Salary deal in sight; President says negotiations must yield positive results PRESIDENT Mugabe presents a trophy to the only female cadet, Angeline Bosha, who graduated in the pilot course at Thornhill Airforce Base in Gweru yesterday. Officer Cadet Bosha was awarded a trophy for being the third best student
PRESIDENT Mugabe presents a trophy to the only female cadet, Angeline Bosha, who graduated in the pilot course at Thornhill Airforce Base in Gweru yesterday. Officer Cadet Bosha was awarded a trophy for being the third best student

PRESIDENT Mugabe presents a trophy to the only female cadet, Angeline Bosha, who graduated in the pilot course at Thornhill Airforce Base in Gweru yesterday. Officer Cadet Bosha was awarded a trophy for being the third best student

Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Correspondent
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday said negotiations for a salary increment between the Government and civil servants must yield positive results because the former is committed to improving the welfare of its workers. Speaking after commissioning 11 pilots who completed an Airforce of Zimbabwe Number 66 Pilot Training Course at Thornhill Airforce Base in Gweru, Cde Mugabe said Government was aware of the challenges facing its workers and demanded finality to ongoing negotiations.

His remarks come after civil service unions, that had stalled salary increment negotiations by wrangling over representation, yesterday said they had agreed on the composition of their negotiating team and were ready to engage Government in the National Joint Negotiating Council.

“I am aware of the need to improve conditions of service for the Defence Forces and those of the entire civil service,” the President said.
“Negotiations have been opened between government through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Services and the various stakeholder civil service unions. It is my sincere hope that these negotiations will culminate in favourable outcomes.”

President Mugabe, who is also the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, said the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by Britain and her allies were scuttling government’s efforts to move along with modern technology especially with regard to acquiring equipment to improve the Air Force of Zimbabwe’s training and operational equipment.

He said the Air Force of Zimbabwe was experiencing severe shortages of aircraft spares with the training of pilots being conducted under difficult conditions.

“As a result of the sanctions, the Air Force of Zimbabwe has experienced a severe shortage of aircraft spares and other resources. I am heartened to note that the course for the 11 pilots who graduated was nevertheless successfully completed under such adverse conditions, a clear demonstration of the resilience that characterises the Zimbabwe Defence Forces,” the President said.

He said under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, (Zim Asset), Government was working on upgrading the Air Force of Zimbabwe’s training and operational equipment to enhance training skills to meet international standards.

“Government is well aware of the need to upgrade the Air Force of Zimbabwe’s training and operational equipment. Efforts are under way to pursue initiatives that will ensure the realisation of adequate financial resources to enable the upgrading as well as acquisition of new equipment, and this by complying with the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation,” he said.

President Mugabe bemoaned lack of interest by women in taking up challenging and demanding courses like pilot training saying such attitudes were hampering government’s policy of promoting gender equality and women empowerment.

“I wish to challenge the womenfolk of this country to face the challenge and demonstrate their desire for equal representation by taking up the required challenging tasks. I am confident that the Air Force of Zimbabwe and indeed the entire Zimbabwe Defence Forces are making frantic efforts to increase the number of women pilots and women officers. We are hopeful that the future will witness more female pilots graduating under this programme.”

Among the 11 was a female pilot, Angeline Bosha.
The wings presentation and commissioning parade was number 66 pilot training course wholly conducted by Zimbabwean instructors.

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