Govt says FIC wasn’t created for public alarm

Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya (Picture by Albert Mpezeni)

Chief Government Spokesperson, Dora Siliya says the intention to create the Financial Intelligence Centre was not that it should unnecessarily alarm the public through publication of raw intelligence data.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka, Ms. Siliya says government also believes that when raw intelligence data is gathered by the centre, it should be given to the relevant government agencies.

And Ms. Siliya who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister says any calls for the removal of the FIC Director General can only be dealt with by the Ministry of Finance.

She states that she therefore does not have any information on whether the FIC Director General will be dismissed or the board dissolved.

And Ms. Siliya has told journalists that the conflict between Top Star and TV stations is being dealt with administratively.

Ms. Siliya says it is clear from her Ministry’s engagement with Top Star that a roundtable discussion over this issue is necessary.

She is hopeful that the legal lacunas that have brought about conflict between Top Star and Television stations will be addressed.