EDITORIAL COMMENT: As we host Sadc Summit, Hifa, ZITF, let’s show visitors some love

26 Apr, 2015 - 00:04 0 Views
EDITORIAL COMMENT: As we host Sadc Summit, Hifa, ZITF, let’s show visitors some love

The Sunday Mail

DELEGATES and officials to the Extraordinary Summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government started arriving in the country on Friday as preparations for the Summit entered the home-stretch.

Yesterday, the Standing Committee of Senior Officials held its meeting at a local hotel and today according to the draft programme the preparation and adoption of annotated agenda for council is scheduled to take place while government ministers set to take part in the Council of Ministers meeting set for tomorrow are expected to start arriving today. Up until Thursday, Harare will be a hive of activity as the country hosts the Summit.

On the other end, the Zimbabwe International Festival of the Arts (Hifa) kicks off on Tuesday and several artists from across the world are set to converge in Harare for the festival which over the years has managed to draw a cosmopolitan crowd.

In Bulawayo, the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair starts this week and traders from across the world will be in the City of Kings and Queens exhibiting their products and services while also trying to clinch lucrative deals.

Due to these three major events, all eyes will be on Zimbabwe this week and it’s important that as Zimbabweans we attend to house-keeping issues. Both friends and enemies will be watching the country closely — friends hoping that we won’t disappoint them as hosts while enemies will be praying for disaster.

Zimbabwe is known for its hospitality with some people even suggesting that as a country we should now start “exporting our smile” which linger in the minds of visitors long after they are gone back to their respective countries.

This welcome starts right at the Harare International Airport and ends there as the delegates and officials depart for their countries. While the delegates, officials, artists and traders are coming for official business, let’s make sure that they have a memorable stay in the country such that when they go back to their countries, they become our ambassadors.

This means soon after arriving at the airport, these visitors will not only be met by ever-smiling officials but should also be able to access the internet, should be able to make phone calls to their respective countries and should, when they ask, be assisted timeously. The visitors should feel at home and not be shut off and cut off from the rest of the world soon after landing at the airport.

The three mobile phone networks, NetOne, Econet and Telecel should make sure that all services with regards to connectivity run smoothly. Let’s not make it appear as if Zimbabwe is still living in the stone age where communication was a nightmare.

From the airport, the visitors should have swift and comfortable transport to their hotels and lodges. We are glad that although a few touch ups are still required on the road from the airport in Harare, generally that road now resembles a proper airport road that meets international standards.

Service providers should not appear as if they have been ambushed about the Summit, they should not appear as if they didn’t know about Hifa and they should not appear as if they don’t know that ZITF is an annual event. The country will be watching closely.

Zimbabwe will be hosting so many visitors and millions will be watching on television and the different media platforms. It would be a welcome relief if politics could be parked at the party headquarters.

Of course, the prophets of doom will obviously try to spoil the soup – as this is their cheap opportunity to please their masters, but for the sake of our visitors, Zimbabweans should show unity and love. Just like any country, Zimbabwe has its problems but surely we can sort these problems on our own rather than fight in front of visitors.

The law enforcement agents should be on high alert because hapana dunhu risina benzi and measures should be put in place to ensure that peace prevails in the country.

Come on Zimbabwe! Let’s show the visitors some love.

 

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