Tuesday, 6th November, 2007

The House met at 1430 hours

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

NATIONAL ANTHEM

PRAYER
_____

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ACTING LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, in the absence of His Honour the Vice-President, who is attending to other national duties, Hon. G. W. Mpombo, MP, Minister of Defence, has been appointed Acting Leader of Government Business in the House from Tuesday, 6th November, 2007 to Friday, 9th November, 2007.

Thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

DELEGATION FROM THE NAMIBIAN PARLIAMENT

Mr Speaker: Hon. Members, I wish to acquaint the House with the fact that today, in the Speaker’s Gallery, we are privileged to have four Members of Parliament and a Committee Clerk who are Members of the National Council Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs of Namibia who are here for a study visit.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: These are:

(i) Hon. Hafeni Ndemula, MP – Chairperson;

(ii) Hon. Philemon Ndjambula, MP – Vice-Chairperson;

(iii) Hon. Leevi Katoma, MP – Member;

(iv) Hon. Rosalia Muashekele-Sibiya, MP – Member; and

(v) Ms Auguste Shali – Committee Clerk.

We welcome them and are happy to have them in our midst.

Thank you.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
______

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

STUDENT UNREST AT MWENSE HIGH SCHOOL

924. Mr Chongo (Mwense) asked the Minister of Education:

(a) what caused the student unrest at Mwense High School on 6th October, 2007;

(b) whether lives and property had been lost during the student unrest;

(c) what disciplinary action had been taken against the student responsible for the unrest; and

(d) whether students in examination classes had been asked to pay K770,000 before they were allowed to write their final exams this year and, if so, what the justification for this severe punishment was when some students were allegedly appearing in court for causing damage to school property.

The Minister of Education (Professor Lungwangwa): Mr Speaker, according to the reports from the school, District Education Board Secretary and the Provincial Education Office, the following were the probable causes of the riot:

(a) prefects were denied permission to go for a picnic at Lumangwe Water Falls and spending a night out at Kawambwa Boys Technical High School;

(b) the Head Teacher refused to have an audience with the prefects on the postponement of their picnic;

(c) some Grade 12 pupils who did not pay school fees were denied mattresses;

(d) pupils were denied access to the computer room; and

(e) pupils were denied watching DSTV as part of the evening entertainment.

Mr Speaker, there was no life that was lost as a result of the riotous behaviour of the pupils at Mwense High School, but property was damaged as pupils petrol bombed the administration block. As a result, seventeen computers, 329 mattresses, sports equipment and window panes in some classrooms, dormitories and staff houses were damaged. The cost of replacing the damaged infrastructure and equipment has been estimated at K560 million.

Sir, the school was closed on 3rd October, 2007. All pupils where asked to pay for the damaged school property, but examination classes were allowed to come back after two weeks upon paying K770,000 towards repair costs.

The rest of the pupils will come back next year with the said amount at the beginning of the first term. An appeal was made to the parents and guardians to restrain their children from resorting to riotous behaviour every time they had a grievance. The cost of rebuilding the infrastructure destroyed at the affected school will be borne by the pupils.

Some pupils were detained by the police out of which eight were identified as ring leaders and the rest released. The eight pupils appeared in court on 22nd October, 2007. The case has been adjourned to 5th December, 2007.

Mr Speaker, the PTA board members met with the school administration and determined the amount of K770, 000 to be paid by each pupil to go towards the repair and purchase of damaged property. They agreed to pay the stipulated amount in two installments of K500, 000 at the beginning and K270, 000 before writing the final examinations. The pupils are required to meet the full cost of damage caused by their riotous behaviour as a deterrent to damage to Government property in future which is bought at great cost to the citizens of this country. The appearance of the pupils in court should not be viewed as severe punishment, but a criminal offence procedure.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, Hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: On the morning of the same incident, the hon. Member of Parliament for Mwense (Mr Chongo) met the stakeholders at 0545 hours and addressed them. In that meeting, the causes of the riot were outlined to him as I have outlined them. The observations and recommendations of the stakeholders’ meeting which the hon. Member addressed were as follows:

(a) it was recommended in the presence of the hon. Member that the teaching and the learning environment was not conducive to both teachers and pupils;

(b) it was recommended that the school should be closed and only re-opens after two weeks to examination classes only;

(c) in the presence of the hon. Member at the said meeting, it was recommended that all pupils should pay for the damage of the school property; and

(d) the same meeting recommended in the presence of the hon. Member that ring leaders, once identified, should be taken to the court of law and tried for arson.

Mr Speaker, in another meeting called by the PTA and attended …

Interruptions

Professor Lungwangwa: … by His Royal Highness, Chief Kashiba, the Chief started by stating that personally he was not happy by what had happened in the school neither could he justify such nasty acts by pupils in any way.

Further, he urged parents and guardians to be realistic and regard any bad acts as bad regardless of who was responsible for such acts. The Chief asked all parents and guardians to accept that their children had done something unacceptable and that as parents and guardians, including him, they should accept the guilt as well as the responsibility for the damage.

The Chief further said that since the parents and the guardians had accepted the responsibility, they should condemn the barbaric act by their children and dependants. He reminded them of their advisory role to their children and dependants and later left the meeting.

Mr Speaker, this is the outline of the events and the responses to the questions raised by the hon. Member who is very much aware of the answers.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chongo: Mr Speaker, it is appreciated that no one would encourage any act of violence or damage to equipment. Mwense High School is basically a boarding school.

Mr Speaker: Order! Ask your supplementary question.

Mr Chongo: Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your guidance. How can the school punish the girl children who come from their villages and do not even stay in the school premises by preventing them from writing the exams? They were only allowed last week on Friday having lost time in many subjects, including English. Can the hon. Minister assure the nation that because the ministry had realised that the girls were not supposed to be stopped from writing the exams, they will allow them to come back to school and write examinations next year?

Hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, I really do not know what the hon. Member is asking …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Professor Lungwangwa: … because it is very clear that the pupils who were to write the examinations were allowed to come back and that is a fact which the hon. Member is very much aware of because this matter was discussed in his presence.

I thank you, Sir.

Mrs Musokotwane (Katombola): Mr Speaker …

Mr Kambwili: Welcome.

Mrs Musokotwane: … thank you for the opportunity. Can I find out from the hon. Minister what plans they have put in place to inculcate a sense of responsibility into school children so that we minimise the riots that happen on a daily basis?

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, if the hon. Member for Katombola had paid close attention to my response, …

Hon. Opposition Members: Aah!

Mr Speaker: Order!

Professor Lungwangwa: … she would have realised that the process of putting in place mechanisms for pupils to be responsible has started. The advice from the Chief to the parents is a very good example of instilling a sense of responsibility on the part of the community. Equally, the school and education authorities are doing the same. The reply that I have just given is indicative of the measures which are being taken to instill a sense of responsibility, including the demand for pupils to pay for the damaged property.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Milupi (Luena): Mr Speaker, would the hon. Minister admit that the damage that he has referred to was mostly caused by the petrol bombing? If this is the case, not all pupils could have participated in the petrol bombing. Why has the ministry not been able to establish the ring leaders and make them pay for the damage, rather than impose blanket charging? This kind of punishment does not cause those pupils who had participated actively to learn a lesson.

Mr D. Mwila: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member for Luena is aware that a riot is a very complex event. Therefore, when it happens in an environment like a school, at an hour when you cannot pinpoint exactly, it becomes very difficult. Hence, the need to demand that all those who were in the school and caused the damage be responsible. A riot is very difficult.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Sinyangwe (Matero): Mr Speaker, I would like to find out from the hon. Minister who really understands education and knows that time wasted, even an hour, means a lot. How are you going to pay back for the lost time of the children. Even if they brought the K700,000 today, they have lost learning hours.

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, I am happy that my sister across there acknowledges that I understand education.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: The answer to her question is simply that, indeed, we cannot condone indiscipline in our educational system.
Mr Simbao: Hear, hear!

Mr Lungwangwa: It is extremely important that the system be stable and discipline is maintained in the rank and file of the entire educational system from the primary level up to the university level. This is very important for our development. We are very concerned about improving the educational system. If the pupils know that they have lost time, it is not the making of the authority, but their own making and they should be accountable for that.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Chazangwe (Choma): Mr Speaker, what measures has the Ministry of Education taken to ensure that this kind of behaviour from pupils does not occur elsewhere in other schools?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, I am sure this type of behaviour will not occur in his constituency.

Laughter

Professor Lungwangwa: If it does, he should be the first one to be on the spot in the way that Hon. Chongo did to condemn that kind of behaviour.

Mr Speaker, in addition, I would like to request my cousin across the Floor to be visiting the schools in his constituency and discuss their problems because that is part of the measures of ensuring that this kind of unfortunate behaviour does not occur in our educational institutions. We are all part of the process, including the enforcement of the regulations and involvement of the parents in advising and guiding the pupils.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Sikota (Livingstone): Mr Speaker, whilst it is agreed that indiscipline should never be condoned, could the hon. Minister tell this House what incentive there is for children who do not participate in riots and do not destroy any property, but instead still get lumbered with a fine, in spite of having been well behaved? Will this arbitrary and blanket charging of pupils, even those children who are innocent, not make other pupils elsewhere when a riot comes out decide to participate since they would be fined in any event?

Interruptions

Mr Sikota: Is it not unconstitutional to charge people who are innocent moneys?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, matters of this nature where huge amounts of money are lost cannot be subjected to rhetoric and legal position.

Interruptions

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, it is very important that we show a lot of seriousness in handling such unfortunate incidents which result in damage costing huge amounts of money. As a Government, we are very concerned about improving the educational system and a lot of money is going into infrastructure development. Therefore, I would hope that our learned hon. Member for Livingstone (Mr Sikota) would be the first one to condemn this type of behaviour which is retrogressive or pulling down the clock of education improvement. That in a way is a simple and straightforward answer to the hon. Member’s question.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ngoma (Sinda): Mr Speaker, what measure has the Government put in place to ensure that the surcharge amount of K770,000, at the end of the day is utilised to put back the rundown infrastructure?

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, the money that is going to be realised from the payment will go towards rebuilding the infrastructure damaged by the pupils.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Ms Chitika (Kawambwa): Mr Speaker, immediately after the riot at Mwense and Kawambwa Secondary schools, the Provincial Education Officer (PEO) from Mansa travelled to the two schools and he was reported to have informed the nation that some teachers were identified as having incited the children. I would like to find out from the hon. Minister what disciplinary measures have been taken against the teachers and whether they will also pay for the damage.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

MAZABUKA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS

926. Mr Mweemba (Magoye) asked the Minister of Education:

(a) how many high schools the ministry had built in Mazabuka District since 1964; and

(b) whether there were any plans to build a high school in Chief Mwanachingwala’s area in Magoye Parliamentary Constituency.

The Deputy Minister of Education (Mr Sinyinda): Mr Speaker, I would like to inform this House that the ministry has not built any high school in Mazabuka District since 1964. However, through community and ministry initiative, three high schools, namely: Namalundu, Nanga and Nkonkola had been opened in 1978, 2005 and 2006 respectively.

Sir, Chief Mwanachingwala has given twenty-five hectares of land near Mukuyu Basic School for the probable construction of a Government High School. The Irish donors have expressed interest in supporting this project.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Habeenzu (Chikankata): Mr Speaker, of the schools that the hon. Minister has mentioned, how many of these are boarding schools?

