minis trial statement - 28 03 12 dr guy scott

8/2/2019 Minis Trial Statement - 28 03 12 Dr Guy Scott

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STATEMENT TO PARHAMENT ON THE SITUAIION lNTHE WESTERN PROVINCE BY HIS HONOUR THEVICE PRESIDENT DR. G. L. SCOTT MADE ON 28THMARCH 20I2.

MR. SPEAKER, I RISE TO ADDRESS THE NATION THROUGH THIS AUGUSTHOUSE ON THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE 2012 BAROTSE NATIONALCOUNCIL HELD AT LIMULUNGA ON 26 27IH MARCH, 2012 THATWERE ANNOUNCED IN MONGU ON MATTERS WHICH HAVE APROFOUND BEARING ON THE INTEGRITY AND HARMONY OF OURPEACEFUL COUNTRY. THOSE RESOLUTIONS HAVE SEVERECONSEQUENCES AND RAMIFICATIONS.

SIR, AS A COUNTRY MADE OF SEVERAL ETHNIC GROUPS, WE AREFUSED AND HAVE ESTABLISHED STRONG BONDS OF FRATERNITY AND AUNIQUE FELLOWSHIP BUILT ON A FOUNDATION OF ONE ZAMBIA ONENATION SINCE THE ATTAINMENT OF INDEPENDENCE. THIS HASSUSTAINED US MAKING OUR COUNTRY AN OASIS OF PEACE, STABILITYAND HARMONY. IN DIVERSITY WE HAVE HELD TOGETHER WITHOUTPRE-OCCUPATION AND OBSESSION WITH REGARD TO COLOUR,


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CREED OR LANGUAGE BARRIERS. PEOPLE WHO VISIT OUR COUNTRYARE TOUCHED AND IMPRESSED TO SEE A COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLEHAVE ENDLESS SMILES AND EXTEND A HAND OF FRIENDSHIP TOFOREIGNERS. THIS IS A COUNTRY WHERE THERE IS NO XENOPHOBIAOR INGRAINED ILL FEELING TOWARDS THOSE WHO ARE NOT OURCLAN, OUR COLOUR OR RELIGIOUS PERSKJASION.

MR. SPEAKER, WE HAVE VARIOUS CHALLENGES AS A COUNTRY,PRINCIPALLY A LARGE NUMBER OF OUR PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY.THIS IS MORALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND INDEED UNDESIRABLE. OURAGENDA AND THRUST IN UNISON SHOULD BE TO ADDRESS THISCHALLENGE. SIR, OUR POLICY AS THE PATRIOTIC FRONTGOVERNMENT FOR DEVOLUTION AS AN APPROACH TODECENTRALISATION IS DRIVEN BY POVERTY REDUCTION ANDELIMINATION AND IS ANCHORED ON THE ISSUE OF GETTINGDEVELOPMENT TO THE GRASSROOTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS THEMOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF TACKLING POVERTY, AS STRESSED BY HISEXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT IN HIS OFFICIAL OPENING SPEECH TO THISAUGUST HOUSE.


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MR. SPEAKER, IN THE 20I3 BUDGET GOVERNMENT WILL START THEPROCESS OF REVENUE SHARING WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES INORDER TO ENHANCE DEVELOPMENT IN ALL THE PARTS OF THECOUNTRY. IN ADDITION, GOVERNMENT HAS MANY PROGRAMMESAND PROJECTS, SOME OF WHICH WILL TAKE OFF IN THE NEXT TWO TOTHREE MONTHS WHICH WILL HAVE A 'BIG IMPACT ESPECIALLY INTERMS OF REDUCING UNEMPLOYMENT. THE ROUTE WE WILL TAKE FORINSTANCE TO CONSTRUCT ROADS IN ALL OUR TOWNS IN BOTH URBAN

AND RURAL AREAS WILL BE LABOUR INTENSIVE WHILE MAINTAININGQUALITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND DURABILITY.

