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facilities to be used by delegates attending the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly scheduled for August next year in Victoria Falls.
VP Mujuru, who is the head of the Cabinet Committee on the general assembly, said even if the country was to hold the event now, the existing infrastructure was up to standard to host regional and international delegates.
Zimbabwe and Zambia won the bid to co-host the mega event in Victoria Falls and Livingstone last year.
Addressing the media at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, the only hotel that added 20 new rooms to the existing ones, after assessing the state of preparedness of facilities in the resort town, VP Mujuru said she had been satisfied with the amount of work she had seen on the ground.
“I was here three months ago at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge and there were a lot of rubble all over and surprisingly enough, they are ready and I am very happy that they have started receiving clients and we witnessed some guests checking in just now. They are also at 60percent occupancy rate and this is very pleasing,” she said.
“At the Victoria Falls District Hospital, there is work on the ground and they are saying that by March, everything will be in order. At Premier Medical Aid Society health facility works are almost complete and they said they are opening in November. Things are promising and we are ready. Yes we have some work to do like sprucing up the image of the town, the construction works at the airport which is close to 10 percent but by August next year, everything will be in place. What we have now is good enough and we can host the event if we are asked to hold it today,” she said.
VP Mujuru, who was accompanied by the acting Minister of Transport, Communi-cation and Infrastructural Development, Dr Olivia Muchena, toured the proposed site of the new terminal building at the Victoria Falls International Airport and the proposed site for the new runway.
She was also shown the proposed site for the new water point, which is part of the plans to increase water supplies to the airport.
Mr Munesu Munodawafa, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development, told the VP that there would be a dedicated water pipe for the new building. “We are not under any illusion that the new terminal building will be completed before the general assembly. It will be completed after UNWTO. What will be completed is the new runway. We are also working on the reconfiguration of the terminal building to allow for more visitors inside as currently when there is pressure, some are forced to queue outside,” he said.
Mr Munodawafa said the new runway would be four-kilometres wide adding that it would be converted to a taxing way.
“We have identified where we will get the quarry stone, the sand and other raw materials to be used here. Also we are working with four chiefs from this area who are going to provide about 50 workers each as labour,” he said.
At the Victoria Falls District Hospital, VP Mujuru was briefed by the acting provincial medical director for Matabeleland North, Dr Edwin Sibanda that work was in progress.
“Right now we have covered 254 metres out of 1 700 meters of the pre-cast wall and over 2 000 bricks have been delivered. Works are also in progress towards the construction of a new Intensive Care Unit, the refurbishment of floors, lighting system and the construction of a new administration block,” said Dr Sibanda.
The Vice-President also toured the new PSMA health centre where she was told that it would open its doors early next month.
She ended her tour at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.
In August parliament ratified a $150 million loan agreement between Zimbabwe and the Export-Import Bank of China for the upgrading and rehabilitation of Victoria Falls International Airport ahead of the general assembly. The Government also released $7 million for the rehabilitation of the Victoria Falls District Hospital.
The municipality was also allocated more than $2 million towards the refurbishment of the water and sewer reticulation and rehabilitation of roads.
Online Reporter