News / Local
Government backs down on importation of second hand clothes ban
18 Jan 2017 at 21:52hrs | Views
Government has backed down on the ban of importation of second hand clothes saying it can not enforce it.
According to Industry Minister Mike Bimha, at present there is little alternative to second hand clothes as the local textile industry is struggling to produce.
"It's a policy that was made with the hope that when we begin to enforce it, we will have improved local production.
"We cannot ban something when we do not have an alternative. People need to have an alternative if we are to say you cannot bring in clothes,"he is quoted saying.
"We can only enforce when we believe that we have the capacity to make more or less the same as what we are importing.
"If we can't, we might as well continue importing".
Government has made several attempts to ban the importation of second hand clothes but facing resistance from traders.
Clothes at flee markets are very cheap.
In August 2005, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa announced the ban of second-hand clothes effective September 1 of that year to protect the local industry.
According to Industry Minister Mike Bimha, at present there is little alternative to second hand clothes as the local textile industry is struggling to produce.
"It's a policy that was made with the hope that when we begin to enforce it, we will have improved local production.
"We cannot ban something when we do not have an alternative. People need to have an alternative if we are to say you cannot bring in clothes,"he is quoted saying.
"We can only enforce when we believe that we have the capacity to make more or less the same as what we are importing.
"If we can't, we might as well continue importing".
Government has made several attempts to ban the importation of second hand clothes but facing resistance from traders.
Clothes at flee markets are very cheap.
In August 2005, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa announced the ban of second-hand clothes effective September 1 of that year to protect the local industry.
Source - Byo24News
