Crocodile tears

Crocodile tears
Written by Editor

Contrary to claims and lies that were published in the state-owned and government-controlled Times of Zambia that the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA) has dismissed our invitation to check and examine the way the affairs of Zambian Airways were conducted, they have actually positively responded to our request.

In response to our invitation, ZICA yesterday stated: “We agree with you and confirm it is an area that we have been contemplating doing so that all the parties to the perceived conflict are appropriately dealt with by an independent professional body.

We shall proceed in carrying out a forensic audit in this matter as soon as logistics are put in place. We shall accordingly inform you of the findings as soon as the investigations are completed.”

It is not for us to dictate to ZICA how they should participate in this issue. Our invitation to them left them to choose the way they should participate or even not to participate. We highly appreciate their highly favourable response to our invitation. What can be better than having a forensic audit of Zambian Airways?

In this way all the interests of creditors of Zambian Airways will be taken into account.

Moreover, The Post is not only a shareholder in Zambian Airways, it is also a creditor to this airline. Zambian Airways owes The Post money. And here we are not talking about the share capital. We are talking about money that has nothing to do with The Post’s equity investment in the airline.

ZICA’s work will put an end to propaganda and lies. No one should have the monopoly of information, or even truth itself, on this issue. Let’s give all those who want to know the opportunity to do so. The information concerning the affairs of Zambian Airways should not be a preserve of only those who want to use it to attack us, to discredit us and insinuate that we did something wrong in our relationship with Zambian Airways.

We will give ZICA all the support it needs and we will provide them, if asked to do so, with all the information and explanations they may ask from us.

And those who thought they alone should have access to the affairs of Zambian Airways should be ashamed that ZICA has taken this position.

It was also interesting yesterday to see how the same people who have been accusing us of having defrauded National Airports Corporation as a result of Zambian Airways’ dealings with this parastatal company, were so quick to publish a default judgment pertaining to the same issue. This default judgment was obtained by National Airports Corporation to recover a debt owed to it by Zambian Airways, and not The Post or its directors and shareholders. National Airports Corporation did not take The Post or its directors to court for the money Zambian Airways owes it, simply because they know very well that there is no connection between their dealings with Zambian Airways and The Post or its directors. It is now up to National Airports Corporation to recover that money from Zambian Airways because the airline has not disputed this debt. And there are procedures in law on how National Airports Corporation should enforce this default judgment.

There was nowhere in this litigation commenced by National Airports Corporation against Zambian Airways where The Post or its directors were party to the proceedings. This being so, where do we come in as far as this debt is concerned? What was The Post’s or its directors’ role in all this?

Zambian Airways and National Airports Corporation started dealing with each other long before The Post became a shareholder in this airline. We found these companies dealing with each other and contracting debt. And we considered this normal business. But of course along the way, it became very difficult for Zambian Airways to meet its obligations as they fell due to National Airports Corporation and other creditors, especially after the aviation fuel prices increased by more than 100 per cent within a very short time. And we know that there were a lot of negotiations between the two companies to see how they could continue doing business despite the difficult times for the aviation industry, and for Zambian Airways in particular. Again, where is the fraud by The Post or its directors in all these? Moreover, The Post or its directors were not part of the day-to-day management of Zambian Airways for them to contract operational debt, or manage such debt, on behalf of the airline.

It is surprising that those who did everything possible to bring Zambian Airways to its knees, in total disregard of the concerns and plight of the workers, today want to be speaking for the workers of Zambian Airways. And today they want to claim they care so much more for the workers of Zambian Airways than we do. This is nonsense. This is cheap propaganda and unbridled dishonesty. These workers are not fools. They and their trade union representatives were at all times informed about the difficult situation the airline was facing. They know what The Post did for their airline, they know how this newspaper tried to help the airline and save their jobs to the very end. They also know very well that the price The Post and its directors are paying today, all these attacks, are as a result of our selfless efforts to try and save Zambian Airways. Even at the last minute, The Post – despite having very limited resources – did not hesitate to render financial assistance to Zambian Airways. And the workers of Zambian Airways know all this very well and no one can deceive them on this score.

And the workers of Zambian Airways know that this same government that is today trying to shed crocodile tears for them is doing nothing about the plight of the workers of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia; it is doing nothing about the plight of thousands of workers on the Copperbelt who are every day losing their jobs. Zambian Airways workers also know how this same government is treating pensioners – they know that pensioners are dying without getting their money. So, what can they cheat them on?

We feel for the workers of Zambian Airways. And they know it because we communicate with them. They are also aware of the efforts we have exerted to save their jobs. The situation is very difficult for them, but they know that we cared and we care. They are in a position to help them – and we would be very happy if they did so even while discrediting us. But all they are doing is give themselves contracts to supply this and that to the government and government-controlled institutions. They are the suppliers of GMO maize and all sorts of services to the government. That’s all they are interested in and not the plight of Zambian Airways workers or any other Zambian worker for that matter.

And we would actually urge Zambian Airways workers, together with their trade union, to join the checking and examination of how the company was managed with respect to the allegations those in government are raising. After all, they are the ones with the most to lose. And it will be easy for them to do so because they are the ones who managed the accounts of the company and other transactions that the airline was involved in. It will be easy for them to know if any money was stolen from the company by anyone. And moreover, all the three finance directors and senior accountants who have managed Zambian Airways over the last 10 years to the time the airline suspended operations are all in the country.

We hope the main organisations we have invited to check and examine the affairs of Zambian Airways will do so in their own way as ZICA is doing. If not in the interest of transparency, justice and accountability, let them do so in the interest of the over 260 Zambian Airways workers.

Lies can be told about one but they can never stand.

It is possible to be scandalised and painted black for doing nothing wrong. In fact, for doing right.

We are not surprised by the attacks against us. We are not even surprised by the number of lies contained in them. If they did not tell lies about us, what would they have to say? If they did not concoct stories, they would have to shut up.

In the last few days, we have been saying that The Post or its directors have done nothing wrong by investing in Zambian Airways. If the only crime they can find against us is investing in a company that has been providing an essential service to our country, then there is something wrong with their value system.

In their desperation to show that we have done something wrong, they have said Zambian Airways or The Post stole from National Airports Corporation. As ridiculous as this assertion might be, some have unashamedly continued to push it. We wonder what they would say now because National Airports Corporation has gone to court and obtained a default judgment for a debt it is owed by Zambian Airways - not The Post and not any of its directors. This is a debt arising out of routine commercial transactions. But those who want to characterise us as criminals are trying to find criminal wrongdoing in this. We hope that they can now see that National Airports Corporation itself realises that this is a commercial transaction and not criminal act of the directors of The Post.

To suggest that the directors of The Post, or indeed any director of Zambian Airways, have stolen any money is to make a serious allegation and those who do must be prepared to prove such an assertion.