The Herald
By Tichaona Zindoga
Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart has blasted New Zealand authorities for postponing their scheduled June tour of Zimbabwe.
He said he found the reason given for the cancellation ridiculous.
On Monday New Zealand cricket authorities, with the support of their government, said they considered Zimbabwe an unsuitable place to send their cricket side, but could play at a neutral venue like South Africa.
They cited the “collapse of Zimbabwe’s health system and the general unstable environment” as the “primary reasons” for the cricket tour’s postponement.
The decision came at a time when India and Sri Lanka have said they will be coming to Zimbabwe in May and June for a triangular ODI series.
Coltart lamented the Kiwi move saying the Pacific islanders had better come to assess the situation for themselves rather than rely on misleading reports.
“I find the reasons given for the cancellation very ridiculous.
“Zimbabwe is a safe destination with no threat like Al-Qaeda or violent crime like we see in other countries.
“On the other hand, while the state of our public health facilities has not been very good, we have very good private institutions and doctors,” he said.
In January Coltart wrote to the New Zealand ambassador about the June tour and the latter had promised to support the Zimbabwe visit.
“I regret that I have come only to know of the final decision through the Press,” he said.
Coltart said he would continue engaging the New Zealanders with the hope of bridging relations with the tiny nation.
Analysts have regretted the latest action by New Zealand saying it rolls back progress Zimbabwe has been painstakingly recording after the country’s game plummeted from decency almost a decade ago.
Zimbabwe is set to rejoin Test cricket after voluntarily pulling out to put its house in order.
Zimbabwe has hosted a number of international sporting events without any problems.
Last year, the Black Caps, as the New Zealand team is known, sought to push their government into banning them from touring meaning that they could escape ICC sanction.
As Zimbabwe is a full ICC member, New Zealand is compelled to play the country on a reciprocal basis.
Security and health concerns might be considered in postponing a tour, and New Zealand has found it a convenient cover, following political developments rendering alleged political concerns inadmissible.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that New Zealand might tour in 2011, taking advantage of the fact that there is still time on the current world programme.