Mr Sinyinda: Mr Speaker, among the schools that I have mentioned one is a boarding school. That is Nkonkola High School.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka): Mr Speaker, I would like to pose a question, but with your permission, I would like to give a short preamble. Mazabuka is the fastest growing district in this country, economically. This entails that the population is expanding at a very rapid pace. Does the hon. Minister not accept responsibility for this failure which has led to many children being excluded from the school system which has precipitated the prevalence of HIV/AIDS contraction by our young children? As a result of their vulnerability, the people who have come to Mazabuka for employment lure them with very little money into either early marriages or unwanted pregnancies.

Mr Sinyinda: Mr Speaker, I would like to inform my cousin that it is my ministry’s intention to make sure that all school going children are in school. However, this will be done in phases with the availability of resources.

I thank you, Sir.

MINERAL EXPLORATION COMPANIES

927. Mr Imasiku (Liuwa) asked the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development:

(a) how many mineral exploration companies were currently operating in Kalabo District;

(b) when each of these companies commenced their operations in the district;

(c) what type of minerals each company was exploring and what their findings were; and

(d) what measures the ministry had taken against the companies that were not making any headway.
The Deputy Minister of Mines and Minerals Development (Mr Nkhata): Mr Speaker, the House may wish to note that there are four exploration companies operating in Kalabo District, namely; Spirit of the River Limited, BHP Billiton, Zamgasco Limited and Caledonia Mining Limited.

Sir, Spirit of the River limited commenced operations in Kalabo District in May, 2005, after the company acquired a large scale prospecting Licence No. PLLS 243. The licence was converted in September, 2006, to a large scale mining Licence No. LML 56.

BHP Billiton commenced prospecting works on 10th May, 2007, when they acquired licence No. PLLS 344; Zamgasco Limited started on 19th April, 2007, when it acquired Licence No. PLLS 338; and Caledonia Mining Limited on 1st January, 1998, when it obtained Licence No. PLLS 144.

Mr Speaker, the Spirit of the River Limited was granted a licence to explore for diamonds. This licence was later converted to a mining licence for alluvial diamonds only.

BHP Billiton is exploring for lead, copper, cobalt, silver, zinc, platinum, gold and nickel. Zamgasco Limited is exploring for coal, lead and methane while Caledonia Mining Limited is exploring for diamonds.

Sir, the ministry has embarked on a project to establish a computerised cadastral system through which non-compliant licences will be revoked and removed from the data base. The non-compliant licences include those that have been dormant for a long period and have outlived the tenure limit, and those with outstanding area charges.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Imasiku: Mr Speaker, are there any results from all these companies showing that there is a possibility of discovering some minerals in Kalabo?

Mr Nkhata: Mr Speaker, currently, my ministry is carrying out the computerised cadastral system. This means that companies that are not making any headway will be removed. We are going to revoke their licences and give chance to new applicants.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muntanga (Kalomo): Mr Speaker, since mining for alluvial diamonds has commenced, may we know how much such diamonds have been mined?

Mr Nkhata: Mr Speaker, as I said in my earlier answers, we have instituted and sent a team of people upon seeing that we have not been receiving reports from the erring companies. The team has been dispatched to areas where the mining activities are taking place.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Imenda (Lukulu East): Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister aware that Spirit of the River mining company has run away from the country owing the local people a lot of money without declaring anything to the Republic of Zambia?

Mr Nkhata: Mr Speaker, upon getting some information from our provincial administration about the Spirit of the River having left that place, we instituted a team that has gone to investigate and find out what has led to that. We are yet to receive the report from our officers who have gone to the same area.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kanyanyamina (Kanchibiya): Mr Speaker, what measures has the Government put in place to avoid situations like the one concerning the mining company called Spirit of the River? In the previous years, this country has been robbed of precious stones, especially by that company which is exploring for diamonds. What measures have been put in place so that they will not take our precious diamonds before we realise it?

Mr Nkhata: Mr Speaker, the ministry, as I said earlier, is carrying out a cleaning exercise to ensure that all the companies that do not comply with regulations have their mining licences revoked.

I thank you, Sir.

Interruptions

Mr Kambwili: Nishi nabaya!

Mr Sikota: Mr Speaker, I would like to request the hon. Minister to tell the nation what methods of mining the Spirit of the River company was using and if there were investigations carried out on the reports that were made by the locals about this. Further, could he explain about the chemicals the company was using and whether this is connected to the disease of the fish in the river?

Interruptions

Mr Nkhata: Mr Speaker, we cannot depend on rumours. Our friends in the Fisheries Department in the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives are investigating that. We are yet to get the answers from them.

I thank you, Sir.

CHILUBI FULL-TIME COXSWAIN

928. Mr Chisala (Chilubi) asked the Minister of Communications and Transport when a full-time coxswain for Chilubi District would be employed.

The Minister of Works and Supply (Mr Simbao) (on behalf of the Minister of Communications and Transport (Ms Sayifwanda): Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Communication and Transport has no plans to recruit a full-time coxswain for Chilubi district because there is no requirement for such at the moment. Currently, Chilubi Island is serviced from Samfya by Bangweulu Water Transport Board.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, since 2002, Bangweulu Water Transport has been operating by hiring operators from the Zambia Postal Service. As a result, the performance of the company has been very ineffective. Is the hon. Minister aware that this has greatly contributed to the ineffectiveness of the company?

Mr Simbao: Mr Speaker, this company operates a twice-in-a-week service along the islands, including Chilubi Island. This is what they are capable of doing. Therefore, as far as Government is concerned, we are satisfied with the service.

I thank you, Sir.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FUND

929. Mr Mwapela (Kalabo Central) asked the Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development whether the Ministry had devised any mechanisms for evaluating and monitoring the disbursement and usage of the Youth Development Fund similar to those pertaining to the Constituency Development Fund and, if so, what they are.

The Deputy Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development (Ms Cifire): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this House that the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development has devised mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the disbursement and usage of the Youth Development Fund which may be similar to those pertaining to the Constituency Development Fund. My ministry has put the following measures in place and I wish to quote Clause 7.0 of the Guidelines for Constituency Youth Development Fund:

“7.0 Financial Management, Auditing, Monitoring and Evaluation.

7.1 The local authority shall open a separate account for Constituency YouthDevelopment Fund.

7.2 Auditing of the committee’s work (Constituency Youth Development Fund Committee) will be carried out in accordance with the Financial Public Finance Act No. 15 of 2004.

7.3 The Constituency Youth Development Fund Committee shall be required to submit records of the minutes of their meetings to the Provincial Youth Development Office with copies to the District Commissioner and local authorities on a quarterly basis.

7.4 At the end of the year, the committees, in conjunction with the District Commissioners, shall prepare annual reports which will be submitted to the Provincial Youth Development Office and local authority by January 31st of the following year to enable the Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development report on the effectiveness of the fund to Cabinet and Parliament.

7.5 The Provincial Youth Development Officers and local authority shall maintain records of the fund and monitor implementation of projects.”

Mr Speaker, I wish to add that my ministry already has existing monitoring and evaluation structures. These are Youth Inspectorate Unit; Audit; Planning Unit; Provincial Youth Development Office; and the National Youth Development Council.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Mwapela: Mr Speaker, how often does the unit go round the country to monitor these projects?

Ms Cifire: Mr Speaker, the job of this unit is to follow up all issues that may arise. Since we get this fund once per year, it means that as soon as we distribute it, the job of this unit is to go round the seventy-two districts to see what is happening as well as wait for the reports that are coming in from the districts.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwiimbu (Monze): Mr Speaker, through you, I would like the hon. Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development to inform the nation whether they are considering revising the guidelines pertaining to the Youth Empowerment Fund, considering that most of the youths in the country are unable to access the funds. Due to the elaborate nature of the guidelines, youths in certain constituencies like Nalikwanda have failed to access this fund.

Mr Muntanga: Yes!

Laughter

Ms Cifire: Mr Speaker, chizungu chee.

Laughter

Ms Cifire: There is need to have elaborate guidelines for the sake of having a wider spectrum. It would be very difficult for people to follow if we stuck to one. Also, we have officers in the districts whose job is to explain these guidelines in case there are deficiencies in understanding.

When I read Clause 7.0 of the Guidelines for Constituency Youth Development Fund, I explained that the other job that the District Commissioners have is to explain the guidelines …

Interruptions

Ms Cifire: Hon. Members of Parliament also supplement the efforts of the Government. Therefore, we have several people who the youth can go to for guidelines.

In addition, we would welcome views from the hon. Members on how they think we can improve the process.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Kakoma (Zambezi West): Mr Speaker, why did the ministry give a condition that the youths should access application forms through the Internet when they know that in rural areas, Zambezi West in particular, there are no computers hence the youths have failed to apply?

Laughter

Ms Cifire: Mr Speaker, all the District Commissioners have the forms. All we wanted was to improve on the avenues where these forms could be obtained. The Internet has now become one such way that allows many people not to walk distances, but get them nearby. Therefore, we did not do anything to disadvantage the youths.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Mwenya (Nkana): Mr Speaker, what is the clear process of constituting the Constituency Youth Development Committee even if it remains in the hands of the District Commissioner and the Permanent Secretary without the involvement of the Member of Parliament?

Ms Cifire: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament is the most important person within this committee. How could the committee run without the Member of Parliament sitting there? The District Commissioner provides secretarial services as we appreciate that the youths may not have these facilities. What we have done is that by virtue of the District Commissioner’s position and the fact that he deals with most of these issues, the youths can meet at his office so that he helps regarding their secretarial needs, but the Member of Parliament is supposed to be a member of the committee.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Ntundu (Gwembe): Mr Speaker, the hon. Minister has contradicted herself. In her submission, she stated that one of the roles of the District Commissioner is to explain to the youths the guidelines and the hon. Member of Parliament just supplements. Therefore, what is the role of the hon. Member of Parliament on this committee since in your earlier statement you stated that the hon. Member of Parliament just supplements? What is the role of the hon. Member of Parliament?

Ms Cifire: Mr Speaker, the hon. Member’s understanding is very strange to me because I did not talk about Members of Parliament when I answered an earlier question. I said there are many avenues of how we can assist in explaining the Constituency Youth Development Fund (CYDF) and that is one of the things that the District Commissioners can do. The Member of Parliament who I did not talk about when I was discussing guidelines is an important person on this committee because we are talking about his/her constituency. If you cannot sit on that committee, then how are you going to take ownership of the youths in the constituency?

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

MEDICAL DRUGS IMPORTATION

930. Mr Sejani (Mapatizya) asked the Minister of Health:

(a) what general guidelines govern the importation of medical drugs in Zambia; and

(b) why the cancerous impurities belatedly discovered in the Viracept drug that were recently withdrawn from the market were not detected earlier.

