The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Monday, October 28, 1991 — The Government was yesterday called upon to embark on a self-sustaining economic recovery programme through human skills development projects to address the negative impact of the structural adjustment programme.

The call was made by the president of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Cde Gibson Sibanda when he officiated at the opening of the labour movement’s regional office in Bulawayo yesterday.

He said if the high rate of unemployment and social deprivation were regarded as the acceptable or necessary price for the adjustment and economic transition, there was a real danger that the whole adjustment strategy would lead to authoritarianism, adding that the challenge lay in ensuring that the adjustment process was socially and politically acceptable and just.

He said that the unfolding world events, especially changes in Eastern and Central Europe had caught up with Africa which meant that this was bound to lead to a more widespread respect for the fundamental human rights and trade union rights as a result of the disappearance of discredited dictatorships.

‘’Therefore in that spirit of change I would like to call upon the Government to commit itself in the spirit and policy of tripartitism in its endeavour to address the negative impact of structural adjustment policies and programmes,’’ said Cde Sibanda.