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An Examination of Some Key Issues on Legal and Policy Environment in the Mining Sector After the Economic Reforms in Tanzania
Issue:
Volume 3, Issue 2, December 2019
Pages:
33-42
Received:
24 June 2019
Accepted:
18 July 2019
Published:
13 August 2019
Abstract: Due to the economic hardships Tanzania has been undergoing since the early 1980s, a wide-ranging reforms in numerous sectors of the economy have been instigated. These reforms aimed at overcoming such hardships in order to improve the prospects for development. This article examines some key issues on legal and policy environments in the mining sector after the economic reforms in Tanzania, it specifically:-(i) analyses the mining sector before the reforms, (ii) examines the legal and policy responses after the economic reforms; (iii) analyses how these policies and legislations have impacted the socio-economic and political aspects related to mining in Tanzania; and, (iv) identify the lessons learnt. A documentary review (documentary research method) was used in collecting relevant information. It was revealed that prior to the reforms the extent of minerals extraction in Tanzania was low, dominated by mineral sector development operations which were largely state owned and run by government enterprises. The legal and policy responses examined include the Mineral Policy of 1997, Mineral Act of 1998, Mining Act of 2010, New Investment Policy and the Tanzania Investment Act No. 26 of 1997, Mining (Environmental Management and Protection) Regulations of 1999, Natural Wealth and Resources (Permanent Sovereignty) Act, 2017; Natural Wealth and Resources Contracts (Review and Re-Negotiation of Unconscionable Terms) Act, 2017, the Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2017; Extractive Industry Transparency and Accountability Act, 2015 and the Finance Act of 2017. These legal and policy responses in the mining sector were found to have both positive and negative impacts. It has been observed that reforms in the sector have not fully captured the expectations of Tanzanians. The role of mining sector in economic development and socio-economic wellbeing is very obvious; hence transforming this resource wealth into well-being remains essential matter for Tanzania’s economy. It is recommended that conducive legal and policy framework enhanced to transform mineral resources into wellbeing.
Abstract: Due to the economic hardships Tanzania has been undergoing since the early 1980s, a wide-ranging reforms in numerous sectors of the economy have been instigated. These reforms aimed at overcoming such hardships in order to improve the prospects for development. This article examines some key issues on legal and policy environments in the mining sec...
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Common External Tariffs and Trade Efficiency: Lessons for Cross-listed Firms in the East African Community
Issue:
Volume 3, Issue 2, December 2019
Pages:
43-51
Received:
1 July 2019
Accepted:
7 August 2019
Published:
4 September 2019
Abstract: The East African Community’s trading bloc has attracted a lot of investment from the member countries yet it has not lived to its expectations. Some of the region’s members have fallen out in the past and even re-considered their membership in EAC. Among other areas of focus on the region’s integration is the implementation of common external tariffs and protection of the region’s members in regional and global market spheres. However, trade efficiency still lags behind in the region compared to global benchmarks. There exists flimsy evidence in literature on whether the implementation of common external tariffs revitalizes trade efficiency in the region. This paper, therefore, propounds the relationship between the implementation of common external tariffs and cross-border trade efficiency within the EAC considering experiences from other regional blocs and the implications for cross-listed Kenyan firms. The paper analyzes secondary data for Kenyan imports and exports from World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) and the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) as well as Economic review reports from the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and EAC. The analysis covering the financial years: 1995 to 2017 shows a number of factors, other than tariffs, that drive trade and trade efficiency. The study also reveals non-tariff barriers, inward-looking trade policies, protectionist policies, redundant trading rules across border, increasing cost of trading among other shortcomings to regional trade that arise from implementation of common external tariffs. Statistical evidence also indicate that trade efficiency is independent of the implementation of common external tariffs. In addition, empirical evidence shows prolonged trade deficit not only in the developed countries, but in the developing world as well. The study concludes that tariffs are good for trade regulation to the detriment cross-border trading even beyond the regional bloc. However, besides macroeconomic correlates, factors other than common external tariffs influence regional and cross-border trade efficiency. This calls for comprehensive in-region trade policy review, revitalization and commitment by the member states even as individual trading entities pursue advanced competitiveness in the regional and global markets.
Abstract: The East African Community’s trading bloc has attracted a lot of investment from the member countries yet it has not lived to its expectations. Some of the region’s members have fallen out in the past and even re-considered their membership in EAC. Among other areas of focus on the region’s integration is the implementation of common external tarif...
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E-book Culture at Rajshahi University Students in Bangladesh
Purnima Banik,
Md. Armanul Haque,
Parveen Sultana,
Md. Rayhan Kobir
Issue:
Volume 3, Issue 2, December 2019
Pages:
52-57
Received:
20 June 2019
Accepted:
28 September 2019
Published:
14 October 2019
Abstract: In the era of Information and Communication Technology, E-books are the blessing for the present world and it has drawn worldwide popularity besides the printed books among the readers. This paper aims at identifying the usage of E-books among the science and engineering faculty students at Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. A total of 150 respondents were chosen randomly and distributed with a structured questionnaire where 141 respondents returned the questionnaire. Simple percentage calculations were used to analyze data. The study finds that 100% of the surveyed students used E-books. Most of students used E-books by Laptop and Smartphone by borrowing from friends and accessing central library databases for improving and gaining knowledge of research and course work in the department. However, most of the students mentioned that they prefer printed books to E-books. Majority of the students agreed that the library should enrich the collections of E-books as well as the users and library professionals should be properly trained up Rajshahi University.
Abstract: In the era of Information and Communication Technology, E-books are the blessing for the present world and it has drawn worldwide popularity besides the printed books among the readers. This paper aims at identifying the usage of E-books among the science and engineering faculty students at Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. A total of 150 respondent...
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