The Minister of Health (Dr Chituwo): Mr Speaker, the Government of the Republic of Zambia is committed to ensuring that all drugs coming into Zambia whether imported by public or private enterprise or donated to us fulfill guidelines that govern importation of the same. Guidelines have been formulated in order to allow only efficacious and safe drugs in the country. The following are the guidelines:

(a) drugs coming into the country will be in line with Zambia Essential Medicines Drug List. The list reflects the disease pattern in the country;

(b) drugs that are not on the list, including those that are regarded as dangerous, can only be obtained through the permission of the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority (PRA). The PRA was established under the Pharmaceutical Act of 2004. The importation, manufacture, exportation, distribution and sale of medicines, herbal medicines and allied substances is the function of the PRA;

(c) drugs which are donated to Zambia should have a shelf life of, at least, 12 months and should be consumed in the country of origin; and

(d) PRA has provided for mini lab kits for screening medicines that are imported into the country at Lusaka International Airport. This will soon be extended to Chirundu, Nakonde, Kasumbalesa and Livingstone in phases;

So far, preliminary indications are that Zambia did not receive the batches of Viracept that were contaminated. The manufacturers (Roche), however, will still continue to follow up any mothers and their children who could have consumed Viracept from 1998, while pregnant, to see if there are any side effects. On the other hand, the Ministry of Health with the assistance of the World Health Organisation (WHO), will conduct an independent assessment and the nation will be informed accordingly.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

WOMEN IN TOURISM INDUSTRY

931. Mrs Musokotwane asked the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources:

(a) how many women were in the tourism industry; and

(b) in what tourism ventures the women at (a) above were involved.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (Ms Tembo): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform the House that it is difficult to give the number of women in the tourism industry owing to the fact that the industry is diverse with micro, small, medium and big enterprises. The ministry does not keep records of such statistics.

Women are involved in various businesses in the tourism industry in Zambia and this is either directly or indirectly. The level of involvement varies depending on the type of venture, though certain ventures are predominantly women-owned and managed.

The involvement of women in the industry includes accommodation (lodge operation, guesthouses and rest houses); tour operation; travel agencies; car hire and entertainment, that is restaurants and bars. Those indirectly involved are in the supply of goods and services ranging from uniforms and interior decorations to the supply of food items and equipment.

There are also some women involved in village industries such as curios and basketry and other souvenirs which are sold to tourists, both at prime and secondary levels. In addition, women form a part of community tourism-based initiatives in the rural areas. Advertising, marketing and e-commerce are other areas in which women are involved.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Musokotwane: Mr Speaker, now that the ministry has realised that maintaining statistics is important, are they going to start collecting that data so that when we ask for it next time, they will make it available?

The Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (Mr Kaingu): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Hon. Musokotwane who is happy to see the change in the status of her husband …

Laughter

Mr Kaingu: … and it also …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Laughter

Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister may continue, but leave out the spouses.

Laughter

Mr Speaker: No mention of spouses in here.

Mr Kaingu: Mr Speaker, I thank you for that correction.

Sir, indeed, we have realised that it is important to keep statistics and we will ask our officers in the ministry to do so.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Muntanga: Mr Speaker, is the hon. Minister in order not to count the women in the industry …

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: … such as his two wives who are running motels? He could have told us, at least, the number of the few women …

Laughter

Mr Muntanga: … participating in the industry.

Mr Speaker: The Chair has already guided the House ...

Laughter

Mr Speaker: … no spouses are referred to in this House. However, the hon. Minister may shed light on that particular subject.

Laughter

Mr Kaingu: I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your protection.

Laughter

Mr Kaingu: However, I would like to say that …

Hon. Member: My wives

Laughter

Mr Kaingu: … going by the Tourism Development Credit Facility, 16 per cent of the people who acquired the facility were women while 24 per cent were enterprises which are in joint ventures between men and women.

I thank you, Sir.

Laughter{mospagebreak}

SERVICE MEN’S CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

932. Mr Kambwili (Roan) asked the Minister of Defence:

(a) what the conditions of service for Zambian soldiers and officers on peace-keeping missions abroad were; and

(b) whether the Government levied a fee on the personal earnings of officers and soldiers at (a) above and, if so, why and for what.

The Minister of Defence (Mr Mpombo): Mr Speaker, I am in a bit of a legal quagmire.

Laughter

Mr Mpombo: This issue is before the courts. Therefore, I would like to avoid commenting on matters that could be considered sub judice.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: On matters like this where the Chair is not briefed in advance, we have relied on the hon. Learned Minister of Justice to shed light. Is it correct that this matter is before the courts?

The Minister of Justice (Mr Kunda): Mr Speaker, in fact, there are several cases which are in the courts relating to the conditions of service under which soldiers with the United Nations serve. I am also aware that even fresh actions have been started.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: Thank you. Let the House understand the situation and, maybe, wait until these matters are resolved in the courts of law. As such, the House will move on.

ISSUANCE OF TITLE DEEDS

933. Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi) asked the Minister of Lands:

(a) at which stage title deeds were issued to a person buying property; and

(b) in what circumstances title deeds were issued ten years after procuring a house or land.

The Deputy Minister of Lands (Mr Hamir): Mr Speaker, the title deeds are processed upon receipt of the necessary documents pertaining to the sale. The conveyancing procedures have to be concluded by the buyer and the seller with the help of the lawyer or agent before documents can be brought to the Ministry.

Sir, the Ministry of Lands only processes title deeds when the documents relating to the procurement of the land or house are lodged by the seller, buyer, agent or their lawyer. Before the documents are lodged with the ministry, it has no control over the time it takes for the parties to conclude the necessary procedures and documentation for the transaction (for example, full payment of purchase price, signing of contract, signing of assessment deeds etc). However, when the documents are lodged with the ministry, title deeds are produced within three three months. A delay can occur where wrong documents are submitted and a follow-up is not made by the client.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mukanga: Mr Speaker, realising that the Government sold ZCCM houses to sitting tenants who have not received the title deeds in the last ten years, I want to find out what the Government is doing to ensure that those who bought former ZCCM houses receive the title deeds promptly.

The Minister of Lands (Mr Machila): Mr Speaker, the title deeds that were submitted to the ministry for processing are being cleared. The majority of the outstanding ones are still in possession of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines – Investments Holdings (ZCCM-IH) and are being dealt with by them.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Mbewe (Chadiza): Mr Speaker, does the ministry have any plans to decentralise the issuance of title deeds to provinces?

Mr Machila: Mr Speaker, that is part of the long-term agenda. However, for now, we are processing title deeds through the Lusaka and Ndola offices.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chimbaka (Bahati): Mr Speaker, why has it taken so long to give title deeds to miners who got houses during the Chiluba Government considering the fact that the Second Republican President and the current one promised to give them title deeds immediately? Why have they taken long?

Mr Machila: Mr Speaker, to repeat what I said earlier, the documents that were submitted through ZCCM-IH are being processed by the office of the Registrar of Lands and Deeds. There are 45,000 properties involved in total. So far, titles in excess of 16,000 have been processed. Now, there are 500 that are in the process of being dealt with by the ministry. Therefore, it is not the ministry alone that is responsible for what could be considered a delay. Sometimes, it depends on the time it tales to receive the documentation from ZCCM-IH.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Chanda (Kankoyo): Mr Speaker, is it true that one of the major delays is that most of the houses are on a block title?

Mr Machila: Mr Speaker, that is correct. The block title deeds are being broken up into separate units and that exercise is being done by the Surveyor-General’s office together with officers from ZCCM-IH.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

WEST LUNGA NATIONAL PARK RESTOCKING

934. Mr Katuka (Mwinilunga East) asked the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources:

(a) what the status of the West Lunga National Park was; and

(b) whether the Government had any plans to restock the Park and improve its management.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (Mr Chilembo): Mr Speaker, the West Lunga National Park has suffered depletion in terms of wildlife populations mainly due to poaching. Generally speaking, the environment is still conducive for wildlife habitation.

Sir, the Government has got plans to restock the park. This House may wish to know that the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) will enter into co-management arrangements with West Lunga Conservancy to restock the park with a variety of species. Under this arrangement, improvements will be made to infrastructure and operations.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

NYIMBA PRISON CAMP RELOCATION

935. Mr F. R. Tembo (Nyimba) asked the Minister of Home Affairs when Nyimba Prison Camp would be relocated to the new site following the completion of feasibility studies on the project.

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mrs Njapau): Mr Speaker, the Government is in the process of considering the feasibility studies on the project. However, moving to the new site will depend on the availability of resources as provided for in the Fifth National Development Plan and the annual Medium Term Expenditure Framework.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Chisala: Mr Speaker, does the Government have any plans to construct prisons in newly-established districts?

The Minister of Home Affairs (Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha): Mr Speaker, we have plans to construct new prisons in newly-established districts when resources are available.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

BENGUELA RAILWAY LINE EXTENSION

936. Mr Imenda (Lukulu East) asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs whether there were any inter-governmental plans between Zambia and Angola to extend the Benguela Railway line to the Western Province.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (Professor F. Phiri): Mr Speaker, I wish to inform this august House that there are no inter-governmental plans between Zambia and Angola to extend the Benguela Railway Line to the Western Province in particular.

However, Mr Speaker, in 2006 the Angolan authorities had indicated that they had plans to construct a railway spur from Benguela to the Zambian border, but at a point in the North-Western Province, on condition that Zambia also constructed the Chingola- Solwezi-Lumwana-Angola boarder railway link. This is a framework within which bilateral discussions between Zambia and Angola have taken place.

On the part of Zambia, the Government has earmarked the Chingola-Solwezi-Lumwana-Angola Railway Link for possible funding through external assistance. Consultations are still underway in this regard.

I thank you, Sir.

Mr Imenda: Mr Speaker, I find the response non-committal realising that Angola’s economy is currently booming …

Mr Speaker: Order! Any follow up question?

Mr Imenda: Mr Speaker, why is the Zambian Government specifically coming out with a plan to have a joint arrangement with Angola to formulate the railway line?

The Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Pande): Mr Speaker, Angola is our neighbour. In his question, the hon. Member was asking if this railway line could pass through Western Province. Now, for him to ask why we should have this link, I find it a bit strange. However, we need to open up with our neighbours. Currently, one of the priorities in the SADC Region is to open up connectivity with other neighbouring countries for the purpose of intra-region communication to encourage economic activities.

Sir, North-Western Province, where the Angolans have decided to come in to create a spur is much nearer to the Benguela Railway Line. Due to the economic activities that are taking place within the province, it has been found to be economically viable if this railway line was constructed.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kambwili: Mr Speaker, I need a clarification from the hon. Minister. Last Friday, we had a question on the ‘Kavindele’ Railway Line that is Chingola/Lumwana Railway Line. A Member asked whether it was a partnership between the Government and the private sector which is Kavindele. The response was that it is a private arrangement and the Government was not part of it. I am, therefore, taken aback to hear the hon. Minister say that the Government has intentions to fund the Solwezi/Lumwana Railway Line from external sources. Which is which? Are you in partnership and if not, how do you fund a private project?

Mr Pande: Mr Speaker, we were talking about the Chingola/Solwezi Railway Line. Besides, this Government has a liberalised policy in terms of economical activities. We are looking for business houses. If Hon. Kavindele managed to come forward and fund that project, we would be very happy because he is a Zambian. We would like to give preference to Zambians before anybody else. If there will be outsiders who would come and request to be partnered by the Government, the Government would be willing to look at the terms and then partner with them and have the railway line constructed.

I thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

MINI-HYDRO PLANT IN SHIWANG’ANDU

937. Major Chibamba (Shiwang’andu) asked the Minister of Energy and Water Development whether the mini-hydro plant being constructed by ZESCO on the Manshya River in Shiwang’andu Parliamentary Constituency would benefit local communities and if so, which schools, clinics and chiefs’ palaces in the constituency would benefit from this facility.

The Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development (Mr Sichilima):Mr Speaker, the hon. Member of Parliament may wish to know that once the mini-hydropower plant is constructed and becomes operational, the communities in Shiwang’andu Constituency will certainly benefit from this developmental project.

Through the Rural Electrification Authority, the following public facilities and associated staff houses will be electrified:

(a) Kapisha Middle Basic School;

(b) Shiwang’andu Middle Basic School;

(c) Kalalantenkwe Middle Basic School;

(d) Timba Middle Basic School;

(e) Mukwikile Middle Basic School;

(f) Shiwang’angu Rural Health Centre;

(g) Offices for Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives at Kalalantenkwe; and

(h) His Royal Highness Chief Mukwikile’s Palace.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

KAFUE TEXTILES UNREST

938. Mr Hamusonde (Nangoma) asked the Minister of Labour and Social Security;

(a) whether the ministry was aware of the looming industrial unrest at the Kafue Textiles of Zambia, now known as the African Textiles of Zambia; and

(b) if so, what measures the ministry had taken to resolve the dispute.

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Services (Mr Liato): Mr Speaker, I wish to state that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has not established any looming industrial unrest at the Kafue Textiles of Zambia, now known as the African Textiles of Zambia. Procedurally, before industrial action commences, a dispute has to be declared. Currently, no dispute has been declared by either the employees or the management of the institution. Inspections conducted at the establishment recently verified this as the correct position.

Sir, the ministry is monitoring this company through our field office in Kafue to ensure that any adverse developments on industrial relations are judiciously handled in order to foster industrial harmony that is currently prevailing at the establishment.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

SINDA POLICE STATION CONSTRUCTION

939. Mr Ngoma (Sinda) asked the Minister of Home Affairs when the Government would construct a police station at Sinda in the Eastern Province.

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Mr Bonshe): Mr Speaker, there are no immediate plans to construct a police station at Sinda because there is no establishment for a police camp. The officers who are currently manning the police post at Sinda are just renting houses in the surrounding areas. However, the officers have, so far, effectively managed to police the area.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Ngoma: Mr Speaker, arising from that answer, is the Government aware that the population of Sinda far exceeds the population of a lot of rural districts in this country and as such, there is urgent need for Sinda to have a police station?

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha: Mr Speaker, we are aware of the population increase. In due course, we will be drawing plans to assist the population in Sinda.

I thank you, Sir.
_____{mospagebreak}

MOTION

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL WELFARE

Mr Habeenzu (Chikankata): Mr Speaker, I beg to move that this House do adopt the Report of the Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Welfare for the First Session of the Tenth National Assembly laid on the Table of the House on 9th October, 2007.

Mr Speaker: Is the motion seconded?

Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi): Mr Speaker, I beg to second the motion.

Mr Habeenzu: Mr Speaker, in accordance with their terms of reference, your Committee studied two topics for the year 2007 as set out hereunder:

(i) review of the operations and performance of the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD); and

(ii) prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT); and the management of paediatric HIV/AIDS in Zambia.

In doing so, your Committee sought the assistance of various stakeholders notable among them the Ministries of Health and Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, Disabled People’s Organisation and the network of the Zambian people living with HIV/AIDS.

Your Committee also undertook local tours and considered the action-taken report on your Committee’s report for 2006.

In this regard, your Committee’s report is in three parts. Part I addresses topical issues, part II deals with matters arising from the tours your Committee undertook and part II addresses the outstanding issues from the action-taken report on your Committee’s report for 2006.

(i) Review of the operations and performance of the Zambia Agency for persons with Disabilities (ZAPD)

Mr Speaker, allow me to apprise the House on the findings of your Committee on the review of the operations and performance of the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD)

Sir, your Committee learnt that ZAPD was established by an Act of Parliament, the Persons with Disabilities Act No. 33 of 1996. The institution is charged with the responsibility of administering the provision of services for persons with disabilities on behalf of the Government. However, your Committee bemoans the non-implementation and enforcement of the Persons with Disabilities Act.

Mr Speaker, several provisions of the Act have not been implemented, and yet no body notices because the existence of the law is little known due to lack of sensitisation and education. For instance, buildings have been built after the commencement of the Act without taking into consideration the plight of persons with disabilities on accessibility to those buildings. This has resulted into most physical infrastructure being inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Your Committee observe further that although the Act empowers the agency to raise an adjustment order to any person it considers has premises, amenities or services that are not accessible to persons with disabilities, the Act does not provide the adjustment order form and the agency has, therefore, rarely raised such adjustment orders. Furthermore, persons with disabilities are not represented on the Country and Town Planning Committee.

Mr Speaker: Order!

Business was suspended from 1615 hours until 1630 hours

Mr Habeenzu: Mr Speaker, when business was suspended, I was saying that there is need for the Government to urgently address the issue of accessibility of physical infrastructure to persons with disabilities through the necessary legislation.

Sir, the agency has failed to produce audited accounts for the last ten years. This makes it difficult to appreciate how accountable it is in terms of Government’s grants given to it. In addition, it has never employed inspectors for the inspection of institutions for purposes of monitoring and supervising the services provided to persons with disabilities as provided for in Part V of the Act.

Mr Speaker, the prolonged tenure of office of the current board is also testimony of the non-implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act. In view of the foregoing, your Committee recommend that the Government should undertake to sensitise and educate the citizens and the stakeholders on the existence of the Persons with Disabilities Act No. 33 of 1996 and its provisions.

Further, a new board for the Agency should be constituted as soon as possible and the Agency should be audited in order to ascertain how prudent and accountable it has been in managing its financial affairs.

Mr Speaker, the policy of inclusive education was introduced in good faith. Nonetheless, your Committee are convinced that it is achieving its purpose. Persons with disabilities intergrated in mainstream schools lack facilities and educational materials, unlike their able-bodied counterparts.

Therefore, there cannot be effective implementation of that policy in the absence of educational facilities and materials for persons with disabilities.

Mr Speaker, your Committee urge the Government to ensure that it provides the necessary educational materials to persons with disabilities learning in mainstream schools. Otherwise, the policy should be changed so that persons with disabilities, whether minor or severe, are taken to special schools. The existing special schools should also be reinforced and provided with the necessary educational facilities and materials.

Sir, your Committee further urge the Ministry of Education to ensure that teachers of special education who have been trained at the Zambian Institute of Special Education (ZAMISE) are posted to special schools and units instead of mainstream schools where their services are not required. This will go a long way in addressing the falling education standards among persons with disabilities.

Mr Speaker, the agency is not adequately funded. This is evidenced by the agency’s failure to complete the restructuring exercise leaving it with a bloated labour force. This has made the agency spent almost the whole Government grant on personal emoluments at the expense of the provision of services to persons with disabilities. Inadequate funding has also made the agency fail to build its capacity by attracting qualified staff.

Sir, there is need to adequately fund the agency. Your Committee envisage an agency which has a manageable labour force of skilled personnel and is able to use a reasonable percentage of the Government grant to improve service delivery to persons with disabilities. Adequate funding will also allow the agency build its capacity, especially at provincial and district levels.

Mr Speaker, persons with disabilities are not adequately represented at decision making levels in the public service. Also, presidential nominations of hon. Members of Parliament in the past fifteen years have not included persons with disabilities.

Nevertheless, your Committee commend the Government for appointing a disabled person as a member of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission. They urge the Government to identify many others and consider them for appointments to decision making position, including nomination to Parliament by the President.

Sir, your Committee undertook local tours to selected institutions that are involved in the provision of services to persons with disabilities in one way or the other. The following institutions were toured:

(i) Chileshe Chepela Special School;

(ii) Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Chitila and Mimosa Farms; and

(iii) Disacare Wheelchair Centre Trust.

As regards Chileshe Chepela Special School, your Committee learnt that pupils have problems of where to go in Grade 10. The hearing impaired pupils go to Munali High School n Lusaka, but they find it a problem because Munali is to far from their homes and while there, pupils are integrated into ordinary classes where most teachers do not use sign language when teaching. The physically impaired also find problems in fitting into other schools because such schools are not special education-friendly, especially in terms of accessibility of infrastructure.

Your Committee further observed that the school has inadequate dormitories, classrooms as well as classroom furniture and staff accommodation. In addition, the school is situated in an open and dangerous area where anyone could enter or pupils could sneak out of the campus anytime.

Your Committee, therefore, recommend that the Government should source funds to build more hostels, teachers’ houses and classrooms and consider starting high school learning at the school by opening a Grade 10 class next year. They further urge the Government to build a brick wall fence around the school in view of the vulnerability of the pupils at the school.

Mr Speaker, in relation to Chitila and Mimosa Farms, your Committee are of the view that it is possible to revamp production at the two farms in order for them to generate income for the agency. The farms can also create employment for those productive persons with disabilities. The Government could monitor the farms’ activities through the ministry responsible for agriculture and the agency itself.

Your Committee, however, note with concern that the farms are being under utilised despite the infrastructure being almost intact especially at Mimosa. Chitila farm has a borehole sunk in 2001, which is almost intact, but not in use as the pipes and tanks had not been installed. However, a hammer mill at the same place is in operation.

Sir, the centres are capable of generating income which can be used as a revolving fund. For instance, Chitila Farm has a hammer mill while Mimosa Farm was at the time of the tour keeping K8 million in its account raised from some of the activities at the farm except that the farms have no qualified supervisors to manage them effectively, efficiently and lack basic farming equipment.

Your Committee, therefore, recommend that the Government should provide initial funding to the farms in order for them to start production and be revamped.

Sir, the farms should diversify into piggery and poultry farming as they already have the infrastructure and employ qualified farm managers to manage the farms. In addition, the Government should provide the farms with basic farming equipment and sink boreholes.

Mr Speaker, Disacare Wheelchair Centre trust is a self-help disability non-governmental organisation that is involved in the production and repair of wheelchairs and other mobility aids thereby providing employment to persons with disabilities. Your Committee observe that that the organisation needs the support of both the public and private sector because it is providing a service while at the same time empowering persons with disabilities. On the other hand, your Committee are concerned with the challenges that the centre is facing. Some of them are that:

(i) the centre’s products are expensive. For example, one ordinary wheelchair costs K1.4 million making the wheelchair beyond the reach of ordinary Zambians;

(ii) the centre lacks adequate fund to recapitalise the business and diversify; and

(iii) the centre pays tax on material procured locally while it does not pay tax on materials imported, and yet it currently relies mainly on local materials.

Your Committee, therefore, recommend, firstly, that the Government should assist the organisation through the University of Zambia to develop appropriate technology to make the products cheaper. Secondly, the Government should consider partnering with Disacare Wheelchair Centre and help to recapitalise it in recognition of the good service it is rendering to the nation. This would actually demonstrate Government’s commitment towards empowering targeted citizens economically.

Lastly, your Committee recognise the Government’s efforts, so far, through the waiver of tax on materials that are imported. Nonetheless, the Government should go a step further and waive tax on materials produced locally. This incentive would go a long way in sustaining production at the centre.

(ii) Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and the management of paediatric HIV/AIDS in Zambia.

Mr Speaker, your Committee undertook a study of the Government’s programme of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT). The primary aim was to acquaint themselves with the programme in order to appreciate the efforts that were being made to protect children born to HIV positive mothers, vis-à-vis Government policy on management of paediatric HIV/AIDS. Your Committee commend the Government for responding to the burden of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS. They are convinced that the programme is a major intervention in the prevention of vertical transmission of HIV in order to protect children.

