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THE 2021 budget presented by the finance minister Mthuli Ncube to Parliament shows that the minister was living in a ‘fantasy world,’ according to academic, Professor Austin Chakaodza. “Some of the major challenges facing our society are issues of poverty and unemployment. Ninety percent of the people of Zimbabwe were already unemployed before the eruption of COVID-19. The majority of the people continue to lack certain basic capabilities which are encapsulated in the socio - economic rights guaranteed in the constitution,” he said. “They continue to be deprived of basic capabilities - such as the capability to be free from hunger, to live in good health, to be literate and access to a social security safety net. This budget does not fulfil a number of human rights such as the right to food, health, education and training,” Chakaodza said. A big part of Mthuli 2021 budget is a range of new tax measures to fund the ambitious $421,6 billion budget. The highlight of this plan is how the taxman plans to go after the informal sector, which is the bulk of the economy but pays little tax. From new and higher taxes to a new tax unit targeting SMEs, it is a budget that gives away very little, but takes a lot. Here is how some of Mthuli’s measures will affect you. If you are a low-income earner There is not much tax relief for you. The tax-free threshold has only been raised slightly from $5 000 per month to $10 000 per month. Tax bands will begin at $10 001 and end at $250 000 per month. This does little for the poorest workers. For perspective; in October, a Zimbabwean family of five needed $18 750 just to stay above the poverty line. If you earn more than $250 000, you pay the highest marginal tax rate of 40%. If you are expecting a bonus, the bonus tax-free threshold has gone up from $5 000 to $25 000, with effect from 1 November 2020. If you were tired of the 2% tax, sorry The 2% tax on mobile money and other electronic transfers stays. The tax has been unpopular since it came in 2018, but Mthuli says it has “generated substantial resources that have enabled Government to support various infrastructure projects”, including the COVID-19 response. So, the Minister isn’t giving much of this cash-cow away. You will no longer pay the 2% for transactions of up to $500, which is just a small increase from the current $300. For forex transactions, this tax will apply above US$5. The maximum of this tax that your business can pay has been raised from $25 000 to $800 000 on transactions with values exceeding $40 million, with effect from 1 January 2021. If you were planning to import a car Government will now control the importation of cars that are 10 years or older. Owning a car has just slid further from the reach of the majority, who cannot afford new vehicles. According to Mthuli, Zimbabwe has spent around US$1,3 billion importing buses and used cars over the past five years. Cars older than 10 years are now off the Open General Import Licence. This means that, from 2021, you will need a special import licence for older cars.
\t On Friday, internet and international calls were cut off across the West African nation in anticipation of the election results, according to locals and international observers in the capital, Conakry.
\t This was the third time that Conde matched-up against Diallo. Before the election, observers raised concerns that an electoral dispute could reignite ethnic tensions between Guinea's largest ethnic groups.
Going once, going twice-the winners of this year's Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences are two Stanford economists whose work lets the world make mobile phone calls, switch on a light, and buy and sell on [...]
Most of us have likely not experienced intolerable levels of hardship, such as trying to live in man-made swamps, resulting from lands being deliberately flooded with foul smelling water that could possibly cause disease.
The article To love my fellow citizens appeared first on Stabroek News.
SOME of the country's major private sector groups yesterday jointly urged the Government to remove 'all duties and taxes' on digital devices for at least two years.
While seven suspects have been arrested, a compliance officer and a school principal lost their lives during shootings in KZN on Friday.
Three Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries have registered deaths from the coronavirus (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours, while others that have not registered cases in recent months, are now doing so.
