A colleague told me recently that a ridiculously large number of PhD applications were coming in to our University, all wanting to study the same topic - China in Africa. The topic, and the Zambian case, are historically under-researched but are suddenly wildly fashionable. If, heaven forbid, I was starting a PhD now the Muti-Facility Economic Zone at Chambishi might well interest me. It is allegedly going to house massive investments and loads of new companies, and yet nobody seems to know anything concrete about it yet.
The Times of Zambia reports that Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) acting secretary general, Ian Mkandawire commends the new projects being put up by the Chinese were welcome because they would create employment opportunities for Zambians. At the same time, Mkandawire implored the Government to speed up the amendment of the Factory Act in order for cases of violation of labour laws by employers to be effectively addressed. He noted that currently it was difficult to deal with cases of employers in factories flouting labour laws because of the absence of effective legislation.
The Parliamentary Committee for Economic Affairs and Labour has been studying the zone. The Times reports very positive noises from committee member and Mulobezi MP, Michael Mabenga who said Chinese investment would bring new jobs for locals, and that Government had made bold economic decisions that had set the stage for the revival and development of the mining and agriculture sectors.
However, committee chairperson, Given Lubinda said that Multi Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) had raised a lot of expectations and fears which Parliament needed to correct. Mr Lubinda asked managers of five companies speaking to the committee that the committee needed much more detail on what investments they were planning before it could consider giving incentives to such investors.
Zambia China- Economic and Trade Corporation Zone (ZCCCZ) manager planning and investment promotion development Wang Xin said it was difficult to state the specific enterprises. Mr Xin said that MFEZ would be attracting companies in earth moving equipment and construction among other companies.The committee refused to hold a meeting with Non-Ferrous Mining Company of Africa (NFCA) management because the company general manager Tao Xinghu and his deputy Zan Baosen were out of the country.
The Lusaka Times reports similar concerns expressed by Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Jennipher Musonda who said the needed much more information on the Chambishi Multi Facility Economic Zone (M-phase project), if the local people were to understand what the project was all about.
_______
Advertisement
One plan, one price offered by powweb is the best hosting service. If you compare the prices of serverpronto with lunarpages you will find that both are providing good services but the services provided by the godaddy, best hosting netfirms and the webhosting offered by midphase are better than others.
No comments:
Post a Comment