adminGovernment, both the executive and the legislature, has shown great interest and concern, not to disturb the UNWTO General Assembly so much that the hosting of the event had an effect on the decision on even the dates on the national harmonised elections, the constitution and the referendum. That is how important this event is.
That Zimbabwe will not get a chance to host this mega event in the next 360 years, makes it a generational and lifetime achievement.
There will certainly be other generations of Zimbabweans that will come and pass without getting the experience of hosting the UNWTO General Assembly, given that it rotates among the more than 180 member states on equal basis, every two years.
The Victoria Falls International Airport will be a critical hub in handling arrival and departures of delegates to the general assembly, hence its refurbishment is very critical as a major port of entry.
The sad news is that work at the airport stopped four months ago after Finance Minister Tendai Biti failed to release funds to pay for work already done. Is that not akin to shooting ourselves in the foot?
Public Works Minister Gabbuza Joel Gabuza this week had no kind words for Minister Biti, saying the delay in releasing the funds had stalled work at the airport.
Minister Gabuza says Minister Biti was not lending him an ear yet the project is critical for the hosting of the UNWTO General Assembly.
Admittedly, Government is running low on finances but, surely, it is critical to balance other Government funding requirements with the funding of the airport project.
An airport, like any port of entry, is the first face of Zimbabwe, were impressions are created and we should not create an ugly face for ourselves given that we have already been battered, bruised and beaten by long years of fighting Western-sponsored international media.
We cannot, as a nation, forget that we have so many detractors who want us to fail to host the mega event, just because we are Zimbabwe.
With 175 days left, we should be making frantic efforts to ensure that we are found on the right side by the UNWTO family.
It will be a shame for us to deliberately push ourselves to the wrong side of the bed.
I am sure Minister Biti knows certainly that we should be moving with speed to create the right image on arrival.
The same applies to Statutory Instruments 150 and 199, which should be extended to ensure that hotels and operators import, cheaply, goods to re-kit and retool facilities ahead of the general assembly.
This is our time to shake and move the world.
This is our time to show the world that we are very organised and lovely and not the rogue state that many Western countries would have loved to paint on us.
Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive Karikoga Kaseke played their part in winning the bid.
Let us all, especially Minister Biti, get on board and rock the world.
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Online Reporter