Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Legislators say Biti brainwashing them

Legislators say Biti brainwashing them
Posted: Saturday, November 27, 2010 6:12 am

ZIMBABWE'S Finance Minister Tendai Biti has been slammed by Members of Parliament for failing to recognise the importance of the work they do, by increasing their salary and allowances.

Speaking in Parliament after the presentation of Zimbabwe's 2011 National Budget Statement by Biti, the Zanu-PF House of Assembly Member Mwenezi East, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, slammed the finance minister for pushing legislators and other civil servants "into deep and inextricable poverty".

Zimbabwe's civil servants earn an average of US$200 per month.

Bhasikiti was seconded by MDC-T Kuwadzana House of Assembly member Mrs Lucia Matibenga.

"It is quite surprising that we continue licensing ourselves into deep and inextricable poverty in our country against all odds," said Bhasikiti.

"We are failing to pay our civil servants a decent salary and reducing them to near slaves who work for a plate of sadza (Zimbabwe's staple) per day," he added.

"Today in our country, we have relegated the duty of paying civil servants the likes of teachers to the struggling poor parents and we are not even worried or ashamed of that development."

Bhasikiti also slammed the minister for failing to recognise the dignity of the teaching profession.

"The dignity of teachers who were the most respected people in our society has been reduced to beggars, they can no longer be respected by their pupils, students and the community they serve.

"They are now taken as a thorn in the flesh where poor parents sell their chicken and goats to raise their salaries."

The MP said Zimbabwe, with all its abundant resources, should be able to develop faster than countries like Botswana that had only one major resource, diamonds.

"Botswana has only one valuable mineral on which their economy is anchored – diamonds, but our diamonds in Zimbabwe are being recorded to be in excess of the values which are in Botswana and any other country.

"So ... government should take full responsibility in managing the national resources and reward handsomely, those who are carrying its national duty."

Bhasikiti added that Finance Minister Biti had "brainwashed" Members of Parliament yet again by saying the country does not have enough reosurces to reward them handsomely.

He said it was "disrepectful and shameful" that President Mugabe was paid a meagre US$1,700 a month, when the country had abundant mineral resources.

"I find it very disrespectful and shameful to declare to other nations that we have a Head of State who is being given US$1700 as a salary for the month, a government minister earning US$800, a legislator US$400 and a civil servant US$200."

Bhasikiti said that legislators were spending too much time trying to irk out a living rather than engaging in parliamentary work.

"At the moment, Members of Parliament cannot even invest two hours of their time to look at Bills, research on them to find the merits and demerits before they debate, because we spend most of the time chasing their problems or busy pirating."

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was last week slammed by the Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe for failing to recognise the importance of teachers in the country.

Leader of PTUZ, Raymond Majongwe, said the prime minister had made lfty promises to teachers which he failed to fulfil.

Majongwe, whose organisation had previously been critical of Zanu-PF, praised President Mugabe for his steadfastness in fighting for the economic empowerment of all Zimbabweans.

Labels: 2011 BUDGET (ZIMBABWE), MPs, TENDAI BITI

posted by MrK @ 5:15 PM