The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Saturday, March 8, 1992 — The former Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, Sir Garfield Todd, says the President is not receiving the full, critical and generous support of his colleagues in cabinet – support needed to pull the country through “these” difficult times.

Presenting a paper entitled, “1992: Challenge or Disaster” at the Open Forum in Bulawayo, Sir Garfield said Zimbabwe had many acknowledged weaknesses, especially in the public sector, which indicated that the President was not in close contact with his ministers.

If the economic structural adjustment programme was to succeed and the market economy to become practical, firm steps had to be taken to correct some of the weaknesses of the public sector.

As an example he cited the recent misunderstandings between the Minister of Energy and Water Resources and Development, Cde Herbert Ushewokunze and the former Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority Board.

“What investor and donor would be tempted to offer his funds and expertise to a country where the policies and conduct of certain ministries remain under a cloud of uncertainty,” he said.

In a paper that touched on a wide range of subjects, Sir Garfield said 1992 was going to be a year to remember.

“Not only are we threatened by drought but the nation is rocked by dangerous levels of unemployment, widespread corruption, increasing crime and the South African situation which has the potential of engulfing the whole region in violence,” he said.