Maravi

Kumar was very arrogant - Shamenda
By Allan Mulenga
Sun 01 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT

LABOUR minister Fackson Shamenda says he will not support deported Konkola Copper Mines chief executive officer Kishore Kumar's return to Zambia because of his arrogance to him and President Michael Sata.

Commenting on Vice-President Guy Scott's statement that Kumar has appealed against the deportation and the government was considering the move, Shamenda said Kumar not only exhibited arrogance towards him, but also to President Sata.

"I don't like his Kumar approach to industrial relations and I will not support his coming back anyway. From my point of view, I don't like arrogant employers. Even they have an attitude like the apartheid or neglecting the workers, we are trying to harmonise industrial relations," he said.

"...not that employers should be arrogant; we want to have a situation where there is harmonious industrial relations for higher levels of productivity. The employer will get his part, the government will get the resources from the taxes and then the employees will have a comfortable life. That's all what we want in life and that is the approach of the Patriotic Front government."

Shamenda said he would not tolerate arrogant employers in the country.

"I have reported his behaviour which is highly unwarranted. As for whether he was going to come back or something, my working relationship with him will be very difficult," he said.

Shamenda said unlike his predecessor, Kumar was not reasonable when dealing with labour matters.

"I don't care whether there is Kumar or no Kumar, but as far as I am concerned Kumar was very arrogant. He was arrogant to me; he was arrogant to the President. So for me I have no time for such characters. So far I am working very well with other persons, like his predecessor; he was a gentleman. I highly regret that he left. You could differ in principle, but still more he was a very humble fellow. He was a polite guy," he said.

Shamenda said Kumar should shoulder the blame for his deportation.

"...for Kumar when the President said, 'you should go and tell Kumar he should not dismiss people', he said, 'me industrial relations are not my priority, I am going for a technical meeting'. I said, 'my friend, the President is saying I should discuss this issue with you'. He says, 'policy statements are rhetoric.' That is how the whole thing started and then he went for that technical meeting at Intercontinental Hotel. That is when the Minister of Home Affairs wanted to confirm from him, then he started running away. That is how he was declared a PI prohibited immigrant," said Shamenda.

On Friday, Vice-President Scott told Parliament that Kumar had appealed against his deportation, and the government was considering the move.

Labels: FACKSON SHAMENDA, GUY SCOTT, KCM, KISHORE KUMAR, TAX EVASION

posted by MrK @ 6:59 PM