Environmental Issues
Protea Hotels withdraws lodge project in Zambia
On March 31, eTN's own Wolfgang H. Thome reported that the Zambezi Society in Zambia, along with other wildlife conservation NGOs, had severely criticized Protea Hotels over environmental concerns raised from the development work.
The very next day, on April 1, Protea Hotels issued a rebuttal statement.
Today, Danny Bryer, director of revenue management, sales, and marketing for
Protea Hotels issued the following statement:
"Protea Hotels has taken the decision to withdraw its application for development of a proposed hotel in the Lower Zambezi region. Having engaged in a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and taken cognizance of the concerns raised, we have decided not to progress, taking the view that further clarity on the matter is needed.
"Protea Hotels currently has five properties in Zambia and is committed to further investment. We will continue to have productive and meaningful dialogue with the Zambian authorities on further development in the country."
Today, the environment wins.
Comments
This headline should be changed. It's in Zambia, NOT in Zimbabwe.
Sirs,
thanks to our Prof for his active good writings and reports. He has a lot of substance and information like we knew him from his days in Uganda leading tourism. We only beg he writes more in our own newspapers again where is has been absent too long.
otherwise, those who dont know him should learn first what we know in Uganda before critisising and appreciate his good reports.
Yours faithfully
Mukasa Fred. M.
Protea @ Mana Pools
Protea's South African directors have re-confirmed withdrawal of their development application at Mana Pools. Protea spokesman Danny Bryer stated in a widely broadcast (14 April) Classic fM radio interview that "UNTIL we have clarity ....on what can and cannot be developed, we (Protea) as a group are not going to be involved...."
Protea Hotels Zambia Limited - Protea's franchisee in that country still holds 82 years of a 99 year lease on the proposed development site. Given Bryer's open ended statement above, the matter (whilst facebook, radio and internet comments have confirmed the current application withdrawal) has clearly not been put completely to rest.
Numerous environmental objections to the project have been officially lodged with the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ).
Neither Protea Zambia, its majority owner: Union Gold, nor Mark O'Donnell (director of both companies and board member of the Zambian Wildlife Authority) have commented on the issue.
The Zambian Wildlife Authority has management control over the Chiawa area in which the proposed development, )prior to Protea's withdrawal), was to be sited.
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