SIR, LET ME NOW ADDRESS THE GRAVE ISSUE OF SECESSION OF THEWESTERN PROVINCE FROM ZAMBIA. THIS RESOLUTION WAS TAKEN BY

A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARROGATED TO THEMSELVES ANEXCLUSIVE PRESERVE TO SPEAK FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WESTERNPROVINCE. THE RESOLUTIONS FROM THE DISTRICTS WERE A STAGEMANAGED AND ORCHESTRATED AFFAIR, WITH NO PROOF OFADEQUATE CONSULTATION. WE INSIST AS GOVERNMENT THAT THERESOLUTIONS BY THE BAROTSE NATIONAL COUNCIL TO BREAK AWAYFROM THE REST OF ZAMBIA WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED BY ALL3


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THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA THROUGH A PROCESS THAT INVOLVESELABORATE AND CREDIBLE CONSULTATION.

THE RESOLUTIONS ANNOUNCED IN MONGU YESTERDAY AREIRRESPONSIBLE AND UNACCEPTABLE. GOVERNMENT WILL NOTABDICATE ITS RESPONSIBILITY AS CUSTODIANS OF THE INTERESTS OFALL OUR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE IERRITORIAL SPACE CALLEDZAMBIA. UP TO NOW GOVERNMENT SECURITY AND LAWENFORCEMENT WINGS HAVE MAINTAINED A LOW PROFILE ANDVISIBILITY. LEVEL HEADEDNESS AND CIRCUMSPECTION WILL CONTINUETO BE OUR GUIDELINE.

MR. SPEAKER, AS GOVERNMENT WE WILL RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OFPROTECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE AND PROPERTY. IT IS OURINESCAPABLE DUTY, OBLIGATION AND RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO. IWANT TO COUNSEL OUR PEOPLE TO DESIST FROM POINTING FINGERSAT EACH OTHER. WE MUST ALL GUARD AGAINST EXPLOSIVESTATEMENTS WHICH CAN ONLY COMPOUND THE SITUATION.SIR, VARIOUS EDIFICES AND STRUCTURES RANGING FROM SCHOOLS,HOSPITALS, AND RELATED FACILITIES TO OFFICES IN THE PROVINCE4


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HAVE BEEN PROVIDED COURTESY OF ZAMBIAN TAX PAYERS OF ALLPERSUATIONS. GOVERNMENT WILL PROTECT ALL THE PROPERTIES.

THE WESTERN PROVINCE IS INHABITED BY A NUMBER OF ETHNICGROUPINGS WHO MAY BE AS NUMEROUS AS THE LOZIS AND WHOARE AVERSE TO BREAKING AWAY FROM ZAMBIA. MOST LIKELY MORELOZIS LIVE IN THE REST OF ZAMBIA THAN THOSE WHO LIVE IN THEWESTERN PROVINCE. THEY HAVE FAMILIES AND A CHAIN OFPROPERTIES. THEY HAVE FUSED WITH FELLOW ZAMBIANS THROUGHMARRIAGES AND OTHER FORMS OF SOCIAL INTERACTION.GENERALLY ALL OF US ZAMBIANS WHEREVER WE MAY LIVE IN OURLARGE COUNTRY HAVE AN ULTIMATE ATTACHMENT TO EACH OTHERAND OUR COUNTRY. ANY SEPARATION ENTAILS ANGUISH ANDRUPTURE IN OUR SENTIMENTAL CONNECTIONS. IT WOULD BE A BIGEMOTIONAL UPHEAVAL.

MY ADVICE TO THE COUNTRY MR. SPEAKER IS THAT WE STAY CALMAND TAKE NOTE OF THE PRONOUNCEMENTS IN MONGU ANDCONTINUE TO DIALOGUE WITH THE BAROTSE ROYAL ESTABLISHMENT.ZAMBIA'S HARMONY WILL CONTINUE TO BE PREMISED ON


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DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES AND VALUES AND BENCHMARKS OFTOLERANCE, ACCOMMODATION AND FELLOWSHIP. FINALLY, IT IS MYHOPE THAT THE HOUSE WILL UNITE IN SAFEGUARDING OUR PEACE,UNITY AND THE INTEGRITY OF OUR COUNTRY THROUGH OURPURPOSEFUL TOGETHERNESS AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT.ITHANK YOU.

minis trial statement - 28 03 12 dr guy scott

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