Businessman calls for investment blueprint

the province.
“Our province is awash with economic drivers and investment opportunities but everything is lying idle due to an information blackout on what we have to offer to potential investors,” he said.
Mr Kasese, who is the secretary for the Great Zimbabwe Chamber of Businesses, said there was no meaningful activity in the province because of lack of information on the business opportunities that could be explored and such a scenario has seen the region lagging behind in economic development.
“Masvingo region has potential to be an industrial hub but the absence of information on who is doing what in the province has let us down. The scenario has rendered the province an economic-passive region without any meaningful role in the economy of the country.”
He said the provincial development committee should come up with a prospectus, which would unpack all economic drivers found in the region and use the Internet to disseminate it to both international and local  investors.
“We should make use of the internet to market Masvingo. The province has many natural resources that include water bodies and we should package our information in a way that attracts potential investors.
“A prospectus in which all economic drivers are mentioned is very important. We should also come up with a blueprint in which we spell out how we want to develop or attract investment into the region.
“All Government departments and the local authorities should have these blueprints and prospectus in their offices so that whoever visits can have a look at them. Let us start with Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam project, which is about to be completed. We can start to market the dam before it is completed.
“We can develop the infrastructure like the road network, concurrently with the construction of the dam,” said Dr Kasese.
An engineer at the construction site who asked not to be named said they were left with 45 percent work to complete the multimillion-dollar dam.
“We are only left with 45 percent work and we are waiting for the relocation of 250 families to be moved from the flood basin,” he said
Masvingo Governor and Resident Minister Titus Maluleke said the relocation of affected families was going to start very soon with modalities now at an advanced stage.
“I think we are moving with haste and everything is on course to complete this project by April 2013. The affected families are going to be relocated soon and we have already identified where they should be moved to, to pave way for the gigantic dam which will change the economic face of the province.
“Once completed, the largest inland dam in Zimbabwe will provide opportunities for commercial agriculture for our people,” said the governor.
The business executive, who is also Regency Hotels and Leisure Group chief executive officer, said the province should pluck a leaf from most land developers who sold prime land before any development is made on that particular land.