hang in there, page-13

Hi Mullet,

Are you talking a light drizzle or downpour of biblical proportions?

On another front - environmental. 2 meetings were held in June to discuss the project and its environmental impact.

Opposed to it: essentially, all conservation groups.
For it: everyone else including all levels of government.

Some interesting notes:

1. Adjacent Landowners - Chiawa
The controversy raged on and it is for this reason that Chietainess Chiawa pleaded with her subjects to allow the project go on.

She said that she was for the idea that the mine be constructed in the national park as it would develop the area.

"My people I am begging you let this project go on, it will benefit us all, but one thing we should know is that it will not be able to attend to each of our problem," she said.

2. From Actual Landowner
And Chief Mpuka said that the mining project was welcome as it would create employment opportunities for the locals.

He argued that the tourism sector in the area had not contributed much to the wellbeing of the people.

"This idea of saying when the mine starts operating about 800 jobs will be lost is not there, these investors in the tourism sector have contributed almost nothing to the well-being of the people and this is as far as I am concerned," he said.

Chief Mburuma insisted that the mine would be constructed in Luangwa as it was the only viable project the district would depend on for its development.

He said that Luangwa was among the less developed districts in the country thus the coming of the mine was a relief to huge unemployment levels.

"You people I don't know what you are trying to achieve, I am the owner of the land being talked about here, the mine will be in my chiefdom so what I will say is final and this is it, this mine is welcome, and you developers don't listen to what other people are saying just be ready the mine will be opened," he said.

3. From Local Authorities
Luangwa District Commissioner Eunie Mumba and his counterpart Maxwell Shamalimba of Chirundu and Feira Member of Parliament Patrick Ngoma were in full support of the project.