Open Committee Meetings Monday 22nd to Thursday 25th July – The Zimbabwean

The portfolio committees mentioned below will be meeting in open session next week.  These committee meetings will be held at Parliament in Harare on the dates and at the times and venues within the Parliament building indicated below    

Members of the public may attend these meetings – but as observers only, not as participants, i.e. they may observe and listen but not speak.

If attending, please use the entrance to Parliament on Kwame Nkrumah Ave between 2nd and 3rd Streets. Please note that IDs must be produced.

The details given in this bulletin are based on the latest information from Parliament. But, as there are sometimes last-minute changes to the meetings schedule, persons wishing to attend should avoid disappointment by checking with the committee clerk that the meeting concerned is still on and open to the public. Parliament’s telephone numbers are Harare 2700181 and 2252940/1.

Reminder: Members of the public, including Zimbabweans in the Diaspora, can at any time send written submissions to Parliamentary committees by email addressed to [email protected] or by letter posted to the Clerk of Parliament, P.O. Box 298, Causeway, Harare or delivered at Parliament’s Kwame Nkrumah Avenue entrance in Harare.

Monday 22nd July at 10.00 am

Portfolio Committee:  Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services

Oral evidence from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage; Commissioner General of Police and Immigration Department on challenges faced by their departments at ports of entry

Venue: Committee Room No. 311

Portfolio Committee:  Environment and Tourism   

Oral evidence from the Forestry Commission Board on challenges facing the forestry sector

Venue: Committee Room No. 413

Portfolio Committee:  Transport and Infrastructural Development

Oral evidence from ZINARA on the state of affairs at the Parastatal

Venue: National Assembly Chamber

Monday 22nd  July at 2 pm

Thematic Committee: HIV and AIDS

Oral evidence from the  Permanent Secretary for Finance and Economic Development on the US$ 6 million outstanding payment to the Global Fund

Venue: National Assembly Chamber

Portfolio Committee:  Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare

Joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education to receive oral evidence from the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) on the petition by ZIMTA on the erosion of teachers’ salaries due to Inflation.

Venue: National Assembly Chamber

Tuesday 23rd  July at 10 am

Portfolio Committee:  Health and Child Care   

Oral evidence from the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health and Child Care on the operations of the Mental Health Tribunal Review Board

Venue: Committed Room No. 1

Portfolio Committee:  Lands, Agriculture, Climate, Water and Rural Resettlement

Oral evidence from the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board on challenges faced during the 2019 tobacco marketing season

Venue: Senate Chamber

Portfolio Committees: Foreign Affairs and International Trade & Industry and Commerce

Oral evidence from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on government’s policy thrust on economic diplomacy

Venue: National Assembly Chamber  

Thursday 25th  July at 10 am

Portfolio Committee:Information, Media and Broadcasting Services

Oral evidence from Transmedia Corporation on contractual terms with Multi- Choice Media

Venue: Senate Chamber  

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied.

It is time to Panic a little
Howzat! – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary

Post published in: Featured

Howzat! – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary – The Zimbabwean

21.7.2019 10:41

The endemic corruption in Zimbabwe has seen the country’s cricket teams suspended by the International Cricket Council. ICC funding to Zimbabwe has been frozen and Zimbabwe is now unlikely to be able to play the scheduled T20 World Cup matches in October. 

The decision was made at the ICC’s annual meeting in London and follows the Zimbabwean decision last month to sack the board of Zimbabwe Cricket. ICC Chairman Chashank Manchar said what happened in Zimbabwe was a serious breach of the ICC constitution and could not be allowed to continue unchecked. He called for the elected cricket board to be reinstated within three months.

Mr Manchar said: ‘We do not take the decision to suspend a member lightly but we must keep our sport free from political interference’. Reports say the ICC was concerned that millions of dollars of funding it provided may have been diverted rather than used for the development of the game

The mess has been blamed on President Mnangagwa’s son-in-law Gerald Mlotshwa who was recently surprisingly appointed Chairman of the Sports and Recreation Commission which took the decision to suspend the board.

A ZC official told Zimlive that the organization depended on ICC grants and there will be no tours and no salaries for staff and players until the government stops interfering in cricket.

The scandal of Zimbabwean cricket is dwarfed however, by revelations in Parliament that top government officials don’t know anything about what happened to $3 billion provided by the Treasury to fund Command Agriculture.

Howzat! for corruption?

