Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika on Tuesday commissioned four locomotives that the Republic of China on Taiwan donated to Malawi in 2005.
Mutharika said the locomotives would help Malawi to alleviate its transportation problems.
Taiwan donated the locomotives to assist Malawi in its transportation of cargo to various places within and outside the country.
Central East African Railway Company spokesperson Daniel Undani said the locomotives would help the company reduce the cost of transportation in the country.
"The company was facing a lot of problems in transporting goods, especially during the crop season. Transporting goods like tobacco was a big problem but these locomotives will reduce such problems," he said.
Undani also said the four locomotives add to the eight existing ones which the company has.
The vehicles, which arrived in the country last July, needed to be modified by a South African firm first before their use in the country.
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
Malawi budget row threatens donor support - minister
Malawi will lose crucial international budget aid if an on-going political stalemate between the government and the opposition-led parliament continues, Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe said in an interview.
Gondwe's warning came after parliament and President Bingu wa Mutharika's government failed to agree on Malawi's planned $1.2 billion annual budget on Monday.
The opposition wants a dispute over the poaching of its members by the ruling party to be resolved first.
"We are in a financial crisis and further delays to pass the budget will be catastrophic as donors will not be forthcoming to put financial support to the budget," Gondwe told Reuters as parliament met again on Tuesday to try and break the deadlock.
The impoverished Southern African country relies heavily on donor support for its public spending.
"This financial year our budget is 172 billion Kwacha (US$1.2 billion) and from that we are only contributing 98 billion Kwacha (US$700 million)," Gondwe said.
"The rest is from our cooperating partners. That's how serious this is because we will not get anything if this continues," he said.
The budget debate, which should have been concluded by June 30, was indefinitely suspended last month over the dispute on the poaching of members of the opposition coalition of the United Democratic Fund (UDF) and the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The draft 2007/08 budget allocates more resources to poor rural areas, proposes salary increases for civil servants, and higher spending on health care and food production.
On Monday, the government rejected a proposal by the opposition to adopt a temporary three-month budget that would allow for public spending while the political dispute over the opposition's members is resolved.
The opposition had also proposed to allow government to spend an additional $70 million for the procurement of the fertilizers meant for a subsidy programme which has proven very successful in the last two years.
Frustrations have been growing in the southern African nation of 12 million people as the political standoff deepened.
Thousands of people have held demonstrations over delays in the budget for the country bordered by Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.
"This is now time to act statesmanlike, both the opposition and our side, and resolve our differences," Gondwe said.
Gondwe's warning came after parliament and President Bingu wa Mutharika's government failed to agree on Malawi's planned $1.2 billion annual budget on Monday.
The opposition wants a dispute over the poaching of its members by the ruling party to be resolved first.
"We are in a financial crisis and further delays to pass the budget will be catastrophic as donors will not be forthcoming to put financial support to the budget," Gondwe told Reuters as parliament met again on Tuesday to try and break the deadlock.
The impoverished Southern African country relies heavily on donor support for its public spending.
"This financial year our budget is 172 billion Kwacha (US$1.2 billion) and from that we are only contributing 98 billion Kwacha (US$700 million)," Gondwe said.
"The rest is from our cooperating partners. That's how serious this is because we will not get anything if this continues," he said.
The budget debate, which should have been concluded by June 30, was indefinitely suspended last month over the dispute on the poaching of members of the opposition coalition of the United Democratic Fund (UDF) and the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The draft 2007/08 budget allocates more resources to poor rural areas, proposes salary increases for civil servants, and higher spending on health care and food production.
On Monday, the government rejected a proposal by the opposition to adopt a temporary three-month budget that would allow for public spending while the political dispute over the opposition's members is resolved.
The opposition had also proposed to allow government to spend an additional $70 million for the procurement of the fertilizers meant for a subsidy programme which has proven very successful in the last two years.
Frustrations have been growing in the southern African nation of 12 million people as the political standoff deepened.
Thousands of people have held demonstrations over delays in the budget for the country bordered by Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.
"This is now time to act statesmanlike, both the opposition and our side, and resolve our differences," Gondwe said.
Marathon prizes for Paraguay, Ghana, Croatia and Malawi
Paraguay, Ghana, Croatia and Malawi are the prize winners of the 7th Global Youth Hockey Marathon. These countries have been selected for creating wonderful, innovative events during the Marathon weekend on 12 and 13 May 2007 within the theme ‘Hockey, a Sport for Everybody Everywhere’.
