JR Goddard urges nation to be patient

NOT only does Mr Jim Ross Goddard have a gigantic frame but his company has over the years grown to attain such status and now his next step is to increase participation in making Zimbabwe an economic giant again.

Mr Goddard is the proprietor of one of the country's leading construction and earthworks firm, JR Goddard Contracting Private Limited. The company was established in 1982 and its first project was construction of a bridge over the Tuli River at Manama Mission in Matabeleland South Province and by 1985 it was well-established and involved in various road infrastructural developments throughout the country.

"I thank the nation for the opportunities they have given me throughout my lifetime. I also thank the new Government for the huge change in the last four to five months . . . It's my genuine wish that within three years we can look back on a path that we would have negotiated for peace and prosperity in our nation, Zimbabwe," said Mr Goddard.

The company serves as the main bulk earthworks and civil works contractor on a number of mines across Zimbabwe. As a result, JR Goddard has established permanent teams dedicated to civil construction requirements at Zimbabwean mines.

The company is involved in the mining of a million tonnes of hard rock per month at Ngezi Platinum Mine and 400 tonnes of softer rock at chrome mining operations in the Midlands Province. It has also been contracted to mine a million tonnes of overburden to expose coal reserves at Zambezi Gas Mine in Hwange.

"We have had phenomenal success and that success, I can bank and only attribute and thank and acknowledge the people of Zimbabwe," said Mr Goddard.

He is of the firm belief that the country's economy can rise from its lower echelons and to that he intends to embark on a great leap in assisting the Government to lure foreign investors into the country.

"I am aware that there are numerous investors that are inquisitive and queuing to invest in Zimbabwe but they are still contemplating on investing in the country but once I get to them I will convince them to come. I will inform them that the environment has indeed changed for the better. I'm going to South Africa tomorrow (Thursday) and I will meet a number of them there. These investors are not waiting to pump in money but to bulldoze the money in," said Mr Goddard on Wednesday at the Matabeleland South Investment Conference in Gwanda.

The Government has been on a mission to lure foreign investors to invest into the country with President Emmerson Mnangagwa spearheading the campaign through the ''Zimbabwe is Open for Business'' theme.

"I'm very satisfied with the developments, improvements and the consultations our principals are undertaking including economic activities taking place. It shows there is a huge difference compared to the previous administration, but there is a need for us to be patient. I'm seeing huge improvements and I am very encouraged. What is needed in the country is Foreign Direct Investment, Government should work on creating a conducive environment on good investment practices then investment will trickle in," said Mr Goddard.

He, however, said the Government should be wary of investors with sinister motives that are bent on plundering the country's resources for individual gains.

"We got to be discerning on which investment we accept because if we accept everything we will take a lot of bad together with the good, we need to be discerning," said Mr Goddard.

He said the new political dispensation should be supported as it has clearly thrust out its vision of turning around the country's economy.

"Under the previous administration, there was too much emphasis on politics and not enough emphasis on the economy. Under the new dispensation led by His Excellency President Mnangagwa already the change is there. The change is very clear to see and it's a welcome change because emphasis is now not on politics and remaining in power.

"The emphasis now is on prosperity, on building our economy and the new Government particularly his Excellency must be congratulated on that because it is the economy which will educate our children, it is the economy which will provide employment and it is the economy which will give us intuthuko yethu (our prosperity)," said Mr Goddard.

He said there was a need to get rid of corruption as it derails economic growth.

"As Zimbabweans we all have to start respecting the law, respect the laws of this land, we have to start to operate within the law and we have to start to rid out corruption and it's just something that's going to destroy us," said Mr Goddard.