, the annual budget has a component for disaster management.

I also want to comment on Magande's reported questioning of the meeting between Sata and Rabobank. Although the current constitution protects the rights of , inter alia, assembly, speech and conscience, the minister thinks we need his permission to speak. And when we do speak, the minister would like us to speak about the youth.

Our speaking on issues of public interest should now be phased. How ridiculous. I wonder what item on the agenda poverty is. The minister clearly does not understand democracy and our constitution.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=23560

Mining development agreements
By Mwiya Nawa, Lusaka
Thursday March 08, 2007 [02:00]

The arguments advanced by Fredrick Bantubonse of the Chamber of Mines as reported in the Business Post of March 6 are shocking. They are nothing but a justification on how mining companies should continue reaping much while giving the government peanuts in revenue.

His arguments that renegotiating the development agreements will erode investor confidence are not true. Investors in the mining sector are today reaping billions of dollars and if they decided to pull out, it would certainly be on account of other factors and not the renegotiation of the agreements. Renegotiating business deals is a common practice the worldover and there is nothing peculiar about the Zambian case.

In any case, going by the current mineral prices, even if mining firms paid three per cent in mineral royalties, they would still be making huge profits. I agree with him that mining is a long-term investment but it is only true that the incentives that the mining companies have enjoyed from the time they bought the mines have been enough for them to buy machinery and do other reinvestment ventures.

Indeed, as Bantubonse said, Zambia did not enter into the agreements blindly. The agreements were dictated by the conditions at the time which Bantubonse as a mining expert fully acknowledges. But maintaining conditions that were agreed upon when copper prices were low would itself amount to blind reasoning. The government is, therefore, right to ask for more revenue from the mines because the circumstances have since changed.

If the mining companies want to use the threat of pulling out, it won’t work. If they want they can go and gamble and see how they will be quickly replaced by other international mining houses that will find the conditions in Zambia favourable.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=23562

Political antagonism
By Concerned citizen
Thursday March 08, 2007 [02:00]

I will always salute you The Post team for your good job.
It is unfortunate that the opposition parties and the ruling have always quarelled instead of directing their efforts on developing our nation.

My understanding of the role of the opposition is not to oppose the government of the day but to provide checks and balances and the ruling party must be willing and ready to work with the opposition to foster economic development. It is disheartening to always read how the opposition insults the President.

What is even more retrogressive is the battle in the running of the local councils. Please you people know that when the elephants fight, it is the grass which suffers. My sincere appeal to you the ruling party is that you should just provide the needed funds to run the councils as if they were run by you and opposition do not offer unnecessary opposition, ask yourselves if what you are doing is in the best interest of the nation.

Zambia’s development is concomitant to cooparation but not derogatory and inflamable statements.



http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=23558

Youths' plight
By Hilary Mulenga Jr. Ndola
Thursday March 08, 2007 [02:00]

Finance minister’s failure to comment about Rabobank’s meeting with Sata because we should be “talking about youths” makes an interesting reading.

In the first place, I am among the several youths who have been hurt about the manner in which Zanaco has been sold. The secrecy behind the government’s dealings with Rabobank is surely a matter of concern for all. I also understand that Zanaco was born out of the need to help ordinary Zambians and not some foreign investors.

Looking at the plight of the youth in Zambia today, one would expect our leaders to make concerted efforts in protecting this younger generation. Honorable Magande is in a better position to understand that the decisions his government makes, whether right or wrong, have a bearing on the future of this country.

The noise that has been created on the sale of Zanaco is a clear indication that not all is well and more especially for us, the younger generation who will have to bear the brunt of the mistakes of the current administration.

It is in this line that I feel it is a mockery for Honorable Magande to pretend to “talk about the youths” at the expense of not explaining to the nation the very things that are relevant to our future. I even wonder what kind of ‘talk’ the minister is talking about if it is not about addressing issues of unemployment, poverty and destitution that the youth have found themselves in.

Gone are the days when people fell for lip service. What we need now are leaders who are realistic enough more especially in securing a better future for the younger generation. My advice to Magande is that he should serve his breath if he is not ready to address issues of concern such as the sale of Zanaco. Otherwise, his words will be irrelevant to the youth.