2009 budget ZCTU slams 2009 budget
January 31, 2009
Mr Musokotwane shows off the copper briefcase containing the 2009 budget
The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) says the 2009 national budget has not met its expectations in terms of tax relief to workers.
ZCTU President, Leonard Hikaumba complained that the raising of the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) exempt threshold from last year’s K600, 000 to K700, 000 per month this year, a difference of K100, 000, was not enough, considering high cost of living in the country.
Mr. Hikaumba told ZANIS that workers getting a monthly salary of K700, 000 would still not be able to feel the relief because prices of basic commodities have risen.
He feared that the proposed hike in electricity tariffs would provide a more painful economic pinch to workers than what they were feeling currently.
Mr. Hikaumba, who is also Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) president, said government should have raised the exempt threshold up to K1, 000,000 in order for workers to enjoy the PAYE exemption.
On education, Mr. Hikaumba observed that although the budget to the sector has been increased and number of classrooms increased, there was no mention of incentives for teachers this year.
He said teachers needed decent accommodation and wages for them to be motivated enough to teach children.
He said current economic conditions were suggesting that poor Zambians would remain poor because they stood slim chances accessing education in order to come out of poverty and illiteracy.
Mr. Hikaumba has since suggested that government should reconsider halting tax on terminal benefits because people were already paying tax when they are working.
ZANIS/KSH/ENDS
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