Bernice DeLatte was just seventeen-years-old when she had a life changing experience. DeLatte was a recent graduate of McDonogh No. 35 in Louisiana. She was on her way to enjoy a swim with her sister, Doris DeLatte, and friend, Evelyn Segue at Lake Pontchartrain. As the bus they were riding approached Franklin Ave. and Gentilly, […]
NURSES have objected to the decision by the Health ministry to scrap the flexible working hours system so that they can work for 40 hours a week. BY HARRIET CHIKANDIWA Health secretary Jasper Chimedza on October 19 directed provincial medical directors to resume normal working hours for all nurses, saying the flexi working hours were creating artificial nurse shortages. But Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enock Dongo, in a letter to Chimedza dated October 21, objected to the order, accusing the permanent secretary of making unilateral decisions. “The decision to implement the flexible working hour system is a product of agreement within the HSBNP [Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel]. It was not given unilaterally by the government nor did the employees adopt it on their own accord,” Dongo said. “With this in mind, your decision to unilaterally remove a system which you found in place and, in any event, was reached by agreement, is irregular and certainly not in good faith.” He added that the ministry’s circular ran contrary to the other communication they received on May 11, 2020, where it was put clearly that the flexible hour system would remain in place because it reduced exposure to COVID-19. He said the nurses, therefore, found it unfortunate that he proceeded to remove the flexible hour system when the risk of exposure was still quite high owing to poor supply of personal protective equipment (PPE). “Tied to the above, the flexi-hour system did not only address issues to do with PPE but also addressed issues of incapacity,” Dongo told Chimedza. “When you go to the origins of adopting this system, the reason was that regular working hours were becoming expensive to maintain on the salaries nurses were getting.” lFollow Harriet on Twitter @harrietchikand1
A new play — directed and performed via Zoom — imagines workplace life at Russia's Internet Research Agency, a real life troll-farm indicted for its interference in the 2016 election.
CHAIRMAN of the People's National Party (PNP) Fitz Jackson has rubbished allegations that he has endorsed Lisa Hanna in her bid to be elected to the party's top job.Since Thursday, supporters of the other candidate for the post - Mark Golding - have been questioning the neutrality of Jackson, after news emerged that he attended a meeting which Hanna hosted with delegates in his St Catherine Southern constituency.
LAGOS, Nigeria (AFP) - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has faced a jihadist insurgency and economic recession, but youth protests that have spiralled into widespread unrest appear to be his biggest challenge yet. The 77-year-old former military ruler has drawn fierce criticism for his slow response as the shooting of demonstrators unleashed chaos in Africa's largest city, Lagos.
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (AFP) - The United States passed nine million reported coronavirus cases yesterday, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University, as infections spike days before the nation chooses its next president.With the virus spreading most rampantly in the Midwest and the south, hospitals are also filling up again, stretching the health care system just as the nation heads in to flu season.
There is no doubt that Michael Jordan is one of the greatest athletes of all time, let alone the best to ever grace the NBA hardwood. But, Jordan does believe that his historical professional career wouldn't be what it is today if he was hooping during the social media era.
By Associated Press Undefined MADRID (AP) — Prime Minster Pedro Sánchez appealed Friday for Spaniards to pull together and defeat the new coronavirus, warning: “The situation is serious.” Sánchez, in a televised address to the nation, acknowledged public fatigue with restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19. But he added: 'We have to step up the fight,' with more limits on people's movement that will demand more sacrifices. Spain this week became the first European country to surpass 1 million officially recorded COVID-19 cases. Sánchez admitted, though, that the true figure could be more than 3 million, due to gaps in […]
The post Spain PM appeals for public unity, sacrifice in virus fight appeared first on Black News Channel.
WHEN COVID-19 broke out, we all thought it was going to be another manageable ailment, until everything came to a halt. SUCCESS LIFE:Jonah Nyoni Now, we are slowly going back to business, but it seems life will not go back to normal any time soon. As highlighted in previous articles, occupational safety and health is now a central point in the corporate space. Time is ticking and we should now be thinking of what we will do whether COVID-19 goes away or stays longer. Governments across the globe are easing restrictions and we need to be thinking of ways of being effective in the “new normal”. As we think about how to strategise, the PWL Global Insurance says there are five priorities that we should consider as we craft our strategies: Realign your cost structure and sharpen productivity Supercharge digital transformation to create a digital enterprise Carve out new revenue streams Prepare your workforce for the new world Strengthen capital efficiency. Flexibility Most institutes have the same way of doing specific things and it’s hard to tell them that their year-to-year template is no longer relevant. In some institutes, you take a report that was written three years back, there are still clauses that are still being used, but with little success. Piloting Generally as we plan, we usually have short, medium and long-term plans. Before anyone takes on a long-term plan, it would be ideal to test it before they commit