SA LOSES 2004 WORLD GOLD PANNING BID

SOUTH Africa lost another bid to host a world event when Slovakia was awarded the 2004 world gold panning championships. South African bid committee member Graham Dominy phoned from Zlotorya in Poland to say Slovakia won the bid by 33 votes to 22. The committee is now pinning its hopes on the five South Africans taking part in this year’s championships in Zlotorya coming home with good news in the form of trophies and medals. Dominy said South Africa would lodge a bid next year to host the 2005 championships. “We have seen how the competition has created jobs in Poland and boosted the economy,” he said. – African Eye News Service