DEFINING MOMENT FOR CABINET

The country’s Cabinet has been on a retreat over the past few days to take stock of progress over their 12 months in office and strategise on a way forward to lift this country out of its economic quagmire. 

It goes without saying that whatever they come out with, it has to hit the right chord with emaSwati who are dejected, confused and downright angry at a surprise show of flamboyance following the purchase of luxurious vehicles much against a passionate call by Cabinet inviting all to embrace austerity measures aimed at resuscitating our economy. This call was accompanied by a suspension of cost-of-living adjustment for public servants, a freeze on hiring and promotions, a review of student allowance distribution, as well as several other cutbacks on services to the people.

Purchase

One notable promise was that of no purchase of new cars, where the PM and DPM promised to use old cars while ministers were to use those allocated to their predecessors. Not all have accepted the austerity measures, which has seen students threatened, beaten up, shot and tear-gassed into accepting the new scholarship distribution arrangement. Some tertiary institutions are closed as a result. For workers, the no-work, no-pay rule has hit their pockets hard, for daring to express their pain – albeit ‘unlawfully’. This explains the shock and dismay that greeted the ascendency of over 100 luxury vehicles to the top of the priority expenditure list over and above the inconsistent supply of drugs in hospitals, food in schools, not to mention businesses not getting paid for services rendered.

Increases

Notwithstanding all this, Cabinet has approved bread and fuel increases that are set to be followed by a rise in food prices with electricity tariffs said to possibly follow suit. Somebody may not be reading the signals correctly, but indications are that the people are about to reach the end of their tether- if not already. Cabinet must emerge from the retreat with decisive action that restores the confidence of the people, reunites the nation and instils the belief that the citizens still form an integral part of the country’s future.

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