HAMAD HAILS PARTNERSHIP WITH INDIA

ZANZIBAR First Vice President, Seif Sharif Hamad, has commended the partnership agreement reached between Zanzibar and India during his recent two-week tour of the sub-continent recently.

Mr Hamad said that he is optimistic that the partnership will help Zanzibar especially in areas of agriculture, fishing and information technology.

''I visited some states of India such as Kerala, Uttar-Pradesh, and we witnessed and admired the pace of development in those states. We've learnt a lot particularly in IT,'' Mr Hamad said on his return from the visit on Wednesday evening.

In a press conference held at Abeid Aman Karume airport, the vice president said India has shown willingness to help Zanzibar in the area of IT, farming using simple technology and in improving the fishing industry.

''The technology in India is simple, which includes application of chemical fertilizers in farming and organic fertilizers,'' he said.

In the tour Mr Hamad was accompanied by the Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Mr Ramadhani Abdullah Shaaban, and Minister for Industries, Mr Nassor Ahmed Mazrui.

He said that through the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in India to seal a cooperation pact, Zanzibar would also benefit from India by sending its students to India to study IT and other related science subjects.

Meanwhile, Mr Hamad has said that it is too early to ask the Zanzibar Minister for Communication, Mr Hamad Masoud, to resign from his post over last month's ferry disaster.

He argued that it was wise to wait for the report by the commission of inquiry formed by Zanzibar President Dr Mohammed Ali Shein.

The vice president's comments were in response to a question from a reporter who asked why the minister has not resigned to pave way for and independent investigation.

In another development, Zanzibar government is scheduled to table four bills in the next session of the House of Representatives beginning next Wednesday.

According to the House business schedule, representatives will have the opportunity to ask more than 80 main questions during the session to last two weeks, said Mr Talib Enzi, the Zanzibar House of Representatives Information Officer.

SOURCE: Daily News