Other points

  • The human rights situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate. Activists are scared to voice their concerns because of the government’s brutal approach to dissent. On 27th July ROHR and the Vigil will take part in a 15 mile walk to the Zimbabwean Embassy in London to raise funds in support of human rights and democracy in Zimbabwe. ROHR President Ephraim Tapa explains why in an article ‘Walking for human rights under a military dictatorship in Zimbabwe’ which you can read on our Campaign page (see: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/1024-walking-for-human-rights-under-a-military-dictatorship-in-zimbabwe-). For details of the walk see ‘Events and Notices’ below.
  • Thanks to those who came early to help set up the front table today and put up the banners: Happy Chazuza, Beaulah Gore, Jonathan Kariwo, Margaret Munenge, Esther Munyira, Mary Muteyerwa Hazvinei Saili and Ephraim Tapa. Thanks to Beaulah, Margaret, Esther, Patricia Masamba and Dambudzo for looking after the front table, to Hazvinei and Happy for handing out flyers and to Mary for drumming.
  • For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimb88abwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website.

FOR THE RECORD: 17 signed the register.

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

  • Walk for human rights under a military dictatorship in Zimbabwe. Saturday 27th July. Vigil and ROHR activists will be starting a 15-mile walk from Redbridge station at 8.30 am to (hopefully) reach the Vigil by 2 pm. Contact: Esther Munyira 07492058109, Sipho Ndlovu 07400566013, Patricia Masamba and Farai Muroiwa 07365431776.
  • ROHR general members’ meeting. Saturday 10th August from 11.30 am. Venue: Royal Festival Hall, South Bank Centre, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX. Contact: Ephraim Tapa 07940793090, Patricia Masamba 07708116625.
  • ROHR Beach Barbecue. Sunday 25th August – Date tbc. Venue: Frinton-on-Sea, Essex CO13 9DN. Contact: Patricia Masamba 07708116625 and Heather Makawa 07716391800.
  • The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organization based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organization on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents us.
  • The Vigil’s book ‘Zimbabwe Emergency’ is based on our weekly diaries. It records how events in Zimbabwe have unfolded as seen by the diaspora in the UK. It chronicles the economic disintegration, violence, growing oppression and political manoeuvring – and the tragic human cost involved. It is available at the Vigil. All proceeds go to the Vigil and our sister organisation the Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe’s work in Zimbabwe. The book is also available from Amazon.
  • Facebook pages:

Open Committee Meetings Monday 22nd to Thursday 25th July
Peeling an orange

Post published in: Featured

Quest for Girl Scout Gold Enriches American, Zimbabwe Teens – The Zimbabwean

Years of being a Girl Scout showed Nyla Mpofu how to serve others.

So, she decided to apply for the yearly Girl Scout Gold Award, the group’s highest and most valued prize. She would get it, she decided, by helping girls thousands of kilometers away in Africa.

The idea behind Nyla’s project was to give girls in Zimbabwe personal health products. She hoped it would help them learn about health and cleanliness.

With the help of a group of her school friends, Nyla gave boxes to her neighbors in Sterling, Virginia. The 16-year-old high school student asked them to donate personal health products.

“After that, I started receiving donations and mostly getting the word out with my friends. Then, they told their parents,” she says.

Months of donations resulted in lots of daily cleanliness products such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap, towels, underwear and bras.

A trip to Zimbabwe

Nyla was not alone. Her friends helped her put the products into small packages. She also received support from Help for Others, a local non-profit run by her mother.

“I supported her in helping with the flyers, just helping her get the word out and connecting her with individuals in Zimbabwe,” Gloria Mpofu says.

Nyla traveled to Zimbabwe and met with girls and young women in several areas. She gave out the donated items and explained the importance of daily cleanliness.

Her mother traveled along with her. She says the idea was to help girls make healthy choices in their daily lives. These choices could prevent disease and improve their quality of life.

“She talked about how it’s important simple things like washing your hands, brushing teeth…can help girls and women in the community just have a healthier life,” Mpofu added.

Nyla also gave out information to the people she met with.

“They can take the information and teach (others) to have knowledge about…the menstrual cycle,” she said.

A project that began as a way to help girls in Zimbabwe ended up showing Nyla how much she can bring about change in people’s lives.

“I, maybe, realized that I can do so much and not to think lower about any situation I’m in because of taking the lead,” Nyla adds. “So, it was a great impact.”

The winners of the Girl Scout Gold Award will be announced in August. The award is given to fewer than 6 percent of Girl Scouts each year and about one million girls have received it since 1916, the Girls Scouts said.

I’m Susan Shand.

VOA’s Faiza Elmasry reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.

