Zimbabwe to soldier on with local currency though it is under attack 

HON. MATEWU:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  My supplementary question to the Leader of Government Business is that just recently, a Monetary Statement was put out by the Hon. Minister for Finance.  In that, he basically liberated almost every company to use the US dollar.  If we are paying our civil servants and our pensioners in the Zimbabwean dollar, what is Government policy in terms of controlling the fiscus and the money that is going to be given to our civil servants?  Basically, you are saying on one hand, all the other companies and entities can now charge their businesses in US dollars yet you continue to pay everyone else in Zimbabwean dollar.  The pensioners who are the people struggling in this country are also being paid in Zimbabwean dollars.  What is your policy in terms of alleviating and reviewing the terms of payment to our civil servants so that you can liberate to say the Government can now pay their salaries in US dollars?  Thank you.

HON. ZIYAMBI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I am sure when the Hon. Member receives his first pay slip, he will notice that there is a US dollar component there.  So, it is not correct to say our civil servants are receiving their salaries only in Zimbabwe dollar.  We are giving a component in US dollar and another one in Zimbabwe dollar.  We are mindful that because of our situation, our currency is the easiest target, hence we decided deliberately as a policy to pay a certain component.  I am aware that there are negotiations that are going on in terms of ensuring that we come up with an agreement on a salary structure that will be given.  We have already acknowledged that because our currency is under attack, we are giving a certain component as US dollars.  Thank you.

HON. CHIBAYA:  Thank you very much Hon. Speaker.  The issue of cost of living affects both workers in the public sector and private sector.  My supplementary question to the Hon. Minister is …

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Can you be connected please.

HON. CHIBAYA:  Hon. Speaker, the issue of cost of living is affecting employees in the public and private sectors.  Why is it that the Government is not revisiting the issue of minimum wage in line with the poverty datum line.  I thank you.

HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of a policy shift where we no longer have a minimum wage.  I thank you.

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