A HEAD of the scheduled public hearings on the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill, which seeks to amend the Private Voluntary Organisations Act, Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (Viset) states that it is opposed to the passage of this Bill primarily on the grounds that its provisions are an assault on personal freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution.
The Bill is ostensibly premised on complying with recommendations made by the Financial Action Taskforce on money-laundering and terrorist funding, streamlining administrative procedures and regulation of PVOs and preventing them from political lobbying.
In all the instances given, the Bill will give inordinate amounts of latitude to the minister to determine what may be deemed to be violations or those that are suspected of potential breach to face sanction without so much as being favoured with a hearing, something which flies in the face of section 68 that guarantees any persons a right to administrative justice.
The proposed amendment is a further attack on guaranteed freedoms such as freedom of association under section 58, where the Bill seeks to curtail the ability of PVOs to fundraise for their activities.
Viset, by the nature of its activities within communities has always upheld the principle of political neutrality as its members belong to different political parties and as part of our outreach maxim, we believe “development knows no political affiliation”.
As an organisation, it is our belief that the Constitution provides sufficient safeguards against the three main provisions that the Bill seeks to address and we will be participating along with our membership to ensure that PVOs are granted the space and environmental conditions to reach and impact positively towards a prosperous Zimbabwe for all through working with communities, traditional leadership, government officials and elected officials in development – Viset
Insisting on using Zim dollars is economic sabotage
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IN response to Ncube rules out redollarisation, CHIEF CHIDUKU says: It is unfortunate that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is pointing fingers when it is supposed to be soul-searching.
There is no need to blame other people for the country’s economic woes when the same government is failing to put in place basic economic fundamentals so that Zimbabwe can come out of this Catch-22 situation it finds itself in.
The government should dump the local currency and either adopt the South African rand or re-dollarise so that the economy may regain stability.
In economics, Gresham’s law aptly explains the Zimbabwean situation better.
This monetary principle states that “bad” money (Zimdollars) drives out “good” money (US dollars).
Mnangagwa and Finance minister Mthuli Ncube should swallow their pride and do away with the Zim “zollars” for the good of the country.
We should not burry our heads in the sand.
As long as our industry is not producing, the local currency will always continue on a free-fall because there is nothing to back it up.
Zimbabwe is sinking deeper into the quagmire.
Economic saboteurs are those insisting on using Zim “zollars”, which have condemned this economy to this bottomless pit.
Aid should not be abused
SOMETIME last year, World Vision went about “interviewing” residents of Lupane urban from whom 400 (or thereabouts) would receive up to US$48 per month for one year as cushion for vulnerable groups.
Indeed the money came, and it was a shock! Some beneficiaries were civil servants, parastatal employees and young and able-bodied residents who in fact are running/operating some businesses in the informal sector.
Some World Vision personnel visited some residents at their workplaces and certified them as deserving of the money.
Many people living with disability were not captured in the “survey”.
How does the organisation define vulnerability in the first place? What criteria is used in the selection process?
I believe the questions asked were: Have you a television set, a stove, a radio, sofas? These questions are silly and irrelevant to say the least. They are unintelligent and unprofessional.
Some elderly pensioners and/or other people with disabilities might have all the above property simply because they acquired them some 30, 40 even 50 years ago when they were still gainfully employed.
The appliances and furniture have nothing to do with their present status or circumstances in respect of their means of self-sustenance.
Lupane town is a very small place. On February 15, a local money transfer booth had a long queue of “recipients”, the majority of whom were civil servants, workers generally.
Old age is not just a disability, but the next thing to death. How can World Vision be so callous and still smile about it?
It was more shocking but neither unexpected nor surprising that some fake politicians and opportunists were now attempting and are still attempting to make political capital out of the World Vision debacle.
These people are saying that the money was made available by the Social Welfare ministry.
This does not tally with the story emanating from World Vision, which I find credible, absolutely. As much as World Vision lacked professionalism in my assessment, they do not go to bed with the government on things such as the welfare of the people.
The organisation relies on donors. Did World Vision forget its Christian values on this one since it makes a huge meal of it? Vulnerable Okkie
In response to Fifa suspends Zim, CLEVER NYAMA says: The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) is the hangman of sports in this country. It is blaming everyone else, Zifa, Caf and Fifa, but themselves. It boggles the mind that SRC wants Fifa to act on allegations which can’t stand in a court of law. That is why they could only arrest Zifa board members for violating the SRC Act. It couldn’t arrest them for anything related to sexual allegations and fraud. This ban has more consequences, especially for players. Besides, the ban will only be lifted after the lifting of the suspension of the Zifa board! This is a circus.
MAI RURU says: One is tempted to think that the Sports and Recreation Commission had learnt nothing from the suspension of the Zimbabwe Cricket a few years ago. Such interference was bound to attract a backlash.
TAPIWA MASHAWA says: The way forward is to dissolve the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) for bringing sport into disrepute. There is no two ways about it; reinstate Felton Kamambo and his board and let sanity prevail. Can someone mention anything positive that the SRC has done for soccer or sport in general?
GUCCI PATSO FOYA says: We don’t care. Our football needs a clean-up from the mess the government has created for our beloved country. There is need for a restart.
In response to Health workers down tools, ANDREW NYONI says: It is high time the government appreciated the service that is provided by health workers. It should pay them a living wage. There is no doubt that Zimbabwe is endowed with natural resources and they should benefit citizens. If funds from the sale of these resources are used to fund the health sector, there is no doubt that government can pay better salaries to its employes. There is need to find a lasting solution to these perennial problems of job action by healthcare workers.
In response to Ncube rules out re-dollarisation, MURUTI KABONGA says: The problem with Finance minister Mthuli Ncube is that he is going against the tide. The fact that most government departments are accepting payment for services in foreign currency means Ncube is fighting a losing war.