Droughts leave millions food insecure, UN food agency scales up assistance
Zimbabwe sports minister Kirsty Coventry on Friday denied that the government had been interfering in the running of the country’s cricket. Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion, said in a tweet she was “devastated” by the effect on players of a decision by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend Zimbabwe Cricket because of alleged political interference. Thursday’s ICC action followed the suspension by Zimbabwe’s Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) of the Zimbabwe Cricket board elected in June. The SRC appointed an interim committee. The ICC demanded that the elected board be reinstated within three months. Coventry said in her tweet that although the SRC was appointed by the sports minister, “SRC is not government – they are a public body.” She said in another tweet: “There is need for good governance at ZC for the international success we all want to see.” Coventry added that she would meet the country’s men’s and women’s captains on Friday. The ICC suspension means that Zimbabwean teams will be unable to play scheduled international matches in ICC events. Former Zimbabwe player Henry Olonga, the first black cricketer to represent the country in 1995, tweeted support for Coventry and the disbanding of the previous board. “Sorry Kirsty but they ain’t listening. The rest of us see it for what it is,” tweeted Olonga, who left the country after he and former captain Andy Flower protested against former president Robert Mugabe’s government during the 2003 World Cup. “A bunch of incompetent people were running a sport into the ground. This incompetence was known by them for five years. Why didn’t the ICC take strong action then? Curious.” Corrupt and incompetent Former sports minister David Coltart said the ICC had ignored the wishes of Zimbabwean players. “Whilst I understand ICC’s desire to keep political interference out of cricket the irony of this decision is that they have reinstated the politicians responsible for destroying the game in Zimbabwe,” he tweeted. “They should have ordered and organised fresh elections for a new board. “There will be no introspection from the corrupt and incompetent board that the ICC wants reinstated. We need a fresh start with no political interference. Let those who love and know the game run it.” Tony Irish, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (Fica), said in Cape Town that the plight of Zimbabwe’s cricketers was a matter of concern for players around the world. “Zimbabwe does not have a players’ association but we care quite deeply about the players,” said Irish in a preliminary comment ahead of a statement which he said Fica would issue later on Friday. All-rounder Sikandar Raza, who was on the recently concluded tour of Netherlands and Ireland in which Zimbabwe won just one out of 11 matches, expressed dismay at the UCC decision. “How one decision has made so many people unemployed… how one decision has ended so many careers. Certainly not how I wanted to say goodbye to international cricket.” Zimbabwe were made full members of the ICC and granted Test status in 1992. They failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup.

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Ex-JPMorgan Exec. Pleads Not Guilty In Chinese Princeling Case, Probably Without Wink And Nod

These Hong Kong prosecutors just don’t understand the nuances of the slang and jargon of investment bankers.

Former Content Moderator Explains How Josh Hawley’s Bill Would Grant Government Control Over Online Speech

Senator Josh Hawley

Daisy Soderberg-Rivkin, who used to work at Google as an in-house content moderator, has written a fascinating piece for the Washington Times, explaining just what a disaster Josh Hawley’s anti-Section 230 bill would be for the internet. As we’ve discussed, Hawley’s bill would require large internet companies to beg the FTC every two years to get a “certificate” granting them Section 230 protections — and they’d only get it if they could convince 4 out of 5 of the FTC Commissioners that their content moderation efforts were “politically neutral.”

Soderberg-Rivkin points out how that will stifle the kind of “clean up” efforts that most everyone — especially folks like Senator Josh Hawley — often claim they want when they complain about all the “bad stuff” on social media. Remember, just before introducing this bill, Hawley was whining about all the bad and dangerous content on social media. Except, under his own damn bill, social media sites would be forced to keep that content up:

Under the Hawley bill, the FTC would audit major platforms’ moderation practices every two years to determine whether those practices were “biased against a political party, political candidate or political viewpoint.” In practice, this would look something like this: A few FTC auditors would walk into a technology company and declare the beginning of the audit. They would comb through tens thousands of removals decisions, looking for those that are “politically biased” — a process that could take, at minimum, weeks to complete.

In the meantime, content moderators would hold back on their take down procedures because no one could really tell them how “politically biased” is interpreted. In other words, disinformation, Nazi propaganda and white supremacist videos would fester on the Internet. If a moderator fails this test, not only would they be fired, but thousands of lawsuits and fines would come tumbling down on the company.

At my former job, I tried to keep in mind that while I had to look at horrific content, thanks to my efforts, many others would not have to. Yet in a world where this bill passes, I would sit down at my same desk, take a deep breath and prepare myself to look at terrorist executions, aftermaths of mass shootings and hatred-motivated violence — but this time, with full knowledge that I had absolutely no control over its distribution.

To some extent, this gets at the weird mental pretzel logic Senators like Hawley keep twisting themselves into. They complain about all the bad stuff online… and think that the way to deal with that is to remove the one law that makes it possible for companies to design plans to moderate away that bad stuff.

Former Content Moderator Explains How Josh Hawley’s Bill Would Grant Government Control Over Online Speech

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Parenting And Estate Planning Lessons From The Estate Of Gloria Vanderbilt

Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt (Photo by Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic via Getty Images)

The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son On Life, Love, and Loss by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt, is a memoir published in 2016 detailing a mother and son’s relationship and includes reflections on their individual and familial successes and failures. In the book, Vanderbilt states, “Death is the price you paid for being born.” This has come true for Vanderbilt, who died on June 17, 2019, at the age of 95.

