Message Mer 26 Aoû 2009 09:25

c'est à boire à boire à boire !

Lumwana Mine fires 180 for alleged alcohol abuse
By STVEN MVULA

LUMWANA Mining Company (LMC) has dismissed 180 workers since inception due to alleged alcohol abuse while on duty.

LMC managing director, Harry Michael told a Parliamentary Committee on Government Assurances that visited his mine on Saturday in Solwezi that the company, in a bid to maximise safety, has a policy of instant dismissal for those found wanting.

“A hundred and eighty people have been fired for failing alcohol tests or racist behaviour and 95 per cent of these are expatriates,” Mr Michael said.

Mr Michael said his company had taken the hard path of zero tolerance to alcohol, drug abuse and racism because the company was interested in development and safety of workers.

“We have US$588 million of shareholders’ money and another US$664 million from bank debts to safeguard and so we cannot afford to relax on rules regarding safety and the lives of our people,” he stated.

Mr Michael said the company had put stringent safety measures not only to safeguard the lives of its workers but its huge investment as well.

“So many expatriates here have had to go back to their countries for failing to follow the safety standards or merely a breathalyser test,” he revealed.

Mr Michael said his company, which employs people from 40 different nations, is a cornerstone investment in the development of Zambia.

“We have contributed K360 billion of taxes to ZRA and have spent another K57.8 billion in the last 12 months on 160 local companies,” he said.

He called upon Government to remain consistent with its policies if the Lumwana investment was to succeed.

“All of our assets and eggs are here in Zambia and hence our request for certainty in terms of policies and taxes,” he said.

Mr Michael, who is due to leave Lumwana Mine at the end of the year, also praised the Zambian Government for having invested US$30 million some 3 years ago.

Mr Michael called it a “bold” decision by Government to have invested in Lumwana Mine. “That $30 m is now worth $100m,” he added.