This year the Textile, Garment, Leather and Security Services Workers' Union (TGLSSWU) in Malawi used International Justice Day as an opportunity to raise public awareness about the law which allows employers to cut the wage rate of security guards when they work mandatory overtime.
Just last spring, well regarded human rights lawyers pointed out that ILO Conventions 1 and 30 prescribe premium pay of not less than one and one-quarter times the regular rate for overtime. Yet, in Malawi, only for security guards, employers are permitted to drop the pay to one- half of the regular rate if a workers stays on the job for longer than 8 hours.
And the regular rate is so low that workers earn only about 20 Euros a month despite the fact that they typically work 72 hours per week or longer. Overtime pay of "time and one-half" would increase each worker's pay by more than 50%, a pittance for security companies operating in Malawi, like G4S, but the difference between a solid meal and hunger for many guards and their families.
The union distributed 5,000 leaflets - building on this year's theme for Justice Day- "Its About Time."
UNI is demanding that the Malawian government change the overtime law to require the same premium pay for security guards as for other occupations
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Malawi inflation slows on lower food costs
Malawi's inflation slowed to 7,9 percent year-on-year in May from 8,1 percent in April because of a seasonal decline in food costs, the National Statistical Office said on Tuesday.
Malawi's second consecutive surplus harvest of the staple maize grain has helped reduce inflation from 15 percent in June 2006.
"Overall inflation has continued to go down due to seasonal decline in food costs; non-food costs which have been rising since September last year have registered 10,2 percent over two consecutive months," the NSO said.
Food accounts for 58,1 percent of the consumer price index.
This is the second consecutive month that annual inflation has slowed down after an upward trend that started in October last year on the back of rising food costs fueled by high oil prices.
The government and the International Monetary Fund have said inflation is projected to ease to around 6 percent for the 2008/09 financial year despite rising oil prices.
Malawi's second consecutive surplus harvest of the staple maize grain has helped reduce inflation from 15 percent in June 2006.
"Overall inflation has continued to go down due to seasonal decline in food costs; non-food costs which have been rising since September last year have registered 10,2 percent over two consecutive months," the NSO said.
Food accounts for 58,1 percent of the consumer price index.
This is the second consecutive month that annual inflation has slowed down after an upward trend that started in October last year on the back of rising food costs fueled by high oil prices.
The government and the International Monetary Fund have said inflation is projected to ease to around 6 percent for the 2008/09 financial year despite rising oil prices.
INTERVIEW-Malawi may lose donor money over political feud
Malawi may lose millions of dollars in donor pledges for its 2008/09 budget if a political feud between the government and opposition is not resolved, the head of the U.N. mission in Malawi said.
"Malawi desperately needs to pass the budget and, frankly, if there is no budget you can't get budget support and much of the donor assistance coming to Malawi comes as direct budget support," Michael Keating told Reuters in an interview on Monday.
The opposition alliance of United Democratic Front (UDF) and Malawi Congress Party want with President Bingu wa Mutharika's breakaway Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to be resolved before the first passage of the budget.
The opposition parties say that according to the constitution wa Mutharika's party should lose 60 legislators he is accused of poaching when he quit the UDF.
The impoverished southern African nation relies heavily on donor money for its public spending and had expected to receive some 90 billion kwacha ($640 million) in assistance in the 2008/09 financial year, a 36 percent increase from last year.
"If there is no budget, donors will have to either reduce aid levels or provide it outside the budget," Keating said.
The political crisis delayed passage of the budget last year until pressure from the international community and civil society forced opposition legislators to back down.
The draft 2008/09 budget allocates more resources to the agriculture sector with more spending on food production and health care, and proposes a 20 percent salary increases for civil servants.
"We will not pass the budget if section 65 is not evoked by the Speaker (of parliament) and if the current crisis talks fail to reach a compromise," George Ntafu, UDF leader in parliament said on Monday.
