FRESHEN UP STALE ECONOMY

What is the next big thing for Eswatini? We have to ask this question because to pull the country out of the current fiscal mess, economic stagnation and poverty, we have to create new and big opportunities that can be seized by all.

Currently, sugar is the best descriptor of Eswatini’s economy. And indeed, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the sugar industry. In fact, we should commend government and the private sector for all the investments they have made to make the sugar industry the massive contributor to GDP, and employment creation that it is today. However, is the sugar industry the glass ceiling of Eswatini’s industrial sector and the economy at large?

Growing

Besides sugar, what other industries/sectors of the economy can our government and private sector develop? Can we grow beyond sugar, forestry and textiles? Why is it that the NGO sector seems to be growing faster than the private sector in Eswatini?

We have to reimagine new sectors of the economy that can expand our economic base and make sure everyone is able to contribute to economic activity in this country. Government should focus on growing the economy, and for that to happen, government simply needs new brains and muscles to work on resuscitating what is left of our economy, especially the private sector. Without a fresh start, that is rid of all the economics and policies of yesterday, we might find ourselves in the same predicament we are currently in five years later.

To refresh the economy, government must first recognise that it is not okay that some people can hold key public sector positions for years, such that the key government institutions, departments and parastatals become synonymous with these individuals.

Take for instance, the Municipal Council of Mbabane, where one person has held the title of chief executive officer for years, who has gone and returned to hold the very same position, and for what in the name of development? Mbabane is still the capital city we know and the price we pay to keep the current CEO is just ludicrous.

Development

This is not just about Mbabane alone, but all of government, which needs to be kept current and bolstering with relevant and fresh ideas on new economic and development opportunities. How do you develop new talent and leaders of tomorrow when we insist on keeping the same people in positions of power?
Eswatini has a youthful population with many brilliant minds who should be given the platform to drive a new development agenda and establish new industries in the country.

The old geezers have become too stale, they take offence to new ideas, and are just too vein to think about anyone else other than themselves. The other problem with keeping the same people in key public sector positions is that they become the system, and thus creating the perfect environment for corruption and implementation of their personal development agendas rather than the National Development Agenda.

In developing the private sector, government must ensure that the new industries of tomorrow must improve the standard of living for all emaSwati rather than the pockets and lives of the privileged few. Looking back 20 years ago, we saw MTN setting up shop in Eswatini, among other key companies. While we are grateful for the opportunity to communicate on 3G or 4G networks, the cost of these critical private sector services is still too high.

We have an international airport, where connecting to our neighbour South Africa is still a luxury to many of emaSwati, even for those who do business with South Africa on a daily or weekly basis. The electricity sector is just on another level of crazy costs that do nothing to improve the lives of emaSwati. The sugar industry, which is part of the glue that is keeping our economy intact, is happy to export tonnes and tonnes of raw sugar to other countries so that emaSwati can buy that sugar packaged in South Africa here in Eswatini at a very high price.

Guaranteed

Sugar and sugar products should be an almost guaranteed free manna in this country, yet for many homes sugar is still a luxury next to cooking oil, beans and maize meal.
The time is now to refresh the economy of Eswatini. To do that, the country needs to welcome fresh young minds within the government system so that we can reinvent our economy to establish and grow a new private sector that can benefit the pockets of many individuals and families in Eswatini.

Only through a vibrant and diverse private sector can we reclaim our economy from the dying public sector and expanding the NGO sector that is limiting real poverty reduction in this nation.With that said, the head of this current government needs to hit the refresh button on all government institutions ASAP.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: