National Parks increases examination fees

Chronicle Reporter

THE Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has increased examination fees for its professional hunters’ licence by 1 200 percent, citing inflationary pressures.

Players in the industry have expressed outrage at the new fees, which shot from $500 000 to $6 million per subject.
“The fees are too high and it will be difficult for us to pay. The fees are required by next month,†said a professional hunter.
ZNPWMA public relations manager, Retired Major Edward Mbewe said the authority was increasing all its tariffs to meet operational costs.
“The major issue is that of costs. We send the professional hunters on proficiency tests and we decided to increase the fees after realising that the authority was making losses. The costs of maintaining the hunters in the bush for a number of days are too high given the economic climate in the country,†he said.

6,000,000/425,000= $14.11 USD I dont understand what the outrage all about. Am I missing something here? seriously.

What is the $ now? last I heard it was Z$425,000 = $1USD.

The outrage is due to the fact that the average wage for an apprentice guide in the industry is Z$20 a month (and found). 24 million to write the exams... A parks officer running a large station like Hwange national park takes home arround Z$35 million a month. At those prices- how do you get new people into the industry? The parks fee to attend the proficiency is now 50 million and it will cost each candidate about 150 million to set up camp, supply food, drinks fuel etc.

Also although the black market rate is Z$460,000: 1US$ that is not the rate that safari operators get when they bank your money and it is certainly not the rate a PH gets paid at. Decent operators are paying a PH about 300,000:1 . Most of the black operators are paying their staf at the official rate of 100,000:1

Actually, by the time I have to renew my license in december the new renewal fee will be peanuts, but it is the black apprentices (and parks officers trying to get their licenses) who have to pay exam fees now that they are effectively forcing out.

I understand what you're saying Ganyana. I have to say however, the issue of the fees aside, that I was truly impressed when the examination and licensing process for Ph's in Zimbabwe was explained to me by Kirk Mason. The process certainly assures that only the most qualified can become fully licensed.

Perhaps the safari firms that want to see an apprentice get his license should flip the bill. I know many mechanical/electrical companies here will pay for an apprentices exam fees, licenses etc. if they agree to stay on for X years. The idea is that they have an employee they can charge out at a journeymans rate and also have some stability in their staff in terms of leaving at a chance to make $1/hr more from another firm.

Rob

The remaing white owned safari companies invarably do foot the bill for their apprentices to atttend the final proficiency exam, but expect them to save up for their own kit and other exam fees out of tips etc.

In the old days, a) parks subsidised the whole exam process. It was completely free until 5 years ago, b) the white comercial farmers subsidised the cost of candidates on the final proficiency by supplying lorries, camping kit, gas powered fridges, generators etc.

The white farmers are mostly gone and the remaining handfull subsidise nothing. Parks is no longer government- only the director general is a civiol servant. The rest have to be paid out of what ever parks earns- which is why a parks officer running a park earns a quater of what a policeman running a small town earns- parks is broke.

lastly, the majority of black owned safari companies stand arround and complain that nobody is doing anything to help indiginisation of the industry - and they certainly are not going to pay!

Whilst part of me say - I have no sympathy- we will simply go back to the old system of "white hunters", the reality on the ground is, it looks very poor in the current political climate when 90% of candidates passing the proficiency in the last three years have been white and the current economic trend will push that towards 100%. So far only one black candidate has managed to come up with the money- a parks officer whom a company is sponsoring.

let me get this correct the 6 million/ $425,000 :1Us rate is $14.11 US
I guess that means my day rate will go up $100 US/day by next July

Ganyana: It's sad indeed. But it's a creation of those who are in power. Black rule has never resulted in more equality for the common black countryman. It will never change because the black leadership just doesn't get it, nor do they want to as long as they have all of the wealth, control, power, and just enough of the world's support and acclaim to keep them at the top.

Ganyana,
Thanks for the response. At first glance I thought it should be an easy fix.... but as you illustrated, given the current situation, it is not as easy as one might think.



I hope it can turn around, for all involved.

Please explain something to me, I'm missing something here.

I've read before about how many thousands of dollars hunts costs and at the end of safari's some hunters tip the PH many thousands of dollars and the trackers, assisants many dollars also.

Am I missing something here?

cs- a good operator doesn't get involved in the tips - they are an important part of a PH's income (and in my own case, in the last 5 years have totalled more than the operator has paid me). But... Often the tip money for apprentices and other staff goes into a pool fund which the operator shares out - again their are many staff who's services go un-noticed by the client (when they work) but are critical to the over all satisfaction of the operation. The skinner who you never meet is more imortant to you- the client - than the appy hanging round and trying to bum a a tip or your bino's! and a good operator shares the tips approprately. As I have said above, the fees for a PH are not the issue, but for a leaner PH or guide... they are out of reach of many good men in this country at this time. ( bear in mind that the legal minimum wage is US$6 per month)