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Minister Chinamasa

Farirai Machivenyika Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWEANS should not focus on succession related issues and personalities and direct their energy towards economic revival, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has said.
Officially launching The Source, an online business news website on Friday last week, Minister Chinamasa said debate around succession was detrimental to economic development.

“There are activities which are happening which never get reported including events which I officiate, no one is interested in that. Everyone is interested in succession issues and so forth — who is doing what to what to whom and so on. Now that does not build a country,” he said.

“It is very important for all of us irrespective of political affiliation, irrespective of where you are coming from to understand that the economy is all ours. It is our economy and it is for us to contribute constructively to its resuscitation, to its growth. If it is not resuscitated it means economic gloom for all of us.”
Minister Chinamasa said Zimbabwe had huge potential if people concentrated on the right things.

“The potential for this country is enormous. We do not have to be poor in the country if we do the right things, if we assist each other to come up with correct policies that will be conducive to foreign direct investment. The less we talk politics and more economics, the better. I would want to see, as we go into the future, more discussion not on personalities but ideas,” he said.

Minister Chinamasa urged Zimbabweans to portray their country in a positive light saying the media have an important role to play in reviving the economy.
“Visitors who come to Zimbabwe have a better perception about our country and ourselves than we ourselves. We speak so negatively about ourselves to the point where it is very dispiriting to say the least,” he said

“As government we welcome any positive contribution in our efforts to revive our economy and the media have an important role to play in that regard.
“The contribution of the media to Zimbabwe’s story both on the political and economic front has not always been constructive.

“What you write negatively about our country is amplified outside and whereever I am going instead of talking and discussing business I am made to explain stupid reports made elsewhere about my country which have no basis. In fact that is what bleeds my heart.”

He said the Zim-Asset required contribution from everyone to succeed.
“The government has anchored its economic programmes for the next five years on Zim-Asset. The Zim-Asset was crafted to achieve sustainable development and social equity anchored on indigenisation, empowerment and employment creation. We should be driven by the judicious exploitation of the country’s human and natural resources.“For Zim-Asset to succeed government ministries and agencies, the private sector, the nation at large have to work in tandem not at cross purposes, we should work together. We should all realise that we are all Zimbabweans,” he said.