Poachers warned

BENNIE MUNDANDO writes MINISTER of Tourism and Arts Ronald Chitotela has warned poachers in Pambashe, Kawambwa District that the Department of National Parks and Wildlife will not be lenient to wildlife offenders as restocking is underway. Speaking during a stakeholder’s meeting with sub-chief Kabanda and the area headmen during his ongoing tour of Kawambwa, Mr. Chitotelasaid villagers should not abuse the fact that as Minister he comes from that area because he has instructed the department to be firm in the quest to revive tourism in the Northern Circuit. He called for mindset change from looking at ‘wildlife as relish’ to wildlife as tourism product and a forex earner that contributed to the many countries Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and change the profile of Kawambwa and the entire Luapula. “I would like to direct the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to start conducting clean up exercises for illegal firearms among villagers,” Mr. Chitotela said. He said tourists would like to see a complete package apart from the Lumangwe and Kabwelume Waterfalls in the area. And Sub-chief Kabanda said there was need to support the minister in the quest to revive tourism in the Northern Circuit tourism development. He called on the headmen keep away from the activities that were detrimental to development initiatives such as tourism. The traditional leader said the need to support the Minister’s efforts to grow tourism cannot overemphasized especially that the policy maker has already shown his interest to bring development to the area. The Sun