Monday, October 29, 2007

LETTERS - Chinese, AFRICOM, Mpombo

Chinese should respect labour laws
By Jenkins Chisoni,Glasgow
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]

Here we go again, what is our very able commerce minister Felix Mutati talking about? In one instance he admits his worry about the influx of Chinese labourers in Zambia and in another he seems to be justifying the influx.

Have I misunderstood the minister? I hope I have, but how am I to believe that labour law enforcement officers can be supported in arresting and throwing out Chinese lawbreakers without stepping on the toes of the minister, whose interests are in Chinese investments and trade, not the jobless Zambian labourers?

I agree with the minister that the US and the western countries are the biggest trading partners of China with the US even complaining about the trading deficit of over US$255 billion imports from China against US$40 billion US exports to that country.

The interesting observation is that none of the Chinese US$255 billion worth of exports to the US is human unskilled Chinese cheap labour. Yet, for the less than 5 per cent trade to quote our minister, China imposes on us, the poor Africans, acceptance of the Chinese labourers without discussion and with full knowledge of our labour laws. I have no doubt that the Chinese Embassy has got a copy of our labour laws.

The future of trade is with main-land China and not Taiwan as Sata wants to make us believe. But we need to protect our diginity as a nation and ask China to observe and respect our labour laws.

The truth though is that it is a very tricky situation for the minister because he has to turn a blind eye on labour law enforcement officers who can only show their teeth but not bite the foreign labourers for fear of the powers that be. Yes the labour laws are very clear as the minister says, but where is the will to implement them? That is the big question.


http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33262

We must question Chinese investments
By Davies C.Chileshe
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]

The presence of Chinese investments in most parts of Africa, especially here in Zambia is something that we must question.

China is in a position to help other developing countries economically.
But from the outset China has a massive interest towards African resources.
The question to ask is what are the Chinese here for. Are they here for the development of Africa or to reap from the vast resources that the continent has?

Are they there to render help to the Zambian government? Or are they there to help themselves through Zambian resources at the expense of poor Zambians?

Reading The Post of Saturday October 27th, I’m impressed with the stance that the commerce minister Felix Mutati has taken. He has raised a concern on the influx of Chinese labourers.

He has wondered why the situation is like this despite having labour laws to help control the situation.

The government should do something before the situation gets desperate. They should revisit and reinforce labour laws. I salute Mutati for his stance.
I know that it is not such an easy thing to do, for many would prefer to please the President in order to maintain good relationships with China despite the injustices they are doing to us.

Finally I would like to advise everyone that we are not suppose to throw away or despise completely the words of Sata. I see quite a lot of sense in what he says about China. Why should China keep on bringing its labourers while Zambia is stricken with a crisis of unmployement?


http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33263

Infrastructure development
By Concerned Citizen
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]

I wish to comment on the government’s failure to address some of the infrastructure problems we are facing. Most roads are in a pathetic state and all the government is saying is that there’s no money. As workers we pay tax monthly and copper prices are high now. Can government justify why we can’t have better roads?

A number of accidents have occured on the Kitwe-Chililabombwe via Chingola road due to its poor state, resulting in deaths. Why does governemnt have to wait for people to die before addressing this issue?

One wonders why money for by-elections is always available and allowances for ministers and the President are always there when money for infrastructure development is always unavailable.

The government should be more dedicated to the development of infrastructure.
The other problem that this country faces is that of housing, which could easily be addressed if the governmement had a programme to build houses every year.
I urge the government to set aside money for housing every year.


http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33264

US military base in Africa
By John Milimo,Lusaka
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]

The idea of a military base in Africa should be unthinkable simply because a lot of African countries are in extreme poverty and are faced with high levels of unemployment which are now driving people into acts of desperation. My simple question is: How will the military base help to alleviate human suffering.

For me the military base will increase human suffering because it will psychologically prepare people for wars.

May the resources which they want to use for the military base be put to good use of alleviating human suffering on the continent. I appeal to all African leaders to reflect on the idea of a military base in a more serious way, lest they create more problems than they can solve.


http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33217

Mpombo's remarks on NCC amendment
By Musonda Kunda Lusaka
Sunday October 28, 2007 [03:00]

The statement by Mpombo that the government is not going to amend the NCC Act anymore is strange as it is retrogressive. The minister must know that amending of any Act is not a sign of weakness but is a gesture to show that concerns of stakeholders are being put into consideration.

The minster must know that dialogue forms the basis of all progressive endeavours including political activities.

By him coming out in open to say that the government is no longer going to amend the NCC Act any more is a clear demonstration of the MMD government’s inability to dialogue and unwillingness to change their stance even in the view of abundant evidence and need.

The government must reconsider the position otherwise they shall defeat the whole essence of democracy in which dialogue is enshrined.

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posted by MrK @ 6:22 AM

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