Paraguay made an arrangement with the city authorities in the capital city Asunción, to use public areas to promote and demonstrate hockey. On the Saturday a carpet was laid on the main square of the city and on Sunday on the “Quesada”, which is a street between two shopping malls. Young and old, male and female gave hockey a try. About 300 people joined the hockey sessions and another 500 people came to watch.
Croatia demonstrated hockey on a school playground in Sisak, which is a new area for promoting hockey outside Zagreb. In the capital the organizers showed that hockey can be played in public facilities, such as parks, playgrounds and meadows. The coaches encouraged the young players to have fun with hockey whenever they can, no matter where they are. A school ground, the country side, a vacation spot – just take your hockey stick and play!
Ghana organized hockey in all possible places: in the woods, on a road around a block of flats and on the beach. Young boys and girls who have never played before were invited to try out hockey in these innovative places. The media were well represented: Ghana’s national TV station, the widest circulating newspaper in Ghana (The Daily Graphic), its sister paper Junior Graphic and the radio channel Happy FM all covered the event. A link was made with the Beach Sports Association and further efforts will be made to include hockey in their future activities.
Malawi organized a big club & school tournament, for boys and girls in the age group U10, U14 and U21. A special invitation was made to people affected by HIV/AIDS, who were welcomed whole heartedly. Hockey, a Sport for Everybody, in the true sense of the word!
The winning countries have been selected by the Marathon jury, consisting of FIH DCC Chair Anne Ellis, FIH Development Manager Gabrielle van Doorn, FIH Youth Panel coordinator Tina Brullo and FIH Youth Panel Chair Mario Rosado.
The prize winners will receive a hockey development kit sponsored by FIH Official Supplier TK, consisting of 75 sticks and balls.
Thirty five countries took part in this year’s Marathon. A selection of reports and pictures has been posted on the WorldHockey website and can be accessed by clicking here.
The majority of the participating countries managed to get really good media coverage. Local and national TV, radio and newspapers reported on the event. This is a great achievement for the promotion of hockey.
A special mention should be made to Hockey New Zealand, who counted 28,881 participants in its Marathon and National Youth Week. What a great achievement and what great enthusiasm!
Many young hockey leaders have been passionately involved in the organisation of this event. Some of these youngsters have participated in one of the first three World Youth Hockey Promoters Festivals. For potential young leaders there will be an opportunity to participate in the next Festival, which will take place in Victoria, Canada from 27 April till 3 May 2008. More information on this Festival and participation forms can be found by clicking here.
The FIH would like to congratulate all the participating countries for their great events and count on their participation again next year.
Paraguay made an arrangement with the city authorities in the capital city Asunción, to use public areas to promote and demonstrate hockey. On the Saturday a carpet was laid on the main square of the city and on Sunday on the “Quesada”, which is a street between two shopping malls. Young and old, male and female gave hockey a try. About 300 people joined the hockey sessions and another 500 people came to watch.
Croatia demonstrated hockey on a school playground in Sisak, which is a new area for promoting hockey outside Zagreb. In the capital the organizers showed that hockey can be played in public facilities, such as parks, playgrounds and meadows. The coaches encouraged the young players to have fun with hockey whenever they can, no matter where they are. A school ground, the country side, a vacation spot – just take your hockey stick and play!
Ghana organized hockey in all possible places: in the woods, on a road around a block of flats and on the beach. Young boys and girls who have never played before were invited to try out hockey in these innovative places. The media were well represented: Ghana’s national TV station, the widest circulating newspaper in Ghana (The Daily Graphic), its sister paper Junior Graphic and the radio channel Happy FM all covered the event. A link was made with the Beach Sports Association and further efforts will be made to include hockey in their future activities.
Malawi organized a big club & school tournament, for boys and girls in the age group U10, U14 and U21. A special invitation was made to people affected by HIV/AIDS, who were welcomed whole heartedly. Hockey, a Sport for Everybody, in the true sense of the word!
The winning countries have been selected by the Marathon jury, consisting of FIH DCC Chair Anne Ellis, FIH Development Manager Gabrielle van Doorn, FIH Youth Panel coordinator Tina Brullo and FIH Youth Panel Chair Mario Rosado.
The prize winners will receive a hockey development kit sponsored by FIH Official Supplier TK, consisting of 75 sticks and balls.
