Maravi

(DAILY MAIL) 'Don’t trivialise crisis'

'Don’t trivialise crisis'
By ANGELA CHISHIMBA

PRESIDENT Banda has urged people not to trivialise problems the country is facing as a result of the global financial crisis. He said Zambians should face the global crisis squarely and not trivialise it or make it seem that it only involved a particular individual, government or political party.

“This is a problem that Zambians have to face and you, the press, can help us by explaining to the people that this world is facing serious problems and those who will work hard and discipline themselves will overcome this problem faster than those who want to indulge in trivialities,” he said

The President was speaking to journalists on arrival from Malawi where he went for an official visit.
Asked whether Government would amend the budget to ensure that more funds were pumped into the agricultural sector as opposed to the tourism sector in view of the global financial crisis, Mr Banda said Government would consult on the matter.

“We have our Minister of Finance and National Planning and His Honour the Vice-President and members of Parliament. They will listen to what the people are saying and then we will look at it and consult on how best to adjust the budget.
“But even tourism and agriculture have been impacted badly,” he said.

And Mr Banda said opposition political party leaders were free to meet with him if they had specific issues.
Mr Banda was responding to a question on when he would meet with United Party for National Development president Hakainde Hichilema and whether he was considering meeting Patriotic Front president Michael Sata to discuss national issues.

“I don’t think we should create a problem where there is no problem. I don’t see any need to say that I want to meet PF. Let PF also indicate that they want to see me and see if I wouldn’t want to meet them.

“You know what they say about me but if I were to say some things about them too, I can also have a foul mouth but I think somebody must be above these things,” he said.

Mr Banda wondered why some people insisted on saying that there was tension in the country. “I don’t see any tension in this country unless they have tension with me,” he said.

Labels: GREAT DEPRESSION II, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:05 PM