admin
Zimbabwe, Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development Minister Nicholas Goche has said.
He said this while giving evidence before the Portfolio Committee on Transport, Communication and Infrastructure Development yesterday.
He was referring to an inter-ministerial committee set up by Government in the past to look at the revival of Air Zimbabwe.
“We had several meetings and I sensed at that time that we were not together in one direction so we did not achieve our objective.
“Others were saying we must disband Air Zimbabwe while others were saying that is not the way to go,” Minister Goche said.
The inter-ministerial committee comprised the Ministries of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, State Enterprises, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Environment and was chaired by Transport, Communication and Infrastructure Development.
Minister Goche said they had since buried their differences raising optimism that the turnaround strategy will succeed.
He said all parties were now in agreement that Zimbabwe needed a national airline.
“We are now agreeing on policy and therefore we are working together and working in one direction and I am sure that augurs well for success,” he said.
Government has since taken over Air Zimbabwe’s debt of US$150 million and appointed a six member board of permanent secretaries of the above ministries to lead in the resuscitation of the airline.
He said the committee has since been tasked to come up with a business plan, look for a financial advisor to assess the airline’s assets and debts and a technical partner.
“We must ensure we can have a bankable business plan and this six-member committee is working flat out and maybe in the coming week I will be able to report to Cabinet on the progress,” he said.
Minister Goche said Air Zimbabwe management has also been asked to come up with minimum requirements to resume operations even in the absence of a technical partner.
He said they needed to buy long haul planes, two for regional destinations and at least three for domestic routes.
Minister Goche said Qatar Airlines and Namibian Airlines were in talks to resume flights into Zimbabwe as major airlines continue to show confidence in the local market.
Minister Goche also set the record straight regarding President Mugabe’s use of Air Zimbabwe saying he paid for his charter flights timeously and had never defaulted at any time.
“The President pays for his flights, he charters flights and he pays, he doesn’t owe anything to Air Zimbabwe,” he said.
Minister Goche said Air Zimbabwe’s foreign debt was less as compared to that owed to local institutions and employees.
Of the US$150 million debt, US$30 million is owed to foreign institutions and local banks while the rest is to other parastatals and employees.
Online Reporter