Hello all! I am glad to see a few people are getting interested in this stock. I have been involved with the company (as shareholder) for about a year and I would have to say that so far, the company has always exceeded my expectations. My main concern is that the mines are located in Zambia and I am always a bit concerned that I am not always aware of what may be happening politically or socially which may affect the company.
To this end, I have recently discovered that the country of Zambia has an excellent web site which features, among other things, several daily newspapers available on-line. Did you know that Zambia will be holding national elections on November 18th? Not bad information to have.
The site may be accessed at:
zamnet.zm
Attached is a copy of an editorial which I copied out of the Nov. 1st issue of the Zambian Post. I found it quite interesting and am passing it along as a sample of what is available.
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Editorial Comment
Desperate and sombre future
There is a lot that needs to be changed for Zambians to face the year 2000 with hope and pride.
And the first thing that we must fight and conquer is the growing sub culture of extreme tolerance to, and acceptance of, low standards in all aspects of our lives - politics, business, culture, education, health, sports - when everyone else in the world is winning new laurels and achieving new high levels of performance in all areas of human endevour. Regardless of their limitations and defects citizens of most nations are today living in society's infinitely superior to the ones their forefathers knew. This is not only from a material point of view - material things alone don't make for happiness, a sense of justice, dignity, self-respect, respect for others, and love for ones fellow citizens also has a great deal to do with happiness, as have moral principles, the feeling of being equal and respected and of taking part in the battle for the progress of ones country.
But in Zambia today wherever one looks there is mediocrity. The political leadership of the country is of untold low standard - the Chilubas, Miyandas, Chakombokas.
In business, petty dealers, theives and street vendors have become our model of entrepreneurs.
Products coming from our factories, if any, are of extreme inferior standards to those coming from our neighbouring countries.
Look at road construction and repairs - embarrassing low standards. Take a look at the buildings that are being built in the country's capital city - both as business and residential houses!
Even sporting standards are on the decline - go and watch a premium league game at your nearest rundown stadium!
All this is sadly propagated as political, economic and social progress.
These are the low standards we seem to have resigned ourselves to.
This is a negative, extremely pernicious phenomenon that covers all spheres of our nation, which we must begin to eradicate with same urgency one fights the worst of plagues.
But how do we find ourselves in such a desperate situation five years after undertaking one of Africa's most admired and inspiring political change?
The most absurd things can happen even in a country that was among the first in Africa to take that glorious and democratic road, when principles are neglected, when ideas are lost and when little men wielding political power become small gods.
Zambia, whose peaceful October 1991 multiparty elections and consequent hand over of power by the defeated party in government, represented one of the greatest and most inspiring hopes for Africa, has become the worst betrayal of the continent's democratisation process.
How then can the events that are today taking place in Zambia be explained?
This is what happens when a corrupt and arrogant clique of drug traffickers and outright theives are allowed to take over the ruling party, destroy, humiliate and crush its best members, and impose its will on the entire nation, based on the strength and prestige of the popular October 1991 political changes.
We have always believed that the founders of any popular movement that assumes power acquire such authority and prestige among their fellow citizens, such far-reaching power, that its unrestricted use can lead to serious disasters and incredible abuses.
This is what President Frederick Chiluba has done to, and for, the ruling MMD and Zambia.
And the dissatisfaction in the nation is growing and no matter what President Chiluba does to keep himself in power the tide of public opinion will not be in his favour. It is very easy for the MMD to fraudulently keep itself in office but it will be impossible for it to meaningfully govern the country.
The views we are expressing in this editorial are not the wisdom of a tiny group of journalists but the wisdom of thousands, if not millions, of men and women who in certain situations are better qualified than any of us to hit on the right idea.
We believe it is necessary for President Chiluba and the MMD to mull things over, even if they think they are more intelligent than all other citizens combined, and really consider the feelings and wisdom of other citizens.
Mulling things over will help them learn that they are not wise men and that for each of their decisions, there might have been better ones.
The prospects and realities for our country are very gloomy and only with a tremendous effort and the moral and intellectual support of all can we face a future that objectively appears desperate and sombre. |
