Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
My Profile
Top News
Reuters top ten news stories delivered to your inbox each day.
Subscribe
You are here:
Home
>
News
>
International
>
Article
Home
Business & Finance
News
U.S.
Politics
International
Technology
Entertainment
Sports
Lifestyle
Oddly Enough
Health
Science
Special Coverage
Video
Pictures
Your View
The Great Debate
Blogs
Weather
Reader Feedback
Do More With Reuters
RSS
Widgets
Mobile
Podcasts
Newsletters
Your View
Make Reuters My Homepage
Partner Services
CareerBuilder
Affiliate Network
Professional Products
Support (Customer Zone)
Reuters Media
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Zimbabweans still groaning as aid remains elusive
Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:43am EDT
Email | Print |
Share
| Reprints | Single Page
[-]
Text
[+]
By Cris Chinaka
HARARE (Reuters) - A Zimbabwean government plan to rescue the shattered economy hasn't made life any easier for many people who are losing patience with no Western aid in sight.
The credibility of the unity government between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai depends largely on its ability to persuade Western donors and foreign investors to pour billions of dollars into the country.
That could take months, or years, because donors first want serious political and economic reforms before making any commitments. So the new leadership will come under mounting pressure to ease widespread hardships in the meantime.
The unity government has launched a short term recovery plan designed to raise industrial output and remove government controls over the economy. It also involves political reforms.
The plan has injected life into what was a promising African economy before what critics say were catastrophic Mugabe policies such as seizures of white-owned commercial farms for redistribution to inexperienced black farmers.
Shops are full, bank queues have disappeared and a decision to allow the use of multiple foreign currencies has provided some relief for Zimbabweans who have been battered by the world's highest inflation rate.
The availability of more goods has opened opportunities to generate cash. But the real test is whether Mugabe and Tsvangirai can create jobs, with unemployment at 90 percent.
Japhet Ndoro, 40, earned a living by repairing watches and selling cheap jewelry at a busy Harare street corner. He can now offer cigarettes, vegetables and biscuits as well. It's still a struggle nevertheless.
"It's not easy making ends meet in this town, and I have had to hawk some foodstuffs here because many people can only afford essentials now," he said, pointing at vegetable bundles spread on a plastic mat next to his wooden watch repair stall.
STRUGGLING ON NEW WAGES
There are still concerns that old rivals Mugabe and Tsvangirai may not be able to make the government work after decades of animosity, although political tensions have eased.
"People are suffering and that's a reality. When you have 95 percent of the population living below the poverty line, surviving on less than 20 cents a day, that's a disaster. So I think our people need help," Finance Minister Tendai Biti told BBC Radio 4.
At first people like Jeminosi Gumbo cheered a new monthly flat $100 wage the practically bankrupt government started paying to all civil servants -- from the head of a ministry to an office cleaner.
But daily costs are still crippling and the money doesn't go very far on covering transport, food and school fees. On average, a civil servant spends half his wages on rent.
"It's very tough, and I think it's going to stay like this for a while," said Gumbo, a senior accounts clerk in a government department. Continued...
View article on single page
Share:
Del.icio.us
Digg
Mixx
Yahoo!
Facebook
LinkedIn
Next Article:
UPDATE 1-Taylor Wimpey completes $3.7 bln financing deal
Green Business
Reuters Green Business
Reuters introduces a new section dedicated to the emerging green technology sector, featuring five people to watch in the business of green and our global green portfolio. Full Coverage
More International News
Pakistan army pushes Taliban back
| Video
"Loner" shoots 13 dead at Azerbaijan college
Russia takes control of rebel borders with Georgia
Sri Lanka rejects ceasefire despite fresh pressure
Death toll from twin Iraq car bombs rises to 51
More International News...
Editor's Choice
Swine Flu: An in-depth look at the virus, with the latest stories, facts and videos. Full Coverage
How serious is swine flu?
Most Popular on Reuters
Articles
Video
Film critics take sharp claws to "Wolverine"
Mexico shuts down economy as flu pandemic imminent | Video
First Mexico fatal flu victim sought help for days
Redstone says U.S. on brink of bull market
Michelle Obama joins People "most beautiful" list | Video
Chrysler to file for bankruptcy | Video
Fear a high school reunion? Hire a stripper
Swine flu source spawns wild theories | Video
Chrysler Will Fight to Bitter End
McCurry beats McDonald's in lawsuit | Video
Most Popular Articles RSS Feed
Video
Swine flu alert level raised
Amish county bank thrives in crisis
Pakistan's battle for control
U.S. reports first swine flu death
Swine flu cases increase in Europe
Michelle gets top marks in first 100
The Guantanamo legacy
Obama marks 100 days
U.S. GDP tumbles worse than thought
Michelle gets high marks
Most Popular Videos RSS Feed
Reuters Deals
The global destination for corporate leaders, deal-makers and innovators
Knowledge to Act
Reuters.com:
Help and Contact Us |
Advertise With Us |
Mobile |
Newsletters |
RSS |
Interactive TV |
Labs |
Archive |
Site Index |
Video Index
Thomson Reuters Corporate:
Copyright |
Disclaimer |
Privacy |
Professional Products |
Professional Products Support |
About Thomson Reuters |
Careers
International Editions:
Africa |
Arabic |
Argentina |
Brazil |
Canada |
China |
France |
Germany |
India |
Italy |
Japan |
Latin America |
Mexico |
Russia |
Spain |
United Kingdom |
United States
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.