.OSBORNE

By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –

ALL is set for the 58TH Copperbelt Mining, Agriculture and Commercial Show (CMACS) which opens today in Kitwe.
This year’s show, being held under the theme ‘Maximise Development to Sustain a Strong Economy’, has attracted 101 exhibitors, which is more than the 83 exhibitors recorded last year.
Show Society chairperson Bill Osborne expressed happiness with the increase in the number of exhibitors for this year’s show.
He said it was a good indication of the confidence investors had maintained in the country’s economy in view of the recent economic challenges.
Mr Osborne said in an interview yesterday that this year’s show promised to be even bigger than last year’s.
He said that was because of the increase in the total number of both local as well as foreign exhibitors.
Out of the 101 exhibitors taking part in this year’s CMACS, 35 are foreign and the rest are local.
“Last year we suffered a minor setback because of the non-participation of exhibitors by our South African counterparts who have made it this year around,” he said.
Mr Osborne was optimistic that this year’s show would provide a perfect business platform for the many exhibitors taking part, especially during the first two days of the event.
The show opens today and will be officially opened by President Edgar Lungu on Friday.
Mr Osborne said the show had been organised to cover various sections of the economy starting from the traditional mining, extending to manufacturing, agriculture and finance.