The ZCTU has shared its proposals for the 2015 budget: “We reject the continued artificial suffering of public service workers that comes with the imposition of the wage freeze while the cost of living continues to rise... In view of the escalating bank lending rates, Government should introduce fixed interest rates for public service employees whose incomes have remained static in the face of increasing interest rates and high cost of living...as the cost of accommodation keeps rising, government must consider providing social housing for public service workers because accommodation continues to take up a big share of workers incomes.” ROY MWABA ZCTU General Secretary (Source: Lusaka Times) Those demands by the ZCTU are in addition to the proposal for an increase in the minimum taxable taxable threshold from K 3,000 to 4,000 because of a rise in the cost of living. Even if one believes the proposals are needed, we surely must ask the basic question : where is government going to get the money to do all these things? And some ideas are just foolish. Are they really expecting government to introduce fixed interest rates? The entire ZCTU obviously has no economist! But government has done worse things in the past, so one perhaps one cannot blame the ZCTU for trying. It seems to us the problem in Zambia is that those who are fearless in demanding things are usually the most intellectually bankrupt. They are courageous or bold without brains. And those who are intellectually sound and know what must be done to move Zambia forward are living in fear for their lives. They debate well but unwilling to challenge economic and social tyranny. We shall expand on this national conundrum at the time of our choosing.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 00:05:44 +0000
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