Section 65 is a constitutional provision which prohibits floor crossing.
Government and the opposition leadership have been in crisis talks for a month to help resolve the impasse. (Editing by Gordon Bell and Matthew Tostevin)
"Malawi desperately needs to pass the budget and, frankly, if there is no budget you can't get budget support and much of the donor assistance coming to Malawi comes as direct budget support," Michael Keating told Reuters in an interview on Monday.
The opposition alliance of United Democratic Front (UDF) and Malawi Congress Party want with President Bingu wa Mutharika's breakaway Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to be resolved before the first passage of the budget.
The opposition parties say that according to the constitution wa Mutharika's party should lose 60 legislators he is accused of poaching when he quit the UDF.
The impoverished southern African nation relies heavily on donor money for its public spending and had expected to receive some 90 billion kwacha ($640 million) in assistance in the 2008/09 financial year, a 36 percent increase from last year.
"If there is no budget, donors will have to either reduce aid levels or provide it outside the budget," Keating said.
The political crisis delayed passage of the budget last year until pressure from the international community and civil society forced opposition legislators to back down.
The draft 2008/09 budget allocates more resources to the agriculture sector with more spending on food production and health care, and proposes a 20 percent salary increases for civil servants.
"We will not pass the budget if section 65 is not evoked by the Speaker (of parliament) and if the current crisis talks fail to reach a compromise," George Ntafu, UDF leader in parliament said on Monday.
Section 65 is a constitutional provision which prohibits floor crossing.
Government and the opposition leadership have been in crisis talks for a month to help resolve the impasse. (Editing by Gordon Bell and Matthew Tostevin)
Kinnah gains hero status in Malawi
Former Free State coach Kinnah Phiri and his Malawi Flames staged one of the biggest upsets in the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, beating reigning Africa kings Egypt 1-0 on Saturday to top group 12.
Substitute Chiukepo Msowoya replaced Ajax Cape Town’s Russel Mwafulirwa in the 75th minute to volley home the injury time winner and shock the Pharaohs.
Malawi, who started their campaign with 8-1 whipping of Djibouti then lost 1-0 to Democratic Republic of Congo, top the group with a superior goal aggregate after tying on six points with the second placed DRC and third placed Egypt.
Djibouti are anchoring the group without a point in three games and look dead certain to go out of the campaign for both the World Cup and Nations Cup.
Saturday’s win was the biggest result Malawi has achieved in recent years, turning Kinnah into an instant hero, barely a month after replacing resigned Englishman Stephen Constantine.
Lonrho to Develop Farm, Processing Plant, Storage in Malawi
June 17 (Bloomberg) -- Lonrho Plc, a U.K. company that invests in Africa, plans to develop an agricultural processing plant, cold store and a 100-hectare (247-acre) farm in Malawi.
The cold store and processing plant will be based at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, Lonrho said today in a statement distributed by the Regulatory News Service. The farm will be adjacent to the airport, Liverpool-based Lonrho said.
The cold store and processing plant will be based at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, Lonrho said today in a statement distributed by the Regulatory News Service. The farm will be adjacent to the airport, Liverpool-based Lonrho said.
Bernards church group to visit Malawi, probe orphan crisis
BERNARDS —Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church will send a task force this weekend to Malawi, a densely populated, underdeveloped African nation to investigate specific issues affecting more than 1 million orphans and vulnerable children, said Patty Llerena, the church's spokeswoman.
Taskforce members will assess health, education and sources of clean water, and evaluate the effectiveness of local service providers, the use of financial assistance and the need for volunteers, Llerena said.
"By obtaining first-hand knowledge, we will develop a five-year strategic plan to increase local awareness and do something about the Malawian children who fall victim to treatable disease and malnutrition," said team coordinator Jack Stillwaggon of the Basking Ridge section of Bernards. "We want to offer future opportunities for adult and student volunteers from the New Jersey/New York metro area to make a real difference through service. We hope this is the first of many more volunteer teams to provide hands-on assistance in Malawi."
