Zim mulls gas plants
Exploration of coalbed methane (CBM) natural
gas reserves in Zimbabwe could soon become a
reality, after highly-placed government sources
told this paper that a global oil conglomerate was
mulling prospects of recovering the resource and
building gas-energy plants in the country.
The venture, if successful, will not only see production
of electricity at the proposed gas-energy
plants; but will result in the production of synthetic
fuels that will go a long way in alleviating the
current fuel crisis that has threatened to cripple
Zimbabwe's industries. ...Read on
Outcry over EU sugar proposals
African, Caribbean and Pacific sugar producing
nations have cried foul over the recent European
Union (EU) proposal to slash the support price for
white sugar by 39 percent by 2007, saying the
requirement could “destroy” their sugar industries
and have an adverse effect on energy resources.
The European Union Commission last month
proposed far reaching reforms to the Common
Market Organisation for sugar, aimed at enhancing
the competitiveness and market orientation of the
EU sugar sector to the benefit of EU countries. ...Read on
Zim to get supplementary budget
Zimbabwe will have its second supplementary
budget in five years this year, after Finance
minister Herbert Murerwa ended months of
speculation surrounding the issue of additional
funding for state operations last week, telling
the country's parliament that a supplementary
budget would "definitely" be tabled.
Murerwa was responding to questions from
opposition Members who wanted to know how
the state intended to fund its spreading city
clean-up operations as well as critical imports
of food and fuel, shortages of which have
adversely affected operations in the country. ...Read on
Namibia moves on Financial Service Charter
Following numerous calls, Namibia has moved
a step closer to implementing a Financial
Service Charter.
The charter aims to facilitate the participation
in the financial sector by previously disadvantaged
Namibians. The country's multi-billion
dollar financial sector is still being dominated
and controlled by foreign players.
The charter will also serve to provide guidelines
through which to regulate the financial
sector. ...Read on
Namibian beef on high demand
Meat experts here are so impressed with
the quality of Namibian beef that they are
predicting demand is likely to grow as
more Europeans realise the nutritional
benefits of this beef that is free from
growth hormones and other banned substances.
Before shipment to overseas markets,
local beef is vacuum-packed to international
standards and once shipped, these
cuts have a shelf life of up to six months
provided that the cold chain is maintained
at a constant and specified minimum temperature.
The beef cuts shipped to Europe have
been given a thumbs-up by those in the
know who say sales of Namibian beef are
quite impressive on the lucrative
European market where consumers are
quality conscious. ...Read on
Education key to growth
“Learn to read and read to learn” was the
advice that seasoned teacher Bernard
Williams, always gave his students.
Williams, who ended his teaching
career as headmaster of a Catholic boys’
junior school in Harare in the mid 1990s,
dedicated his life to educating youngsters.
Firm but fair, Bernard Williams was
loved, admired and respected by students
and parents alike. ...Read on
New project brings relief to the jobless in Swaziland
A new day has dawned over the Kingdom of
Swaziland after an international conglomerate, D1
Oils Plc commenced a project that is surely poised
to alleviate poverty and improve people's lives —
particularly in the depraved rural areas of the country.
The new project, piloted by D1 Oils (Swaziland)
comes as a relief to many Swazis since the country
has over the years been relying on sugarcane as the
major export revenue earner. ...Read on