Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) PF wants 2009 budget to address effects of global economic downturn

PF wants 2009 budget to address effects of global economic downturn
January 29, 2009

The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) has called on government to ensure that the 2009 budget was designed in a manner that would address the country’s challenges which have come as a result of global economic recession.

PF vice president, Guy Scott, said the opposition party is concerned with the negative impact of the global financial crisis.

Speaking during a media briefing at the party headquarters in Lusaka today, Dr. Scott said there was need for government to heed to calls from his party to cut on its expenditure.

He said cutting government expenditure would help address some of the challenges the country is facing due to the prevailing global financial meltdown.

And the PF vice president has urged government to expeditiously issue a report on the alleged secret Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) prisons in the country as reported in the international media.

Dr. Scott said his party was waiting for a report from government because the American government through its embassy in the country has since denied operating secret CIA prisons in Zambia.

The call for the report follows an order from US President Barrack Obama to close secretly operated CIA prisons in various countries, including Zambia as reported in some sections of the international media.

Meanwhile, PF spokesperson Given Lubinda alleged that most of the Permanent Secretaries which were recently appointed to government were not competent to run the civil service because they did not have the technical knowledge and experience.

Mr. Lubinda charged that the appointments amounted to abuse of office and a campaign strategy by the ruling party for the 2011 elections.

He further alleged that most of those appointed to the position of permanent secretaries are people that campaigned for President Banda during for the October 30th 2008 presidential elections.

Meanwhile two former senior MMD official and ministers in the second republic have defected to the opposition PF.

The duo, who held various portfolios in the Fredrick Chiluba led government are Kuyoto Kunyanda and William Harrington.

They announced their resignation from the ruling MMD to join opposition PF at the same media briefing, citing weaknesses in the MMD leadership.

ZANIS/CM/KSH/ENDS

Labels: GREAT DEPRESSION II, GUY SCOTT, PF

posted by MrK @ 10:58 AM