As executive director of the Bernards Township Education Foundation, Stillwaggon has experience in governance assessments, organizational development and strategic planning and implementation. He will be joined in Malawi by Lisa Mandel of Warren, Pamela Bowman and David Cutler of Basking Ridge, and Roy and Cherie Christensen of New Vernon.
Mandel chairs the Partners in Mission team at Liberty Corner Presbyterian, which coordinates relationships and financial contributions with mission partners on a local, national and global basis. She previously has worked on projects to end poverty.
Bowman is mission director at the First Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem, Pa., and serves on the U.S. Board of Trustees at Ministry of Hope, which provides community-based orphan care in Malawi. Having been to Malawi before, as well as nearby Zambia, she will focus on the mission's administration and organization.
Cutler brings financial management experience to the group as an employee of Thomson Reuters, a leading business information service, and as an elder of Liberty Corner Presbyterian. Also a church elder, Roy Christensen has a project management background. Cherie Christensen is a retired registered nurse who will focus on the crisis medical center in Malawi.
The increase in Malawi orphans is due to an AIDS pandemic, Llerena said. About 53 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and has a life expectancy of 42 years, she said. In addition to AIDS, waterborne diseases, malaria and other illnesses kill one in three children before age 5, she said.
For 16 days, the team will work alongside staff at various local service providers, Llerena said, including Ministry of Hope, an organization established by Malawians. Ministry of Hope has six feeding centers serving up to 3,500 orphans and vulnerable children per day, and two crisis nursery centers serving 45 babies each month, Llerena said.
For more information, call the church office at (908) 647-0340 or go to www.libertycorner.org.
Taskforce members will assess health, education and sources of clean water, and evaluate the effectiveness of local service providers, the use of financial assistance and the need for volunteers, Llerena said.
"By obtaining first-hand knowledge, we will develop a five-year strategic plan to increase local awareness and do something about the Malawian children who fall victim to treatable disease and malnutrition," said team coordinator Jack Stillwaggon of the Basking Ridge section of Bernards. "We want to offer future opportunities for adult and student volunteers from the New Jersey/New York metro area to make a real difference through service. We hope this is the first of many more volunteer teams to provide hands-on assistance in Malawi."
As executive director of the Bernards Township Education Foundation, Stillwaggon has experience in governance assessments, organizational development and strategic planning and implementation. He will be joined in Malawi by Lisa Mandel of Warren, Pamela Bowman and David Cutler of Basking Ridge, and Roy and Cherie Christensen of New Vernon.
Mandel chairs the Partners in Mission team at Liberty Corner Presbyterian, which coordinates relationships and financial contributions with mission partners on a local, national and global basis. She previously has worked on projects to end poverty.
Bowman is mission director at the First Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem, Pa., and serves on the U.S. Board of Trustees at Ministry of Hope, which provides community-based orphan care in Malawi. Having been to Malawi before, as well as nearby Zambia, she will focus on the mission's administration and organization.
Cutler brings financial management experience to the group as an employee of Thomson Reuters, a leading business information service, and as an elder of Liberty Corner Presbyterian. Also a church elder, Roy Christensen has a project management background. Cherie Christensen is a retired registered nurse who will focus on the crisis medical center in Malawi.
The increase in Malawi orphans is due to an AIDS pandemic, Llerena said. About 53 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and has a life expectancy of 42 years, she said. In addition to AIDS, waterborne diseases, malaria and other illnesses kill one in three children before age 5, she said.
For 16 days, the team will work alongside staff at various local service providers, Llerena said, including Ministry of Hope, an organization established by Malawians. Ministry of Hope has six feeding centers serving up to 3,500 orphans and vulnerable children per day, and two crisis nursery centers serving 45 babies each month, Llerena said.
For more information, call the church office at (908) 647-0340 or go to www.libertycorner.org.
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