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THE Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism is saddened that works on the construction of the Livingstone ultra modern market have stalled because of insufficient funding for the project.
According to the Project Engineer Mwewa Kapya, about K20, 319, 078 is required to complete the remaining works at the site.
Committee chairperson Geoffrey Lungwangwa said it was shocking that major works on the Livingstone ultramodern market had stalled after the project was highly publicised.
Prof Lungwangwa said prior to the hosting of the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly in August 2013, the Livingstone ultramodern market was highly publicized to an extent that people living outside the Tourist Capital thought that adequate funds had been provided for the project.
He said in Livingstone at the weekend that most people were over expectant of the project but what was currently prevailing on the ground was different.
“Our conclusion is that the major works on the market have stalled,” Professor Lungwangwa said as Ms Kapya agreed.
Committee member Garry Nkombo said even the ground floor that was almost complete did not appear ready for use as more works still needed to be done.
Mr Nkombo, who is Mazabuka Member of Parliament, prayed that the new infrastructure would not become a white elephant or abandoned as history had it that traders wanted to be selling their products in places outside new market facilities.
Earlier, Ms Kapya said only the ground floor would be ready for use soon while the second and third floors of the structure would not be ready due to inadequate funds.
She said if the contractor was paid in time, the remaining works would be completed soon.
Ms Kapya said the new infrastructure would have 178 shops as well as banking facility and a post office among other facilities.
Other members of the Parliamentary Committee included Might Mumba,Howard Kunda and James Kapyanga.
The delegation, which inspected other facilities in Livingstone, left for Western province where they will inspect various projects.