In addition to CNN correspondent Cooper, Vanderbilt was also survived by sons Leopold Stanislaus Stokowski and Christopher Stokowski. A fourth son, Carter Vanderbilt Cooper, predeceased her in 1988. New York State Surrogate’s Court filings have revealed that Vanderbilt left her Manhattan apartment to son, Leopold, and the remainder of her estate to Anderson. Christopher Stokowski, with whom she was reportedly estranged, was not included in the last will and testament.

Vanderbilt’s death and the disposition of her assets is interesting by the nature of the life she led and the monies she and her family held. At the time of her death, she was estimated to have been worth $200 million.  Vanderbilt was the great-great-granddaughter of financier and railroad scion Cornelius Vanderbilt. In 1925, when she was less than two years old, her father died, leaving her a trust fund worth approximately $5 million (about $73 million today). As a girl, she was the subject of a custody battle between her mother and aunt which included control of her trust fund. Notably, Vanderbilt made her own fortune in the fashion industry transforming dungarees into designer jeans in the 1970s and 1980s, amongst other fashion items and cosmetics.

The memoir and Anderson Cooper himself, discuss the importance of earning one’s own money, regardless of a family’s wealth. In a 2014 Howard Stern interview, Anderson Cooper stated, “My mom’s made clear to me that there’s no trust fund. There’s none of that.” He further added that he did not believe in inheriting money and that had he felt a “pot of gold” was waiting for him, he would not have been so motivated to succeed. Anderson Cooper is estimated to have a net worth of $100 million.

Court filings seem to reveal that Cooper will inherit the great majority of the Estate although the number reported in the court is around $1.5 million. The court filings, however, may not present the entire picture. It is possible that Vanderbilt executed non-probate documents such as trusts which distribute monies to a host of other individuals or charities. The only assets that will pass via Vanderbilt’s last will and testament are those held in her individual name. Trust funds, accounts with named beneficiaries, life insurance policies, and joint accounts will all transfer upon death to the joint owner, remainderman, or a named beneficiary.

Anderson Cooper is accomplished, respected, and wealthy in his own right. Should his success bar him from enjoying his family’s monetary legacy? Or is it that Anderson’s success is Vanderbilt’s greatest asset, worth more than any piece of property or bank account? If the latter, then Anderson Cooper’s role as beneficiary is his ultimate reward for doing as his mother advised.


Cori A. Robinson is a solo practitioner having founded Cori A. Robinson PLLC, a New York and New Jersey law firm, in 2017. For more than a decade Cori has focused her law practice on trusts and estates and elder law including estate and Medicaid planning, probate and administration, estate litigation, and guardianships. She can be reached at cori@robinsonestatelaw.com

New IRS rule opens up preventive care coverage for chronic disease by high-deductible health plans – MedCity News

A rule issued by the Internal Revenue Service opens up the ability for high deductible health plans (HDHP) to cover preventive services and medications prior to meeting the plan deductible.

The move was made in response to an executive order signed last month that was meant to inject more flexibility into how health savings account eligible high deductible health plans could pay for health services critical to management of chronic diseases.

The new rule from IRS changes the classification of many health services and medications meant to treat and manage chronic conditions as preventive care.

These products and services include insulin, ACE inhibitors, inhaled corticosteroids, retinopathy screenings, glucometers, statins and SSRIs. A full list of covered items can be found here.

As healthcare costs have continued to rise many plan sponsors have turned to high deductible health plans as a way to make members most conscious of their health spending.

These are often coupled with a health savings account (HSA), which allows pretax dollars to be saves to be pay for healthcare costs.

By changing the classification of medications and services that manage chronic disease, patients can use their HSA to pay for them, which was previously barred under the tax code.

Between 2007 and 2017, the proportion of employer-based health coverage members with HDHPs with an HSA grew from 4.2 percent to 18.9 percent, according to data from the CDC.

For 2019, the IRS defines a HDHP as one where the deductible is at least $1,350 for an individual or $2,700 for a family. Those numbers go up next year to $1,400 and $2,800, respectively.

The benchmarks can lead to difficult fiscal decisions for patients who are forced to pay high out-of-pocket costs for services or products that may have large clinical impact and downstream cost savings.

Research has repeatedly shown that high deductibles lead patients to forgo high value preventive health services, especially among those who are low-income or have chronic diseases.

“For the first time health savings accounts qualified high deductible health plans will be able to cover essential services that I beg my patients to do,” said Dr. Mark Fendrick, the director of the University of Michigan’s Center for Value Based Insurance Design.

“These include diagnostic tests and high value drugs such as those which treat diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.”

Photo: adventtr, Getty Images

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