to it entirely. Make a short-term action plan as a pilot programme or experimental way so as to see the possible benefits or losses. This test run tells us what works and what does not work. Involvement Having tabled your strategic plan as a company, you need a progressive and a probing debate on the same document. It’s unfortunate that some leaders draft a document somewhere and shove it into the throat of employees to swallow without expecting to be questioned how realistic the plan is. Is it SMART enough? Does it bring solutions to specificities? Corporate audit Ask yourself: Where am I? At times we tend to think of ourselves as what we are really not. As a company, make both an internal and external audit. What did we lose? What kept us afloat? What do we need to stay relevant? This gives you a picture of how you are perceived in the minds of people against what you think of yourself. This helps to make necessary adjustments. Adopt a post-COVID-19 mentality The strategic plan becomes futile, especially with leaders that are hinged on maintaining and managing systems. Life has changed. COVID-19 has redefined rules of operation. Besides, life has its sharp turns, twists and changes and the leader should know what to do. As others ask the question: What? The leader asks: Why? That gives the proper answer it could to a current issue or for future encounters. “Why” gives purpose to the programmes you are doing. Is it significant? how is it positively affecting humanity? The “why factor” liberates leaders from just doing a project because it’s their work requirement. They do it because it’s relevant an
By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press ROME (AP) — The world premiere of a documentary on Pope Francis was supposed to have been a bright spot for a papacy locked down by pandemic and besieged by a corruption scandal, recalling Francis' glory days travelling the world to bless the oppressed. But the red carpet rollout of 'Francesco' has been anything but bright, with evidence that the Vatican censored the pope last year by deleting his endorsement of same-sex civil unions from an interview, only to have the footage resurface in the documentary. Aside from the firestorm the remarks created, the fiasco […]
The post Fiasco over pope's cut civil union quote intensifies impact appeared first on Black News Channel.
[Nation] A rise in coronavirus cases among learners and teachers could slow down the back-to-school calendar even as the Ministry of Education insists all will be well.
Jamaicans are being urged to get vaccinated for the influenza virus as a combination of the flu, dengue, and COVID-19 could be dire for those who are most vulnerable and strain the public health system.Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton made the call Thursday evening at the ministry's weekly virtual 'COVID Conversations' forum. He said last year less than half of the 25,000 vaccines which were made available were taken up.
By LISA MARIE PANE and MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Voting rights advocates and state officials are on high alert over fears that U.S. polling stations could attract the same strain of partisan violence and civil unrest that erupted on American streets this year, fueled by a deadly pandemic, outrage over police brutality and one of the most contentious elections ever. Anti-government extremists and other armed civilians have flocked to protests against racial injustice and COVID-19 lockdowns. Paramilitary group members are accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan's governor before the election. President Donald Trump encouraged one far-right […]
The post Voter advocates hoping to stave off intimidation at polls appeared first on Black News Channel.
[Nairobi News] A suspected serial thief who cleaned Sh720,000 from a businessman's bank account after stealing his mobile phone is facing multiple theft charges after police investigations established he transferred the cash to his phone.
Prime Minister of Belize Dean Barrow says voters who have been required to be in self-isolation or have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-1) ahead of the November 11 general elections, will not be allowed to vote.
[Nairobi News] A matatu tout who threw out a passenger from a PSV minibus before speeding off with his mobile phone leaving him unconscious has been charged with robbery with violence.
Defender News Service Black franchisee owners hit McDonald's Corp MCD.N with a potentially multi-billion-dollar lawsuit. The franchise owners accused McDonald's of racial discrimination for steering them to underperforming stores. The lawsuit is led by brothers James and Darrell Byrd, owners of four Tennessee McDonald’s restaurants. The lawsuit was filed by the law firm representing 52 […]
The post McDonald's Black franchisee owners file new discrimination lawsuit appeared first on DefenderNetwork.com.
Nature's Pharmacy: Qualified homeopath Hanli Rautenbach gives advice on how you can manage your migraines.
RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) - Brazil recorded 30,026 additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, and 571 deaths from COVID-19, the Health Ministry said yesterday.
The article Brazil reports 30,026 new coronavirus cases, 571 deaths appeared first on Stabroek News.
By REBECCA BOONE and DAVID CRARY Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The U.S. coronavirus caseload has reached record heights with more than 83,000 infections reported in a single day, the latest ominous sign of the disease's grip on the nation, as states from Connecticut to the Rocky Mountain West reel under the surge. The U.S. death toll, meanwhile, has grown to 223,995, according to the COVID-19 Dashboard published by Johns Hopkins University. The total U.S. caseload reported on the site Friday was 83,757, topping the 77,362 cases reported on July 16. The impact is being felt in every section […]
The post US sets coronavirus infection record; deaths near 224,000 appeared first on Black News Channel.