Sir, allow me to highlight some of the findings.

The PMTCT programme is threatened with failure due mainly to the inadequate funding of the health sector and the human resources crisis in the health sector. The importance of adequate funding of the health sector cannot be over emphasised, but it is sad to note that the sector is still inadequately funded. There is a critical shortage of service providers, both in numbers and capabilities at all levels, from the remote health posts through all the districts, provinces and at national level. For instance, the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) which is a major referral hospital is operating at one third of the required number of midwives and laboratory technicians, and yet these are critical service providers in the implementation of the programme.

Sir, there is need to improve funding to the health sector. Further, the Government should urgently operationalise the human resource strategy for the health sector in order to address the human resource crisis.

Mr Speaker, your Committee observe that there is little or no follow-up generally of exposed children. In addition, there is no serious integration currently of the PMTCT services into maternal and child health services and each service stands alone.

Sir, it is important that exposed children or children whose mothers have tested positive are followed up and monitored so that their status can be known early for further and appropriate action. In this regard, your Committee welcome the addition of the exposure status mark on the Under-Five Card. They urge the Government to scale up the initiative country-wide so that children who need special attention, monitoring and follow-up are identified easily. Besides, there is need for the Government to expedite the proposed integration of PMTCT services into maternal and child health services. This will improve further the follow-up of children exposed to the HIV virus.

Mr Speaker, health institutions lack vital hospital equipment like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and CD4 count machines. Despite the PCR test being the only sure way of testing and ascertaining the status of children under eighteen months old, the country has only three of these machines. There is need, therefore, to increase the number of PCR machines in the country by having, at least, one in each district. The current situation where the country only has three is a source of concern as far as early infant diagnosis is concerned. The CD4 count machines should also be spread in all the districts of the country.

Mr Speaker, your Committee observe with concern that men have not been sensitised enough on the importance of Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT), especially when a pregnancy is involved. As a result, there have been cases of women who, despite knowing the importance of PMTCT, have not acted accordingly because their husbands have objected to testing and or enrolment on Anti-Retroviral Therapy. Your Committee urge the Government to increase education and awareness among men on the importance of PMTCT, especially that HIV in Zambia is still a major threat to the lives of women in the reproductive age group and their children.

Coming to the issue of testing, Mr Speaker, your Committee observe that while pregnant women who attend Government hospitals and clinics are tested for HIV/AIDS, using the opt out method, very few private clinics and hospitals are doing the same. Therefore, there is need for the Government to develop a policy that will compel private practitioners to provide routine PMTCT services in order to further reduce the transmission rate.

Sir, most mothers cannot afford baby replacement feeds when they are given that option in view of their HIV statues. It is a known fact that the majority of women are poor and cannot simply afford replacement feeds. Your Committee urge the Government to address the issue of mothers who cannot afford replacement feeds by developing a clear policy on the issue.

Mr Speaker, your Committee visited Chikankata, Mbala and Monze hospitals as well as UTH as some of the sites that were implementing the PMTCT programme.

Regarding Chikankata Mission Hospital, your Committee noted with happiness that Chikankata Hospital had made positive strides in fighting stigma against HIV positive persons. The subject of HIV/AIDS and testing is discussed publicly in the community. The hospital, however, faces various challenges such as PMTCT staff who have not even been retrained in order to be updated on the current issues in HIV/AIDS and PMTCT. In addition, various logistical issues are hampering the institution’s effort in attracting qualified staff to the institution, for example, inadequate staff housing and delayed inclusion of graduate nurses on the Government payroll.

Your Committee, therefore, recommend that the Government should come up with a deliberate strategy to help the hospital train more staff in the area of PMTCT and retrain those who received the PMTCT training recently. They implore the Government to speed up the engagement of graduate nurses and include them on the payroll and assist the institution build, at least, a block of flats for staff in order to alleviate the housing problem.

Sir, concerning Mbala Hospital, your Committee observed, among other things, that the PMTCT staff are not trained in order to be well informed on the current trends in the implementation of PMTCT. So, they lack current information on the implementation of the PMTCT programme. Besides, there is a shortage of skilled staff to fully implement the PMTCT programme at the hospital. There is also inadequate transport, a situation which has affected the following up of clients.

Your Committee, therefore, urge the Government to build capacity among the staff involved in PMTCT by retraining them and helping the hospital procure a vehicle to be used specifically for PMTCT programmes. The Government should also assist the hospital overcome the human resource challenge by employing health workers.

Mr Speaker, as regards Monze Mission Hospital, your Committee observe that, like other health institutions, Monze Hospital has not been spared by various challenges which include, among others, shortages of drugs and inadequate funding as well as erratic release of grants from the Government.

Sir, arising from the observations, your Committee recommend that the Government should provide medical supplies to the hospital to make it possible for the staff to provide quality services. The Government should also fund the hospital adequately. Furthermore, the grant should be released in good time. This would help the hospital improve service delivery, generally and specifically in the PMTCT programme.

With regard to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), your Committee commend the Government and management at the hospital for making all the Anti-Retroviral (ARV) Therapy related tests at Clinic 5, free, in addition to free ARVs despite the budgetary constraints. They are, however, concerned that although the hospital has been implementing the programme, it is inadequately funded by the Government and the Government grant is always released late. For instance, at the time of the visit to the hospital by your Committee, on Monday, 18th June, 2007, the hospital had not received the May, 2007 grant.
Mr Speaker, maternity services where the PMTCT service is offered is not integrated into the Paediatrics Department. This has impacted negatively where follow-up of children born to HIV positive mothers is concerned. There is no proper follow-up of children born to HIV positive mothers to ensure that they are tested early to ascertain their status before and after eighteen months of age.

In view of the foregoing, your Committee recommend that the Government should develop a deliberate policy of integrating the Maternity and Paediatrics Section so that children could be properly followed up. Otherwise, the whole essence of PMTCT would be defeated without proper follow-up and monitoring of exposed children. They further urge the Government to start releasing the monthly grant to UTH timely and to start funding UTH adequately, especially that it is a teaching and referral hospital whose services are well beyond primary health care. UTH should, therefore, be funded according to its budget estimates.

Sir, in conclusion, your Committee wish to express their gratitude to you for the valuable guidance during the year. They are also indebted to all the witnesses who appeared before them for their co-operation in providing the necessary memoranda and briefs.

Finally, I wish to register my appreciation to all members of your Committee for their co-operation and dedication to the work of the Committee. Allow me also to thank the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly for the advice and services rendered during the year.

Mr Speaker, I beg to move.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Mr Speaker: Does the seconder wish to speak now or later?

Mr Mukanga (Kantanshi): Now, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, in seconding this motion, allow me to thank the Chairperson for having ably moved the motion and the entire Committee for their commitment.

Sir, the Chairperson has already pointed out most of the cardinal issues. I will reiterate them and point out a few other pertinent ones.

(i) Review of the Operations and Performance of the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD)

Mr Speaker, your Committee are concerned about the fact that there are not reliable statistics or data on the magnitude and distribution of people living with disabilities. Not only this, there are also more statistics on various important issues of disability in the country. It is sad that the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities does not even have an up-to-date register of persons with disabilities in the country. The institution has failed to deliver.

Sir, it is not a secret that Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities has been experiencing a lot of problems as can be seen from the fact that since its inception, it has had no strategic plan and there has been serious leadership politics at the top. This has led to frequent changes in the chief executives resulting in the agency lacking direction.

Your Committee urge the agency to undertake to build the necessary data bank. It needs statistical records on various issues of disability in order to enable it plan and implement policies properly. They also urge the Government to put measures in place to address the leadership politics at the agency and seriously consider giving an opportunity to quality persons to manage the agency in future placements. Your Committee are of the view that for the position of chief executive, disability should only be an added advantage and not the qualification.

Mr Speaker, despite the Government establishing the National Trust Fund for the disabled as a micro-credit scheme aimed at economically empowering persons with disabilities not in gainful employment through provision of loans for small business ventures, your Committee were disappointed that the fund channels most of its resources towards personal emoluments and administrative costs at the expense of providing loans to its members.

Your Committee, therefore, urge the Government to closely monitor the performance of the National Trust Fund to ensure this fund works in line with the purpose it was created for.

(ii) Tours

Mr Speaker, the Chairperson has already highlighted your Committee’s concern as regards Chileshe Chepela Special School. However, I wish to state that your Committee are concerned at the continuous paces of sicknesses among children at this school due to their physical conditions, especially that the school does not have a full-time nurse and physiotherapist.

Sir, your Committee would like a full time nurse and physiotherapist to be employed in order to arrest the current health problems that are being experienced by the children at the school, especially considering their physical condition. Your Committee also recommend that the school be provided with adequate transport as the current old Toyota Vannette which was donated by the missionaries a long time ago has outlived its useful life and is now expensive to maintain and run.

Mr Speaker, the school has a house parent to pupil ratio of approximately 1:49 in boarding. The ratio of three house parents to 146 pupils is very low as these pupils need special care. In addition, pupils are in need of special devices like wheelchairs, hearing aids, speech trainers and walking appliances.

Sir, your Committee urge the Government to employ more house parents at the school as the school requires, at least, eight and ensure that special devices are sourced for the pupils.

Sir, teachers of special education at the school are de-motivated because special education allowance has been withdrawn. Your Committee recommend that the Government should urgently find a way of motivating the teachers of special education as a way of retaining them and also urgently address the controversy surrounding the abolition of the allowance for teachers engaged in teaching children with special learning needs.

With regard to Disacare Wheelchair Centre Trust, your Committee observed the following:

(ii) the centre lacks adequate state of the art machinery in the workshop; and

(iii) the centre has not been advertised enough to market its products.

Your Committee, therefore, recommend that the Government should assist the institution advertise its existence to the entire nation and market its products. The Government must also assist the institution source state of the art machinery for its workshops. In addition, the Government should consider purchasing the bicycle ambulances that the centre is making for the remotest rural health posts. These could go a long way in alleviating the transport problems in the remotest health posts rather than the communities continuing with the use of wheelbarrows in some cases.

(ii) Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) and the Management of HIV/AIDS in Paediatrics in Zambia.

Mr Speaker, allow me to say a few words on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and the management of HIV/AIDS in paediatrics in Zambia.

Sir, while there is a lot of sensitisation on HIV/AIDS in Zambia, there is a gap concerning persons with disabilities. This is especially true of the visually and hearing impaired. Your Committee, therefore, urge the Government to develop measures to address the gaps in information dissemination on HIV/AIDS to persons with disabilities. Your Committee are of the view that it is time the Government considered including a component of basic sign language in the curriculum for all health practitioners.

The Government should translate the brochures on HIV/AIDS into Braille to enable the visually impaired persons to access this information at will.

Sir, your Committee observed that there is a high percentage of births taking place outside health institutions. It is currently estimated that 53 per cent of the total deliveries are outside health institutions. They observed further that traditional healers can complement the Government in information dissemination on PMTCT and HIV/AIDS. Besides, the Government should partner with traditional healers as traditional healers can sensitise and inform their women clients since they have a comparative advantage of being many, especially that traditional healers are culturally accepted and accessed by many people and are almost the first to attend to patients in remote Zambia.

Mr Speaker, there is need for the Government to retrain all traditional birth attendants to help sensitise communities on the importance of delivering at the hospital and to encourage their clients to visit the nearest health institution upon delivery.

