Maravi

Letters - Windfall tax justified

Windfall tax justified
By Patrick Mulenga
Sat 12 Feb. 2011, 04:00 CAT

Editor,

The Grant Thornton/Econ Poyry audit report on Mopani Mines has exposed the duplicity and greed of foreign-owned mining companies. The revelation justifies calls to reinstate the windfall tax and revisit the exploitative development agreements without further delay.

However, it would be naïve to presume that Mopani is the only culprit, because all foreign mining companies have found Zambia to be a lucrative and hassle-free cash cow.

Needless to say, it is highly unlikely that Mopani will even bother to offer an explanation, let alone an apology; although we should anticipate a very robust defence on their behalf from the likes of Musokotwane, Felix Mutati and Dora Siliya, if not Rupiah Banda himself.

However the most disturbing aspect is that rather than prosecuting economic saboteurs or renegotiating the infamous development agreements in the national interest, the learned government lawyers are busy repealing good laws, defending convicted thieves and using the law to persecute perceived enemies of the MMD.

Unless a brave private lawyer offers to stand up and fight this injustice on behalf of the poor suffering Zambian masses, “none but ourselves can free our minds”.

A luta continua.
Patrick Mulenga,
UK

Labels: CORRUPTION, TAX EVASION, WINDFALL TAX

posted by MrK @ 8:05 AM