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Fairness in mining guaranteed - JK
2006-04-08 09:49:04
By Beatrice Bandawe, Gaborone
The government plans to review all mining contracts to guarantee fairness.
Speaking to Tanzanians living in Botswana on Thursday, Kikwete said, the aim was to enable the locals benefit more from the mining industry.
President Jakaya Kikwete said this is meant to ensure both the country and the foreign multinationals engaged in mining benefited.
’We want fair play. We want to create a win-win-situation in the mining sector,’ said the President.
However, Kikwete dispelled fears that the move was aimed at, or would scare away investors in the mining industry.
He said the government only wanted to ensure both investors and Tanzanians benefited equally from the lucrative mining industry.
The President raised concern over the current arrangement and the foregoing contracts, which give investors more control, and the accruing benefits in the mining industry, than the locals.
It is time Tanzanians got involved and benefited from the vast multibillion mining sector.
Kikwete at the same time put investors on notice, saying the government was closely monitoring investors who transfer ownership of their business ventures immediately after the end of the tax holiday period.
The President is on a two-day official visit to the southern African nations.
Kikwete disclosed that his cabinet had already begun reviewing the contracts to ensure that proceeds from the industry benefited the common man.
The President was fielding questions from Tanzanians who had wanted to know measures the government was taking to enable the locals benefit from the industry.
But he warned that errant investors who contravened the legal requirements of their contracts would not be condoned by his government.
He commended his predecessors for building a strong foundation, which he was now challenged to nurture.
The President called on Tanzanians living abroad to remember returning home to build their nation.
Tanzanians living in Botswana pledged their support for President Kikwete in his endeavour to serve the people.
They said they had faith in him and would co-operate with the government for the betterment of Tanzania and its people.
President Kikwete also met SADC Secretary General, Tomaz Salomao, who among other things, warned that Tanzania, DRC, Angola and South Africa were at risk of contracting bird flu.
He, however, said SADC had already consulted the World Health Organisation to explore possible ways of helping the four countries cope and fight the virus.’WHO has agreed to help,’ Salomao said.
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