GOVERNMENT came under fire last week with Senators accusing it of taking long to implement international and regional agreements.
VENERANDA LANGA SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER
This was after Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa last Friday presented to Senate a 2010 agreement to establish a country office for the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Zimbabwe.
Manicaland Senator Patrick Chitaka (MDC-T) described the move as incompetence saying affected the country’s external perceptions. “This agreement was signed on December 20 2010 and it is now brought to the House four years after that agreement was signed,” Chitaka said.
“We have always complained in the past about how the Executive is sitting on ratification of agreements and it is bad in terms of how this country is perceived in doing business,” he said.
Chitaka said while government sat on the agreement for four years, they also expected Parliament to ratify it in only 30 minutes. “Let us project a new way of doing business that shows we are serious,” Chitaka said.
Chinamasa told Parliament that AfDB offices were closed in 1994, and following lobbying for the re-establishment of the country offices AfDB agreed and the two parties signed the agreement in July 2010.
“The AfDB country office will serve as a focal point and banking group on macro-economic policy dialogue with Zimbabwe. It will enhance efficiency and effectiveness of activities under Zimfund, and monitor programmes and projects implemented, including assisting government and implementing agencies in fulfilling of conditions on grants and loan agreement,” he said.
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Other advantages of establishment of AfDB country offices were said to be making available human and technical resources of the banking group for design and implementation of programmes and activities, as well as liaising and coordinating with sub-regional and regional institutions in creating economic integration.
Matabaleland South senator Watchy Sibanda asked Chinamasa to establish the offices in Bulawayo or Gwanda saying it would boost business there.
Chinamasa said it was impossible to set up an international bank outside the capital Harare.
“The AfDB has been supporting us and last week they gave us a $108 million grant, of which $36 million is for the rehabilitation of the Kariba Dam wall, and a portion will go towards water and sanitation programmes in Bulawayo and Marondera.
“We are also going to apply part of this grant towards the leather industry in Bulawayo, as well as subscriptions of the African Insurance Agency of $5 million,” he said.