Mr Speaker, allow me to say something on the hospitals that your Committee toured. Concerning Mbala Hospital, your Committee learnt with shock that:

(i) the hospital had no functional fire extinguishers at the time of the visit. The existing extinguishers were not inspected for a long time and were either not serviceable or had no gas;

(ii) Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) in the maternity ward is done in an unfriendly environment as it is being conducted in a staff room; and

(iii) there is insufficient linen in the children’s ward. Lack of linen will lead to patients being forced to bring their linen from their homes which is a recipe for re-infection once discharged.

Sir, it is for these reasons that your Committee urges the Government to:

(i) assist the Hospital resolve the issue of fire extinguishers because it is dangerous for hospitals to operate without fire extinguishers and that all health workers be trained on how to use them and a programme of routine inspection be instituted;

(ii) assist the hospital reorganise its rooms and set aside an appropriate room for VCT in the maternity ward; and

(iii) procure linen for the hospital, especially the children’s ward.

Mr Speaker, your Committee observed that all the hospitals they visited had a serious shortage of skilled human resource generally and specifically, in PMTCT. They are also concerned about the fact that the few available staff in PMTCT have not been retrained in order to keep them updated on the new trends in the implementation of PMTCT.

Sir, your Committee recommend that there is need for the Government to employ the required numbers of human resource in the hospitals in order for them to provide quality services. The Government should help the hospitals retrain PMTCT service providers on new developments in PMTCT.

Mr Speaker, let me end by saying something about the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). Although the hospital has state-of-the-art machinery, like the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), it experiences shortages of consumables like reagents which are expensive for the hospital to procure.

Your Committee, therefore, urge the Government to ensure that reagents and other consumables are available at UTH so that the nation could benefit from the machinery at this hospital.

I beg to second.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!{mospagebreak}

Dr Chishimba (Kasama): Mr Speaker, let me begin by stating that the issue of HIV/AIDS, more specifically Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS and paediatric management, is a complex one.

For some time now, Zambia has been talking about the need to mainstream HIV/AIDS in the health care system, among other sectors of our country. Why is mainstreaming important? It is important in the sense that all HIV/AIDS issues are not going to be looked as “stand alone” kind of programmes or shall I say, as programmes that are outside the mainstream health system. A number of tools have been developed; consultancies have been commissioned in order for the Government to develop tools to help adequately mainstream HIV/AIDS in different sectors of our country.

Whilst the Government today preaches that HIV/AIDS has been mainstreamed, the model which is currently being used is more or less like that of integration where you have two parallel programmes and then, for programmatic convenience, you include HIV/AIDS programmes. What do I mean by that? For instance, when you look at Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) programmes, especially if you go to ART sites, you will find that there is this new culture developing where ART centres are constructed separately from the main infrastructure. What is happening is that when people go to health facilities, in the face of stigma and discrimination, they know that they are going to be seen accessing ART. For instance, if you look at the health facility in Kalingalinga, the ART centre is even written with a sign “ART Centre”. Of course, everyone will know that whoever takes a route to that particular centre is living with HIV/AIDS and is currently taking the medication.

Therefore, whilst the scaling up of the ART programme is aimed at increasing people’s access to ART, the objectives are not being adequately met. For instance, someone might move from Matero to Kalingalinga to get the ART where she is not known. This is because of the way in which we are implementing HIV/AIDS programmes as Government.

In order for us to promote testing among pregnant mothers, there is need for the Government to heavily invest in the fight against stigma and discrimination. Stigma is at different levels. There is stigma at psychological as well as physical levels. For instance, we have seen situations where mothers who are willing to take the test so that if they are found positive, they can be put on preventive measures. Now, they are given a drug to prevent the transmission of the virus at birth from the mother to the child. Whilst they would be willing to undertake the test, they may not be able to because they know that beyond that testing, there are no deliberate programmes for these mothers who tested positive to continue getting the medication. We have to look at this problem of Mother to Child Transmission beyond mere prevention of the transmission, but also the welfare of mothers themselves.

Mr Speaker, many communities are willing as we have seen from the mushrooming of support groups in rural areas. However, the problem which is there is the accessibility of ART. Up to now, many women, just like the population generally, are subjected to long distances in order to find the next ART centre.

As your committee note, the issue of personnel is another important aspect of HIV/AIDS management. This is as a result of the brain drain. Many people undergo training programmes, but upon completion, they seek employment elsewhere. Some are joining non-governmental organisations or international organisations where they are paid more money. These organisations seek skilled people who end up getting general awareness jobs as opposed to being in the screening room. Therefore, the issue of improving the conditions of services for medical personnel is important.

On the issue of nutrition, I wish to state that the current programmes that are being implemented mainly focus on food distribution. This is where high energy protein foodstuffs are given out to people who are on HIV/AIDS treatment. However, that is not a sustainable measure. If, as a Government, you are saying that agriculture is working and that you have mainstreamed HIV/AIDS, then the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, for instance, needs to look at HIV/AIDS as part of its mainstream programmes. It can do this by increasing the provision of inputs to support groups of people living with HIV/AIDS. If that is done, then many people who have not yet come out in the open would be willing to take the test knowing that there are other interventions.

At the moment, the lack of sustainability of interventions is making many people shun getting tested. To try and contextualise the whole issue, we need to look at HIV/AIDS primarily in about three to four stages. For instance, at the stage where the status is unknown, someone who is negative and does not know that he or she is negative will not lead a responsible life because they are not too sure of their status. As I said, the reason they do not want to do the tests is because of stigma and discrimination.

Secondly, there are those who know their status. Knowing the status is important, but many people will not come out in the open because they know that immediately they declare their status, they will be ridiculed, discriminated at their work places and excluded from programmes that are going on in their communities. Therefore, the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders in the health sector ought to seriously look at this challenge.

Sir, I also talked about a stage where the status is known. If somebody shows the symptoms of HIV/AIDS and the people begin to notice, then they will begin to look at those people as rejects in society. What do I mean by that? They will take such people to have been careless with their lives instead of the family and community accepting the problem.

Further, those who have HIV/AIDS symptoms and know their status, as I said, may also not come out in the open because of stigma. The challenge of managing the progression from HIV/AIDS to full blown AIDS comes in and nutrition will play a very important part. We also need to ensure that other critical testing facilities are made available like the liver function test for those that prefer to take the medication. Although we hear that coverage is 100 per cent in the districts, there is no accessibility, especially in rural communities.

As I said earlier, people have to cover long distances. This will be the reason why many people will not be willing to commence treatment because they know that at some point due to long distances, they are going to default and when they do so, they will risk having the HIV/AIDS which will develop resistance. This will mean that the Ministry of Health will have to spend more money because we will have people who will be going to health facilities to seek symptomatic treatment. This means that they are going to frequently seek health care and that in itself will be very expensive to the health care sector and it will be at the expense of other equally important health programmes.

Sir, the need to scale up pediatric HIV/AIDS management cannot be over emphasized. We need more pediatric formulas to be made available for children that are living with HIV/AIDS. In fact what sets the situation of children apart is the fact that children who are living with HIV/AIDS may be just like the other siblings who may not be living with HIV/AIDS. Their problems start before their parents die. For instance, there would be reduced income levels at family level and as a result such children will drop out of school. Beyond that, when parents die, children who are negative will also be made vulnerable because to survive they will be living on the streets where they will risk contracting HIV/AIDS.

Therefore, when you are planning, as a Government, there is need to look at the issue of HIV/AIDS in a broader context where all line ministries and other relevant sectors begin to seriously address the problems that are associated with the HIV/AIDS pandemic itself.

The Ministry of Justice, for instance, needs to seriously look at laws to protect individuals that are stigmatised or discriminated against at work places and in the communities where they live.

The Ministry of Education also needs to invest more in ensuring that information is disseminated through its structures. Once we embrace the mainstreaming models adequately, effectively and implement them, this problem will not be looked at as a health problem, but as a development problem. We are all partners and will need to help the Ministry of Health in ensuring that the objectives are adequately met. If we do not employ all these measures, I am afraid that we risk losing many women as well as men. Why am I talking about men when we are talking about Mother-to-Child Transmission?

For instance, if a mother is positive and the husband is negative, what measures are you going to employ to ensure that the other partner does not get the virus? Not only that, how are you going to help a positive couple where one of them has not yet developed the symptoms? How are you going to help that person who is strong enough to get involved in some programmes that will help the family generate income to sustain basic requirements like food, clothing and the needs of children among others?

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo (Mazabuka): Mr Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to debate this very important motion. I would like to start by thanking the entire committee for a job well done. I will try to disengage from the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission because I think my colleague, Dr Chishimba, has done much justice on the subject. I will then dwell on the issues of the disabled.

Mr Speaker, I think that the role of Parliament has always got to be recognised. When we sit in this House, one of the primary functions that we perform is to legislate. We, on your left hand side, have an extra function of monitoring what the Executive is doing. In trying to monitor what the Executive is doing, we compliment their efforts. Therefore, at any stage when we speak, we must not be viewed as adversaries because we are simply trying to make things better for our people.

Mr Speaker, when systems are run recklessly, there may be need to correct them by making a few reckless statements. I shall attempt, with a lot of respect, to make a few reckless statements in my given time.

We have a law that deals with the disabled enacted in 1996, eleven years ago, that saw the birth of the Zambia Agency for the People Living with Disabilities. However, a failure by this Government to actually activate the functions of the institution they established leaves much to be desired. We should not rush to make institutions that will be white elephants; institutions that will simply be there to facilitate payrolls for our kith and kin.

Major Chizhyuka: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I would like to link this motion to our report on the Committee on Education, Science and Technology where we clearly stated that people living with disabilities have continued to be disadvantaged by management styles of the governors that be.

I will take the Zambia Institute of Special Education (ZAMISE) as an example. That college is an annex of a secondary school, which is Kamwala Secondary School. We have been independent for forty-three years and the best we could do is to annex a few blocks of infrastructure in order to deal with the welfare of the people with special learning requirements or disabilities, and yet every fifth year when we look for votes, we tend to make them think they are very special because their votes count.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: The question that I may pose is that are these people also annexes of citizens of this country? The answer is no!

Mr Speaker, just ten years ago, Uganda, a country that had just come out of political upheavals, came to Zambia to learn the model of ZAMISE and how it was run. After being tutored, they went back to Kampala and established a state-of-the-art customised university for people with physical disabilities after learning from us, but here we continue to say that we have ZAMISE, and yet it is just an annex of a dilapidated Kamwala Secondary School. I think it is a shame.

Mr Speaker, those are the few reckless statements I intended to make. I also would like to say that this House as a whole is also not user friendly to people with disabilities …

Major Chizhuyka: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: … because it does not have ramps. It simply means that a person in a wheel chair does not qualify to be a Member of Parliament. I do believe very strongly that even if we may seem to be physically able, those physically disabled may be more mentally able than we are in this House.

Major Chizhyuka: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: The fact that we cosmetically walk around with all our limbs functioning properly does not mean that we are better thinkers than those on wheel chairs and walking on their four limbs. This Government requires to pay more attention to the plight of the physically disabled people.

