Police hail Vic Falls residents

Herald Reporter
POLICE have praised the people of Victoria Falls for successfully playing host to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly which went smoothly without any reports of crime targeting the assembly or its delegates. The just-ended 20th session of the UNWTO held in Zimbabwe and Zambia from August 24 to 29 was a huge success and the police appreciated the public’s efforts in working together to fight crime.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to express gratitude and appreciation to the Victoria Falls community and the nation for the peaceful and tranquil environment that characterised the UNWTO General Assembly,” said police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi in a statement.

“No criminal cases having a direct or indirect impact on the general assembly were recorded.”
The police, he said, had noted with concern futile attempts to raise alarm that bombs had been planted at the conference venue.

“At no time were the delegates under threat as sufficient security contingencies were in place,” the police spokesman said.
“The co-operation exhibited by the public during the UNTWO is commendable and will definitely spur the police to provide quality service to the nation.”

President Robert Mugabe last Wednesday played down as unfounded and malicious claims of a security risk at the UNWTO in his address to delegates at the closing meeting.

“Western countries sparked rumours that bombs had been planted at the venue of the event in a bid to cause chaos,” said President Mugabe.

“It was posted on the internet from London, that a bomb had been planted somewhere here for you to be frightened so you could disperse and then it will be said the meeting failed,” President Mugabe said.

“We are not terrorists. We do not kill people here.
“We seek no harm to others, we seek friendship and co-operation; we seek peace and not war in Africa.

“We seek good neighbourliness and respect for each other’s territorial integrity,” he said.
The conference drew 120 delegations of UNWTO member states, 49 full ministers and 700 delegates.

The conference discussed visa facilitation, air connectivity and accessibility, airport infrastructure and other tourism development-related issues.