.Siliya

By MILDRED KATONGO and STEVEN ZANDE  –
INFORMATION Minister Dora Siliya has commended Times Printpak workers for their continued patience and support to the government during the years the company has been facing challenges.
Ms Siliya said Government was fully aware of the challenges being faced at the Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail.
She said the two companies were now under the care of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) which had been directed to find ways of effectively supporting and revamping their operations.
Ms Siliya was speaking last night on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) television and radio to launch World Press Freedom Day which falls today under the theme “Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and the Rule of Law”.
“Allow me to use this opportunity to assure our two public newspapers, Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail that Government is fully aware of the numerous operational challenges they have been going through for some time now,” she said.
Referring to ZNBC, she it was important that the institution, with its various partnerships, such as those with Top Star and Multichoice, coupled with the revised TV levy, rose to the occasion and delivered to the expectations of the people.
She said Government had done its part and like the general public, now awaited ZNBC to do its part.
Ms Siliya said in a democratic society, the media, as a channel of communication, wielded tremendous power on behalf of the people and as such the media was expected, more than any other institution of governance, to be responsible.