LETTERS - Economic Empowerment,
Zambianise foreign investmentBy Dr. Emmanuel Malabo Makasa
Sunday March 09, 2008 [03:00]
Allow me, through your distinguished newspaper, to call on all members of parliament in Zambia to consider introducing legislation that will ensure that Zambians are economically empowered as partners in businesses and not only as workers.
They should draft, debate and enact legislation that will require that foreign investment in the key areas of the economy such as mining, tourism, energy and telecommunication has a 15 per cent indigenous Zambian ownership.
This will not only enable us participate in our national economy but also ensure that we benefit more from our natural resources rather than relying only on employment.
Today Zambians are developing much resentment towards investors. They feel they are being robbed of their resources because they have not seen much benefit from this so-called investment. All they have are a few poorly paying casual jobs.
It is therefore of paramount importance and urgency that government deliberately empowers and involves its nationals in investments and development of the country for the sake of stability, national security and economic independence. We call upon all honourable members of parliament to start working on such legislation that will surely benefit the population they promised to represent and help develop our country.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=38796
Mugabe maize
By Raphael Mukuka
Sunday March 09, 2008 [03:00]
Mike Mulongoti must not speak in riddles when speaking on behalf of the government. What does he mean when he says that the delay to deliver the purchased maize to Zimbabwe is because of banking payments and logistical problems?
Politicians must learn to speak clearly so that we can support them if it’s worth supporting. He should have just said the government is waiting for the cheque to clear or our roads are impassable to collect maize, from the farmers which is mostly likely.
If Mugabe has paid for the maize, give it to him quickly otherwise we are just compounding the problems for our neighbouring country.
They have enough problems to attend to and we cannot allow ourselves to be part of the problems when they have in fact paid for the commodity and sent trucks to pick up the stock.
This incompetence is unexplainable and shameful. How do you accept someone’s money before you have sorted out the ‘logistical problems’ Mulongoti is referring to?
This is the same government that has on many occasions failed to collect maize in many rural areas and I wonder why they entered into a deal with Mugabe if they clearly lack the capacity to deliver the 150,000 tonnes of maize purchased.
If the government wants to inform the nation on such matters they should ask competent people in the right offices like the FRA to give proper statements unlike Mulongoti.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=38794
Income Tax Amendment
By Gady Mwamba Museka
Sunday March 09, 2008 [03:00]
It is very good to learn from The Post that the parliamentarian committee presented a report to the Speaker of the national
assembly, proposing an increase to the tax- free threshold on employees’ income from the proposed K600,000 to at least K1, 000, 000 (one million Kwacha).
This is in line with the research conducted by the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, on the essential food basket for a family of six in Lusaka, which stands at K 1,835,300.
The above costs of food coupled with rentals, school fees, transport , utility bills like water and electricity despite load shedding are very high as well. You will find that a family of six will need approximately 4 million Kwacha in order to pay for all the above bills.
Inasmuch as we all know that one of the sources of revenue collection for the government is through taxes from employees, it is inhuman to tax someone who gets one million kwacha as take home, because from the above analysis, such an employee cannot manage to pay for all the bills and buy food for a month!
Since the mining companies will be paying more in taxes, let the government listen to parliamentarians and increase the tax-free threshold to a million kwacha. It is a challenge to parliamentarians not to approve the proposed increase from K500,000 to K600,000. Twachula pafula!!
Labels: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, INCOME TAX AMENDMENT BILL 2008
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posted by MrK @ 4:30 AM
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