Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse clarified that the ministry has qualified professionals who have access to the required technology to evaluate prices of diamonds.

He was responding to IPC MP, Ferdinand Hengombe, who sought clarity on how the ministry evaluates prices and whether they have the required screening technology.

"So definitely we have validators, well trained, well qualified, who use machine technology actually to do the evaluation. And then they are also assisted by the book value, which is also predetermined, that when a diamond falls in this category in terms of colour, but also in terms of nature, because diamonds also differ. We have the coloured ones, we have the clear ones, and so on and so on."