THE Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) is slowly but surely rising to its challenge in terms of helping to curb the sale of sub-standard goods in the country.
Nowadays, a fortnight rarely passes without a report of ZABS officers having confiscated some sub-standard goods.
This is as it should be and the bureau should be encouraged to keep it up as it helps to raise the quality of goods and services in the country.

Zesco, stick to schedule

ZESCO’s announcement of the amplified daily load-shedding in the country has been received with apprehension by power consumers.
While it could be relatively easier to adapt to the new arrangement if the electricity firm adhered to its published programme what is impossible is for the consumers to adjust their lives to the random execution of the exercise.
ZESCO should help its customers by sticking to the published schedule of load-shedding, to ensure predictability, instead of changing the time of the exercise anyhow.

Trade deficit worrying

THE continued widening of the monthly trade deficit for the country is becoming worrisome given its effects on the local currency and other economic indicators.
The business community and other relevant stakeholders should take seriously the prod by the Bank of Zambia and other government wings on the need to increase exports, especially of non-traditional export goods.
This – BRIEFCASE believes – can only be possible with increased production by the local manufacturing sector whose base is currently eroded