The CRD has always maintained that laid down tender procedures were not followed in the awarding of mining tenders in Marange Diamond fields. Lawful procedures should at all times be followed to ensure a healthy selection process that identifies an investor with both capacity and easily verifiable experience in diamond mining. Whilst the scope of the investigations is not yet clear, the probe should be extended to all the mining licences which in this instance were covertly awarded to mine in Marange.
Diamonds are non renewable yet a critical resource for economic development in any country. As such Zimbabwe ought to make the most out of this precious stone while it lasts. It is indeed highly regrettable that a fraudulent company was allowed to milk Zimbabwe of diamonds worth billions of dollars whilst our hard working citizenry wallow in poverty. We note with concern that scarce public resources, in an ailing economy were deployed including the police and national army to secure further resource plunder by this fraudulent company whilst it prejudiced the state and the people of Zimbabwe.
CRD calls upon the government to leave no stone unturned in this probe as this may only be a tip of an iceberg. A serious commitment to transparency and accountability in the diamond sector will set Zimbabwe on the highway to a speedy economic recovery. Our neighbours Botswana and Namibia have shown us that with political will and a commitment to accountability and transparency, diamonds can shape the economy of a nation. At the CRD we envision a day when profits from Zimbabwe’s natural resources will contribute meaningfully to the country’s education, health, agriculture and infrastructural development. The alarming levels of poverty in this country are an insult in view of the vast natural resources spread across this great nation.
In this regard, the CRD will continue to press the government for transparency and accountability in the way it conducts public business. – Center for Research and Development
Post published in: News