Thirty five countries took part in this year’s Marathon. A selection of reports and pictures has been posted on the WorldHockey website and can be accessed by clicking here.
The majority of the participating countries managed to get really good media coverage. Local and national TV, radio and newspapers reported on the event. This is a great achievement for the promotion of hockey.
A special mention should be made to Hockey New Zealand, who counted 28,881 participants in its Marathon and National Youth Week. What a great achievement and what great enthusiasm!
Many young hockey leaders have been passionately involved in the organisation of this event. Some of these youngsters have participated in one of the first three World Youth Hockey Promoters Festivals. For potential young leaders there will be an opportunity to participate in the next Festival, which will take place in Victoria, Canada from 27 April till 3 May 2008. More information on this Festival and participation forms can be found by clicking here.
The FIH would like to congratulate all the participating countries for their great events and count on their participation again next year.
Budget debate stalls as Malawi ministers meet
Malawi's parliament reconvened on Monday after many adjournments but stalled on the budget debate as the opposition accused the government of "siphoning out" money without parliamentary approval.
"Someone in government has been siphoning out money without authority... we need to regularise the use of funds," George Mtafu of the former ruling party said when parliament finally reconvened.
Mtafu, who for many years was the country's only neurosurgeon, said the state was "breaking laws with impunity".
"What kind of democracy are we following?" he asked.
The opposition, stating its readiness to debate and pass the already delayed budget, said it wanted parliament to regulate the use of funds drawn from August 1 through a financial resolution.
Let's regularise expenditure... if we are breaking the law, let's correct the situation," John Tembo, leader of the opposition Malawi Congress Party, said in remarks broadcast on state radio.
Former finance minister Friday Jumbe said: "We are breaking the law, should we continue to break the law... Let us follow the law to the book."
Finance Minister Goodalll Gondwe, a former director of the International Monetray Fund (IMF), said by not debating the budget "we are shooting ourselves more and more on the foot".
"Time is not on our side. We need to move expediously working for the common good of the people. We need the budget," Gondwe said.
The country has been in a political impasse since last month because the opposition has been demanding to debate the sacking of 41 MPs who crossed carpet to join the minority government.
The Supreme Court last week ordered the opposition to end a month-long boycott of parliament after it turned down an opposition injunction to stop the legislature from debating the budget.
Malawi's opposition, which commands 105 of the parliament's 193 seats, had been campaigning for the expulsion of the MPs who crossed the floor to join the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika before discussing the budget.
Mutharika and the opposition have been at loggerheads for weeks in a row sparked by a court ruling which allowed the parliamentary speaker to sack the defecting MPs.
The government announced early this month that it would push ahead with its spending plans despite lawmakers' refusal to debate the budget.
"Someone in government has been siphoning out money without authority... we need to regularise the use of funds," George Mtafu of the former ruling party said when parliament finally reconvened.
Mtafu, who for many years was the country's only neurosurgeon, said the state was "breaking laws with impunity".
"What kind of democracy are we following?" he asked.
The opposition, stating its readiness to debate and pass the already delayed budget, said it wanted parliament to regulate the use of funds drawn from August 1 through a financial resolution.
Let's regularise expenditure... if we are breaking the law, let's correct the situation," John Tembo, leader of the opposition Malawi Congress Party, said in remarks broadcast on state radio.
Former finance minister Friday Jumbe said: "We are breaking the law, should we continue to break the law... Let us follow the law to the book."
Finance Minister Goodalll Gondwe, a former director of the International Monetray Fund (IMF), said by not debating the budget "we are shooting ourselves more and more on the foot".
"Time is not on our side. We need to move expediously working for the common good of the people. We need the budget," Gondwe said.
The country has been in a political impasse since last month because the opposition has been demanding to debate the sacking of 41 MPs who crossed carpet to join the minority government.
The Supreme Court last week ordered the opposition to end a month-long boycott of parliament after it turned down an opposition injunction to stop the legislature from debating the budget.
Malawi's opposition, which commands 105 of the parliament's 193 seats, had been campaigning for the expulsion of the MPs who crossed the floor to join the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika before discussing the budget.
Mutharika and the opposition have been at loggerheads for weeks in a row sparked by a court ruling which allowed the parliamentary speaker to sack the defecting MPs.
The government announced early this month that it would push ahead with its spending plans despite lawmakers' refusal to debate the budget.
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