Mr Speaker, I would like to also make one quick respectful reckless statement. One of the things one should not say is, “For sure I would never find myself in the circumstances.” These include being ill, hospitalised, mentally deranged and imprisoned because many people go to prison even when they are innocent. Do not say you will never be disabled. Bearing that in mind, I would like the Executive to take that statement very seriously. It may sound reckless, but it is true that even in our prisons here, there are people that are 100 per cent innocent, but are serving.

As we leave this Parliament, one of us can be hit by another moving car and become crippled. How will you come to sit here at Parliament when there are no ramps to assist you to get in the House?

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear! Quality!

Mr Nkombo: There is need for this Government to think seriously about these reckless statements.

Mr Speaker, I would also like to indicate that in Mazabuka, where the great people sent me to come and represent them, is a school called Nanga School for the Disabled which houses about twenty-eight not only disabled, but abandoned children. Who abandoned them? It is not their parents. This Government requires searching its soul, if it has any, and look into the plight of those children. They do not have learning aids or systems to help them develop their faculties.

Mr Speaker, the all inclusive education that this Government appended its signature on is a risk to our livelihood because I know that by statistics. For instance, in order to teach a child with visual impairment adequately, the ratio that you work on is one blind child to fifteen children with full eyesight. Now, if you are going to say that all inclusive education means that blind children who use Braille can learn at the same pace as children with full eyesight then, we are doing injustice to these children. For this reason, I concur with the Chairperson who moved the motion that it will be much better to seclude these children because their learning pace will forever be different from those who are whole.

Sir, as alluded to by the Chairperson, the great son of this country, Dr Kenneth Kaunda appointed the late, May His Soul Rest In Peace, Lazarus Tembo, a blind person as a Minister of State. He used to sit in this House. There was another blind man, a Mr Kalumba, who was also given a portfolio to represent those with similar disabilities. What do we see today? We have not seen any blind person being nominated to Parliament from the eight allowed nominations by this Government to represent the interests of those who are in that plight. I think it is shameful!

Mr Speaker, I would like the Executive to think very critically about these reckless statements I am making this afternoon. There are so many people who are intelligent that can sit where you are, Hon. Mwisho, George Mpombo.

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: I say this with great respect for all of you. There are people who are more intelligent than you are who can take those seats and drive this country forward.

Interruption

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, actually, you irritate me each time I hear you discuss China and Taiwan. This is not what we are here for. We are here to deal with issues affecting people with disabilities. You hon. Members of Parliament from the Government and the Opposition are a big source of irritation.

Hon. UPND: Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, we are here to deal with issues that affect Zambians.

Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: None of you has ever been to Taipei. A few of you know about Guangxi or Shanghai. Did you get your votes from Taipei …

Major Chizhyuka: Or Guangxi!

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: … or Guangxi?

Hon. UPND Members: Or Zhejlang!

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: Sir, there are more serious issues to be dealt with that affect our people. I would like the Executive to perform the function of being real people, human beings.

Interruptions

Mr Nkombo: Stop skating around!

Mr Speaker, they must stop skating around pretending to be super intelligent. We are here to complement your efforts about a child who has a gap in his life at Nanga School and about children who cannot travel 1000 kilometres from Chileshe Chepela in Kasama.

Sir, as I end my debate, I would like to request this Government to consider making a special basic school for people with disabilities in each province.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: Kasama is about 1000 kilometres from Lusaka. A child with physical impairments cannot manage to travel from Kasama on a GBM Bus or Zoom Motor Ways every quarter to come to school to Lusaka, disembark at Kamwala Bus Terminus and find his or her way to Munali School for the Disabled in this busy traffic. Search your souls! Make a school for the disabled in Choma tomorrow because it is a centre of Southern Province. It would be easy for the children to leave Mazabuka to go to Choma to get their education because they deserve it. It is their right!

Mr Chizhuyuka: Quality!

Mr Nkombo: Think about it! Instead of taking us through reckless by-elections like what happened in Kapoche where you spent K3.7 billion through the Electoral Commission.

Mr Mwale: Nanga niza Boma!

Mr Nkombo: Think of the money you are spending in the Nchanga by-election, right now. That money could have gone to build two schools in each province for the disabled.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Nkombo: You are sickening! Each time I hear you talk about China …

Mr Speaker: Order! Withdraw the word ‘sickening’ …

Laughter

Mr Speaker: … and then you continue.

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the word ‘sickening’. You are nauseating!

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Order!

Laughter

Mr Speaker: Withdraw the word ‘nauseating’, …

Laughter

Mr Speaker: … and then continue.

Laughter

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, if those two words …

Mr Speaker: Order!

Mr Nkombo: I withdraw the word ‘nauseating’.

Mr Speaker: All right!

Mr Nkombo: Mr Speaker, if those two words were not unparliamentary, I would have continued using them, …

Mr Speaker: They are unparliamentary!

Mr Nkombo: … but they are unparliamentary.

Sir, my point is that it is heartbreaking to see these people speak about who is closer to who. To me, the China-Taiwan story is like the Lunda-Luvale arrangement in Zambezi. Why should I, a Tonga, get involved at the expense of wanting to get my people’s welfare taken care of? I would like to request that we do not hear any more of this China-Twain issue because it is diverting our attention. We need to hear more about what we can do for our disabled people.

Mr Speaker, with those few reckless statements, I would like to thank you.

Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Speaker: I see that hon. Ministers now wish to respond. Let us give them an opportunity to do so.

Mr Kambwili: Why are you in a hurry!{mospagebreak}

The Minister of Health (Dr Chituwo): Mr Speaker, from the outset, I wish to thank your Committee for a well researched factual report and, by and large, welcome their recommendations.

I would like to state that the Government, through the Ministry of Health, is committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS and, in particular, to the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission by the practical steps that we have taken.

Firstly, we have introduced a policy on free Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in order to cope with this huge social economic problem we have in our country. This very House enacted the National AIDS Council in 2004 as a multi-sectoral coordinating body to coordinate the HIV/AIDS fight not only from the health point of view, but also from other sectors.

Mr Speaker, we have in place workplace policies on HIV/AIDS and the private sector has been on board in this regard. I note that there has been recognition of the strides made in particular to the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV.

Generally, we have noted that there has been an increase in the grant to our health institutions from about K18 billion last year to over K60 billion this year. This has translated into some measure of increase of funding to our health institutions. However, we do recognise that quite a number of these need a lot of facelift. We need rehabilitation not only in terms of buildings, but also equipment. This is an ongoing programme.

Sir, let me also mention that the World Health Organisation (WHO) macro-economic policy on health that was commissioned did recommend that for developing countries to provide the basic health care package, we need to spend, at least, US$33 per person per year. On average, Zambia is spending between US$12 to US$18 per capita per year. So, that is the starting point.

With regard to HIV/AIDS Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), we commend so many of our partners such as the Global Fund to fight Tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS and Malaria, whose support will extend for the next three years. It has been assured that, in fact, there is no desire for the Global Fund to abandon the developing countries.

We have seen the Clinton Foundation coming on board to support for commodities for the next two years concentrating on pediatrics formulation. We have the Presidential Emergency Programme For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) support for 2008 and beyond and not forgetting the United Nations Agencies, particularly United National International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) which has partnered with Government.

Mr Speaker, these funds are projected to provide prevention, care, treatment and support for about 400,000 pregnant women in 2008 and increase thereafter out of an estimated total of 480,000 women that are projected to give birth in that year. The Ministry of Health intends to provide comprehensive HIV/AIDS care to 20,000 children who may get infected in spite of the comprehensive PMTCT programme which is being scaled up to reach 80 per cent of all HIV positive pregnant women.

Mr Speaker, with regard to manpower, I agree with the Committee’s observation that, indeed, we are operating at less than 50 per cent in all our health institutions. In response to this, we have in place a Human Resource Strategic Plan which aims at improving not only the quantity, but the quality of health workers in our health institutions.

In this regard, we have planed to expand training institutions so that we can have more midwifery graduates because they are important in the aspect of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of the virus. Next year, we have planed to open three midwifery schools, utilising a new method of direct entry into midwifery training. These schools are Nchanga North, Chipata and Roan. Each of these will enroll forty students. This is in addition to the training which is going on in other training schools like in Lusaka and Kabwe.

Mr Speaker, we also acknowledge that we have to strengthen the paediatric formulation which we must admit was lagging behind. Pediatric care in HIV/AIDS lagged behind from various sources like the manufacturers. There was no proper formulation for treatment for children in this age group. It is only recently that proper formulations have come on board. We are grateful to many partners like the Clinton Foundation that has made it possible to have over 6,000 children on paediatric formulation.

Sir, the other aspect which has been noted by your Committee is the issue of diagnosis. It is only recent that technology has been able to answer the needs of diagnosing HIV/AIDS in infants below eighteen months. In order to maximise on the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), we have a courier system with the technology of dry blood samples. We take blood from infants and put on dry strips to be analysed in the centres where the PCRs are placed.

Mr Speaker, perhaps, at this moment I should turn to the various observations made by the Committee. Chikankata Mission Hospital has been a pioneer in home-based care. However, a few things that the Committee noted are purely administrative, for instance, the ordering of medicines. This is done at the hospital level from Medical Stores Limited. It is upon submission of the returns that they would provide the required medication for the hospital.
With regard to transport, this is a countrywide phenomenon where we have seen a dwindling fleet of vehicles that we bought four years ago. I wish to announce that we already entered into a contract with Toyota Zambia and have paid for the purchase of 164 hard top vehicles that will cover …

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Dr Chituwo: … most of our health institutions. I am hoping that before the end of the year, twenty to forty of these would have been delivered.

Mr Speaker, with regard to other hospitals, I note that the problem seems to be the same; that of human resource, transport and follow-up of these children. Having noted this, I wish to state here that we have already worked out a plan of integration between HIV/AIDS programmes in children and our mothers, including the aspect of malaria. I will be happy to report to the House maybe next year what progress we would have made in this integration process.

Sir, let me just end by saying that with regard to policy on breast feeding, especially for those mothers that cannot afford the replacement feed, our recommendation is that breast milk is best for the baby from a non-HIV or HIV mother, at least, for six months exclusive breast feeding. The chances of the baby surviving are much higher in these circumstances than introducing formulation feed. This information is given at all our antenatal clinics.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to add that we have recognised the role of men and we are encouraging them to escort their spouses to antenatal clinics, particularly concerning this very sensitive subject of HIV/AIDS. In so doing, we hope that we shall make more strides than has been hitherto.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Education (Professor Lungwangwa): Mr Speaker, I would like to add my voice to what has already been stated by the hon. Minister of Health. In welcoming this very important report, I would like to state that critical self assessment is the benchmark of sustainable development. As a Government, we welcome some of the critical insights that our colleagues from your left sometimes do come with.

Sir, in the field of education, the focus that this Government is putting across is education improvement. This is improving the education section at all levels through infrastructure development, teacher recruitment and deployment, education materials procurement and distribution, curriculum review and reform as well as monitoring the operations of the educational system so that as a country, we are able to develop an educational system that is of high quality, equitably accessible and relevant.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: This is extremely important for the sustainable development of our country. The educational system had to be in tune with the aspirations that we have set ourselves to achieve mainly in the vision 2030, in which this country has to attain the status of a medium income country through wealth creation and employment generation.

