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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Victoria Falls Municipality is yet to receive $60,000 promised three months ago to start United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly legacy projects.Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Engineer Walter Mzembi in March told the business community and other partners in Victoria Falls that $120,000 had been set aside to be shared by Victoria Falls and Livingstone in Zambia for successfully co-hosting last year’s UNWTO General Assembly.
The minister selected a steering committee led by Victoria Falls Mayor Councillor Sifiso Mpofu to spearhead preparations, promising that the money was to be availed immediately as the project “should be finished within three months.”
To this date, nothing has come from government, Clr Mpofu confirmed to Chronicle.
“No money has come yet. We agreed to meet next week as a committee and I think that is the time when we will have something tangible to talk about as a way forward,” he said.
He confirmed that the three months mentioned by Eng Mzembi were from the time he addressed the business committee meeting at a local hotel here during the last week of March.
“The committee is doing something and since this is a council project, there is a lot of paper work to be done like sending quotations and getting a contractor for the project. Once the papers have been processed I am sure we will make headway,” said Clr Mpofu.
He would not be drawn into revealing whether they had found a contractor for the repair of a municipal swimming pool into a world class facility to attract international swimming events.
In March, Eng Mzembi said it was tradition to set up legacy projects after hosting historic events.
The resort town boasts of CHOGM Park, which was constructed after the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Summit and Emaplankeni, a brainchild of Comesa, as post-summit legacy projects.
The Victoria Falls community suggested the need for setting up sporting facilities such as soccer and cricket pitches, establishment of a cultural centre, training and vocational centre, solar project, swimming and recreation pool among others.
It was agreed part of the $60,000 be used to build a world class swimming pool to encompass other related recreational facilities to attract international events.
Eng Mzembi also promised to help the town engage other partners in government with a view to upgrading football facilities to bring professional soccer to the town.
He reiterated government’s commitment to upgrading Victoria Falls Town into a conference capital as the town will host Routes Africa between June 22 and 24 and the Sadc Summit in August.
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