Minister of Transport and Communications Dora Siliya of Zambia

Despite Zambia’s sadly deceased President making helpful noises about liberalising the international gateway in Zambia, when it comes to the crunch the current Communications and Transport Minister Dora Siliya has bottled out and hidden behind some of the oldest and least plausible arguments for retaining a monopoly international gateway.
But Minister Siliya is in a hole and wants to keep digging.
The Government has deliberately restricted mobile phone service providers from obtaining licences for the international gateway for security reasons, Communications and Transport Minister Dora Siliya has said.
Ms Siliya said this following a supplementary question on her ministerial statement.
On the South African route, Ms Siliya said that the fault occurred on August 8, from 9:00 hours to 19:00 hours on the Digital Compression Multiplexing Equipment which she said was replaced and the link was immediately normalised on the same day.
Currently, Ms Siliya said that Zamtel's current international switch was capable of handling the demand from all operators.
Ms Siliya said this when she responded to a question by Dundumwezi MP Edgar Singombe (Independent) who wanted to know the penalty for providers that abrogated the law.
Siliya commends Zambian Airways for being proactive, aggressiveBy Chiwoyu SinyangweSaturday April 05, 2008 Communications and transport minister Dora Siliya has commended Zambian Airways for being proactive and aggressive in its three-year strategic plan.
And Siliya has observed that there are a lot of opportunities for growth in Zambia's airline industry.
During a presentation by Zambian Airways of its ‘Three-year growth and development plan from 2008 to 2010’ on Thursday at The Post offices, Siliya said Zambia, like most African countries, had a lot of areas that were still not air linked.
Zambia will this year host the Smart Partnership International Dialogue in Lusaka from 28 July to 1 August, Zambian Deputy Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Dora Siliya has said here.
Siliya said there is need for more research that would highlight the social, technological and economic impact of ICT in the country.
Officially opening the meeting, Zambian Minister of Communications and Transport Dora Siliya said for rural telecenters to be sustainable, they must be responsive to the needs of Africa's rural population.
Minister of Communications and Transport Dora Siliya said the money will be used to provide information and communication technology (ICT) services in rural areas.
Siliya said in the wake of a conference on telecenter issues in Lusaka last week that the Zambian government is developing ICT programs aimed at rural communities, which are less serviced by most service providers.
Siliya said in addition to the funds raised from the service providers, the Zambian government has also set aside US$1 million to be used for the same program.
Siliya said the government will push the authority to start the implementation of the program as soon as possible.
Ms Siliya said RTSA management erred in sending a circular to their station managers before a statutory instrument was issued and signed by her.
Communications and Transport Minister Dora Siliya said an inter ministerial committee consisting of her ministry, State House, Railway systems of Zambia and the ministries of Justice and Finance undertook the study and has since submitted the report of the study to her office.
Siliya was speaking to journalists in Kafue yesterday when she undertook a fact finding ride in one of the Railway Systems of Zambia Passenger Trains from Kafue to Shimabala.
Siliya said she would soon submit the report to President Mwanawasa who recently raised concerns about the poor operations of the Rail system in the country.
Transport and Communications minister Dora Siliya says increased mine activities have strained the transports sector in Zambia.
Ms Siliya said this was evident by the overwhelming strain on main roads in northwestern province due to activities of Lumwana mine in Solwezi.
Siliya said there was need to see how government could work with the private sector in promoting substantial investment in the railway transport sector because of the anticipated increased volume of goods when the mines start full production.
Ms Siliya said the economic boom that Zambia was experiencing had come with its own challenges in the transport sector and it was the responsibility of the government and the private sector to put their heads together and find solutions to the problem.
Ba Dora Siliya is so busy now, trying to get some lite.
Siliya said it was in the public interest that government decided to terminate the construction permit granted to the North-Western Rail Company.
Zambian Minister of Communication and Transport Dora Siliya has formed a committee to address the financial viability of the troubled Zambia Telecommunication (Zamtel.
The committee -- comprising members from the Ministry of Communication and Transport, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, and the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry -- will submit their recommendations to the three ministries within a month, Siliya said last week.
Asked where she drew her undying determination to achieve her set goals, Ms Siliya said she will always be grateful to her grandparents for her hyper energy and also noted that she at the same time would attribute it to her father who always made her believe that there was nothing she could not do in life.
First born in a family of six children, three boys and three girls, Ms Siliya says both her parents are from Petauke, and that she is Nsenga by tribe.
On her priorities in the ministry, Ms Siliya said she was a team worker saying priorities were set all stakeholders and that the ministry follows its internal startegic plan and the big 2030 natioanl plan.
The problem, according to Ms Siliya is within the board, which has appointed one of its members to act as managing director, a move opposed by the Zambian and Tanzanian governments who are the owners of the railway firm.
Ms Siliya was responding to a question raised by Chipili PF Member of Parliament, Davies Mwila who wanted to know how much the ministry of commerce will spend on hosting the meeting.
Transport and Communication minister Dora Siliya said that.
Choose Your Language Of Preference Below French Version German Version Russian Version Spanish Version Portuguese Version Chinese Version Arabic Version ZAMTEL will be partly privatised in about four months time to save it from total collapse, Communications and Transport Minister, Dora Siliya said yesterday.
ZAMTEL will be partly privatised in about four months time to save it from total collapse, Communications and Transport Minister, Dora Siliya said yesterday.
The process to partially privatise Zambia Telecommunications Company (ZAMTEL) is in progress, Transport and Communications minister Dora Siliya has revealed.
Ms Siliya said the strategic partner is expected to pump in money and bring business ethics of running Zamtel that will see the end of the operational problems Zamtel has been experiencing.
Communications and Transport minister Dora Siliya says the state will meet head-on with people planning to demonstrate against unaffordable meallie meal.
Ms Siliya says government is ready to deal with bus drivers who intend to lead demonstrations today (Monday) accross the country.
Not many years are ago, Dora Siliya was working at ZNBC.
Minister of Communications and Transport Dora Siliya said Government had already identified a firm to do the company asset evaluation, which would be completed this month end.
Ms Siliya said the decision should have been made earlier because the value that government would get out of Zamtel currently would be lower than what it would have got earlier due to the global financial crisis.
Zambian Minister of Communications Transport Minister Dora Siliya has said, however, that the development of ICT (information and communication technology) in rural areas is the Zambian government's priority.
Zambia's Minister of Communications and Transport Dora Siliya said the move by Celtel to sell shares is a good response to the growth of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the country.
Siliya said the Zambian government will continue providing a favorable environment that will enable mobile companies in the country to expand to rural areas.