In that process, the human resource base of this country is extremely important in education and we are very aware of that direction and are focusing our efforts in developing the critical mass of our human resource base which will have adequate skills in knowledge and aptitude in community development so that this country achieves sustainable development.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, the last century was a century of eradication of colonialism. The 21st Century is a century of sustainable development.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: Like every country in Africa, we are part of the challenge of achieving sustainable development in order to improve the quality of life of our people. This is extremely important and as we debate issues of development of this country, we must be conversant with the goal that 21st Century is a century of sustainable development.

Mr Speaker, as far as the issues of special education which have been passionately debated in this House by the presenter and seconder of this motion and other hon. Members are concerned, I would like to point out that the policy and the educational philosophy of this country is based on the principle of non-discrimination, inclusive of equitable access to educational opportunities which include those of our people, children and youths who are physically challenged. They have to have to equitable access to educational opportunities which will make them functional in this country.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

Professor Lungwangwa: Mr Speaker, in line with this philosophy, special education is a special concern in the educational system. At the school level, we have a number of schools in various provinces of this country that attend to special education needs of our children.

Even at hospital level, there are quite a number of hospitals in this country to which as a ministry, we second teachers of special education to attend to children with special education needs. This can easily be verified if one is to visit the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Kabwe General Hospital, Lewanika Hospital and many other hospitals where trained teachers in special education are offering education to the physically challenged and to children with various forms of disabilities.

Mr Speaker, in line with the attention that is being given to special education, it spans from school level all the way to university level. At the University of Zambia, we do have a specialised programme in special education where our people are training at undergraduate level and obtaining undergraduate education in special education all the way to Master’s Level. This programme is there for all of us to see how our specialised professionals are being trained in this very important area of our education development.

At the level of college education, we have a very close affiliation scheme between the Zambia Institute for Special Education (ZAMISE) and the University of Zambia where the University provides quality assurance to the diploma that is being given by ZAMISE. As a ministry, we do include education materials procurement for special education needs.

Mr Speaker, in the last two months, we have been advertising in the newspapers the procurement and distribution of special education materials through out the country. We have, for example, indicated the educational materials that are going to various provinces in this country. We procured those materials at the cost of more than K10 billion and this information has been in the newspapers and we have seen it. This is the effort which this Government is making in order to demonstrate the seriousness we attach to special education.

Sir, in addition to all this, we are striving to establish a centre of excellence in special education and Munali High School has been earmarked for this. We want such a centre to play its role as a centre of excellence in special education where our teachers and children can go.

This is extremely important and as we look at the development of education, we are aware of the importance of inclusive education, paying particular attention to improving the quality of education in the area of special education through standard officers whom we train and deploy to this very important sector. This is not a sector that is being isolated and not being paid attention to, but a sector which we pay special attention to in line with our principle of a non-discriminatory educational system.

With these few observations, I wish to thank you, Sir.

Hon. Government Members: Hear, hear!

The Minister of Community Development and Services (Ms Namugala): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for noticing me finally.

Laughter

Ms Namugala: Sir, allow me to commend your Committee for the report, especially as it relates to the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD). Indeed, issues of the disabled persons are very important and require our attention.

In response to some of the issues that have been raised, I wish to say that there is need for more work to be done on sensitisation. The Government through ZAPD will continue to disseminate information on the existence of the Persons with Disabilities Act, No. 33 of 1996. The Government has noted this and, indeed, there is need to hasten the pace.

Mr Speaker, there is no leadership crisis at ZAPD. However, it has been noted that the lack of a board has created some difficulties while the appointment of a new board has reached an advanced stage.

Further, ZAPD has been audited several times in the past by the Auditor General because it receives public funds and, therefore, it is audited once in a while and this will continue as the need arises.

Mr Speaker, the funding to the agency has been inadequate and we all acknowledge this. However, this is the case with many other bodies and this is due to the limited resources available in the country. Nonetheless, the Government is hopeful that once the board is in place, it will ensure that it initiates ventures for income generation as well as create viable public and private partnerships.

Mr Speaker, the need to revamp the farm centres is also of very great importance to the Government and we hope that ZAPD can look outside the Government for support to these centres in addition to the funds that it receives from the Treasury.

The background to this is that previous regimes created these farm centres as a way of creating sheltered employment for disabled persons. However, since they were totally dependent on Government’s resources, they became unsustainable at some stage and this has caused some problems for the farm centres and well as the workers.

The funding to the National Trust Fund for the Disabled (NTFD) has had some difficulties because, even though it was intended to be a revolving fund, it has had a very poor repayment culture making it very difficult for new clients to access funds through the National Trust Fund for the Disabled. I agree that there is need for better data collection and storage.

Mr Speaker, the Act provides that local authorities will collect information and register disabled persons in their respective localities, but this has not been very successful. As a Government, we want to improve this by using the social welfare officers in the districts to assist to collect information and register persons with disabilities so that we have information for decision making as Government.

Sir, the review of the Persons with Disabilities Act has also reached a very advanced stage and we hope to have it finalised very soon. There is need for both new and old buildings to be accessible to persons with disabilities. I, therefore, agree with this point.

In this vein, through the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the Government has put a mechanism in place to implement this aspect of the Act by appointing inspectors who will be going around to inspect buildings to make them compliant with Part (V) of the Persons with Disabilities Act.

Mr Speaker, one hon. Member said the Government should start supporting institutions like Disacare. I would like to report that the Government has done that. In the past, we have assisted Disacare with money to provide wheelchairs to the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services so that these can be given to needy persons with disabilities and this has worked very well.
Let me respond to the issue raised by Hon. Nkombo who wanted to make reckless statements. I must say that what came out were not reckless statements, but a very passionate appeal on behalf of persons with disabilities.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Namugala: I, therefore, thank Hon. Nkombo for his remarks.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Ms Namugala: Mr Speaker, the Government has not failed to activate the ZAPD. In fact, the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities has done its very best to serve the needs of clients with disabilities with the little resources that it receives from the Government. As I have said, ZAPD had to deal with the backlog of retirees who were working under the Zambia Council for the Handicapped (ZCH). ZAPD was paying retirees’ benefits for many years instead of concentrating on programmes that assist and benefit persons with disabilities.

Sir, I wish to thank all hon. Members who have contributed to this very important aspect of development. Indeed, disabled persons have the potential to contribute adequately to the development of our country.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, let me say that Government has shown its commitment to the disability issues through the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) which has a chapter specifically allocated to issues of disability and development.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Habeenzu: Mr Speaker, allow me to thank all hon. Members who debated in support of the motion that I moved.

Sir, allow me to thank the hon. Ministers of Health; Education; and Community Development and Social Services for agreeing to the issues that were raised in the report.

Sir, I thank all these people for supporting the motion.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Question put and agreed to.

_____{mospagebreak}

BILLS

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the Chair]

THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY BILL, 2007

Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 2 – (Interpretation)

The Minister or Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (Mr Kaingu): Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 2, on page 9, line 24 by the insertion of the words “to be a tourism enterprise” after the word “declare”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 2, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Business was suspended from 1815 hours until 1830 hours.

[THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES in the Chair]

Clauses 3, 4, 5 and 6 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 7 – (Functions of Director)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 7, on page 11, line 34 by the deletion of the word “regular” after the word “basis”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 7, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 8 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 9 – (Constitution of Tourism Enterprise Authorisation and Licensing Committee)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 9, on page 13, line 24 by the deletion of the word “five” after the words “Committee shall be” and the substitution therefor of the word “six”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 9, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 10 and 11 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 12 – (General Functions of Minister)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 12, on page 15:

(a) in line 40

by the insertion of the word “and” at the end of paragraph (q); and

(b) in line 41

by the deletion of paragraph (r) and the substitution therefor of the following new paragraph:

(r)  administer the Tourism Development Fund established under section sixty-two;

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 12, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 19 – (Objection to Issuance or Licence Authorisation)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 19, on page 18

(i) in line 21

by the insertion of a full stop after the word “objection”;

(ii) in line 22

by the deletion of the words “and shall make recommendations thereon to the Director”;
(iii) in lines 28 to 31

by the deletion of subclause (5) and the substitution therefor of the following new subclause:

(5) The Committee shall sustain the objection, if it is satisfied that the objection has merit, and shall overrule the objection if the Committee is not so satisfied; and

(iv) in line 32

by the deletion of the word “recommends” after the word “Committee” and the substitution therefore of the word “determines”; and

(b)  on page 19, in line 2

by the deletion of the words “subsection (6)” and the substitution therefore of the words “subsection (5)”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 19, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 28 – (Suspension or Revocation of Licence or Authorisation)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 28, on page 22, in line 37 by the deletion of the word “Director” and the substitution therefor of the word “Committee”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 28, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 29 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 30 – (Prepaid Package Tours)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 30, on page 23, in line 23 by the deletion of the words “A tour operator” and the substitution therefor of the words “An operator of a tourism enterprise”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 30, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 31, 32, 33 and 34 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 35 − (Conditions under which licences shall be granted)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 35, on page 25:

(a) in line 30 by the deletion of the word “Committee” wherever it appears and the substitution therefor of the word “Council”.

(b) in line 31 by the deletion of the word “Director” and the substitution therefore of the word “Council”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 35, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 36 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 37 − (Revocation of Licence)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 37, on page 26, in line 13 by the insertion of the words “the hotel” after the word “around”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 37, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 38, 39, 40 and 41 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

 

CLAUSE 42 − (Register of Guests)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 42, on page 28:

(a) in line 28

by the insertion of a comma and the words “an immigration officer” after the words “an inspector”;

(b) in line 30

by the insertion of a comma and the words “inspector, immigration officer or” after the word “any”;

(c) in line 32:

(i) by the insertion of the words “inspector, immigration or police” after the words “by that”;

(ii) by the deletion of the full stop after the word “officer” and the substitution therefor of a colon; and

(iii) by the insertion after the colon of the following new proviso:

Provided that a police officer who intends to inspect a register under paragraph (b) or to obtain the original or duplicate copy of any entry in the register under paragraph (c) shall produce to the hotel-keeper a search warrant obtained for the purpose prior to inspecting the register.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 42, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 and 80 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 81 − (Regulations)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment in Clause 81, on page 49, in line 27 by the insertion of the words “and hotels” after the words “tourism enterprises”.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 81, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 82 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Title agreed to.

THE ZAMBIA TOURISM BOARD BILL, 2007

Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

CLAUSE 15 − (Prohibition of Publication or Disclosure of Information)

Mr Kaingu: Mr Chairperson, I beg to move an amendment after Clause 15, on page 12, after line 4 by the insertion of the following new Clause:

Prohibition of use of Name

15A. (1) A person shall not in the course of trade or business and for the purpose of promoting the sale of services or products, use the name “Zambia Tourism Board” or any business name which includes the words “Tourism Board” or so closely resembles the name “Zambia Tourism Board” as to give the public the impression that the trade or business is conducted by, or on behalf of the Board, or with the consent or approval of the Board.

 (2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to both.

Amendment agreed to. Clause amended accordingly.

Clause 15, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Title agreed to.

__________

HOUSE RESUMED

[MR SPEAKER in the Chair]

The following Bills were reported to the House as having passed through Committee with amendments:

The Zambia Tourism Board Bill, 2007

The Tourism and Hospitality Bill, 2007

Report Stages on Wednesday, 7th November, 2007.

__________

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

The Minister of Defence (Mr Mpombo):  Mr Speaker, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Question put and agreed to.

__________

The House adjourned at 1858 hours until 1430 hours on Wednesday, 7th November, 2007.