Star Media announces salvation plans for television viewers

It is not so much what President Paul Kagame said while opening the Chinese owned information and communication technology firm Star media, but the hope that the monopoly of Rwanda Television is set to be broken in the foreseeable future. Star media has promised to change the face of television viewing in the country and the central African region, which, at best is currently appalling. They have promised to rollout affordable pay per view television, Rwanda, DR Congo, Burundi and many more countries in the region; this will come as a huge relief to the suffering of television fans in Kigali. Star will offer affordable digital multimedia pay TV and Internet services currently in Rwanda and expand throughout Africa with their headquarters in Kigali. The multi million dollar investment is another one emphasis of China’s growing interest and influence in Africa, where, as the next global super power, the Asian giant has promised to have a different nature of relationship to that of other powers- that of partnerships instead of emphasizing aid. Ribbon cuttings for new investments were also being recorded in the centre of the city as Kenyan leading grocery shopping store Nakumatt opened its first outlet in Rwanda at Union Trade Centre. Nakumatt, Kenya favourite shopping grocery chain has began expanding in the EAC starting with Rwanda and is investing the worth of 1.2bn Kenyan Shillings. Trade is exactly what Rwanda Revenue Authority was speaking about this entire week; the tax collectors along with Rwanda Private Sector Federation have formed an office to help businessmen understand tax policies in the country. The RPSF has once before said that their investors don’t understand the Rwanda tax law, while recently during a RRA workshop, senior tax officials also did not understand the policy and therefore had problems in identifying whom to tax. This is after one incident where the tax body lost Frw 300m through uncollected tax levies on consultancy services in the country. The private sector had also reminded policy makers that 73 percent of all consultants in Rwanda where from donor countries sitting on top of an Frw 80b slice of the country’s GDP. Now after that little blip, both organizations, in a new found inspiration to “promote trade and business growth in Rwanda”, have formed a partnership to increase tax compliance in the economy. Still speaking commerce, the RPSF assisted by President Kagame also opened the 11th Trade Expo at Gikondo grounds on Thursday. He argued private investors to think business ideas that span the whole East African region. Meanwhile, the East African Fast Tracking for Rwanda team said during the week that they will spend a large quota of their budget in increasing publicity of its activities. Rwanda and Burundi, because of their ‘late registration’ have special programs to implement in order to catch up with the three older members of the block. As a result while Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania talk Customs Union, Rwanda and Burundi are still adapting to the EAC. However, to its credit, Rwanda has been commended for its inspiring speed in reforming her institutions fast enough to perform and deliver services at a good speed. The highly publicized Beijing Olympics came to an end last Sunday, prior to the beginning of the games, there was international drama involving China defending itself about its relationship with the government of Sudan with Darfur coming several times, on the other hand the decision by US President George Bush to attend the opening ceremonies also attracted many. Then there was Tibet and the demonstrations during the Olympic torch relay which turned violent in some cities. Come the games and China was the victor, cynically taking first place and the US coming a distant second. The Beijing Olympics will be remembered as Michael Phelps games after the young American won more gold medals (eight) in a single Olympics than any other athlete in any sport, and more gold medals (14) in an Olympics career. Ends