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