In the past two weeks, we have seen a change in leadership in Scotland and so I am informed the formal withdrawal of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) mandate to the erstwhile Compensation Steering Committee (CSC) which seemed to many to have adopted a mantle of ‘We know best.’ Both were exceedingly reluctant to do so despite the obvious disenchantment by the majority of those they were meant to represent.
“There will always be followers of poor leaders. Some for personal gain by favour or some due to desperation in their circumstances no matter how bad or how poor the integrity of that leadership is.” - Peter McSporran
The latest was the resignation of the Scottish First Minister, Humza Yousaf, who took over a ruling party, the SNP, in decline much due to the actions of its former leader, Nicola Sturgeon. She seemed to convince her followers that her poisonous rhetoric was the truth despite evidence to the contrary. Along with internal corruption and arrogance in ignoring the wish of the majority she and her successor implemented policies and laws both unpopular and impractical to appease its partners, the Greens. This unholy alliance was to maintain a majority in the Scottish Parliament, not about the welfare of the Scottish general public. Little thought was given to the needs of their constituents or the economy with services neglected, their focus rather on loony green policies and independence. Despite referendums and polls indicating the contrary they still saw Independence as a priority. Certainly not health, education or the economy, in fact actively driving businesses from the country. It seems even now, to try and regain the support of the Greens to secure their role, they will allow them, the Greens, to have a say on who is an acceptable candidate. Where to now? We will have to wait and see. An early election clouded by court cases of senior members for embezzlement? Not a happy situation for them but maybe better for Scotland as a whole.
Unlike the SNP, the CSC was an unelected committee originally given a mandate by the CFU to negotiate with the Government of Zimbabwe on an acceptable settlement on behalf of displaced farmers colloquially known as Title Deed Holders (TDHs). They somehow, perhaps due to its own self-importance, “We know what is best for you,” decided to agree to market a very unacceptable agreement on behalf of the Government. Even now, those in desperation or in losing any hope of anything better than accepting what was on the table have yet to see any compensation. Its demise came when its patron, the President of the CFU, was ousted by democratic means despite numerous attempts to kybosh the process. Their biggest failing was probably to promote a deal that inadvertently, or perhaps more truer, advertently, would impact any negotiations for fair compensation in the future for the majority of us who saw the agreement as worthless in value and no trust in the present Government's will or ability to enact it. We are promised a new inclusive team to head up negotiations representing us, those who have lost their farms without compensation as the Government’s own constitution requires. We wait to hear the announcement of that team which we are assured will be created through consultation with the TDHs or their representatives.
The same Government that claimed it would pay us cannot pay its already mounting commitments to creditors nor control its now repetitive habit of printing money, much to the benefit of the corrupt leadership.This habit of printing money was established back in 1997 when Mugabe instructed the treasury to pay out Z$4 billion to the War Vets. A few years later, it further undermined its currency by destroying the production base of the country by confiscating productive farms from the white commercial farmers. Both actions brought about for political expediency by individuals and the party in desperation to stay in power. Let us also not forget the bloodshed of many who were seen as dissenting or just of the wrong tribe.
Few of us have little faith in the Government's will and ability to pay us. They, the Government knew this, and to try and allay some of our fears, informed us that it had set aside 12.5% of the shares in a large mining conglomerate, the Kuvimba Mining House Ltd, which would ensure early payments would be honoured under their proposed agreement even appointing the then CFU President as a director of the company. Now, according to its own statements last week, this entity is wholly owned by Zimbabwe's State Sovereign Wealth Fund. No mention of those promised shares set aside for the CFU.
I agree with many of those who say the ZIG is doomed to fail because the country's production base is still being destroyed, let alone resurrected. By its own admission, Zimbabwe will require US$2 billion for grain imports this year due to drought and poor agricultural policies. Will the suppliers accept the ZIG? I doubt it, but if forced to do so it will be used immediately to buy US$, with the Government the biggest buyer in kind. The Government knows full well that when it pays contractors or suppliers in ZIGs, they will go onto the informal currency market to buy US$ to enable them to import their foreign input requirements such as fuel and capital equipment.
Carnation Revolution Festivities and A Trip to the Alentejo.
On the 25th of April, we were invited to our Portuguese neighbour's house for a celebratory lunch to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the peaceful revolution that overthrew the dictator Antonio de Oliveira Salazar. It is known as the Carnation Revolution as the soldiers, who overthrew Salazar peacefully placed carnations in their rifle barrels. He ruled for over forty years and is credited with keeping Portugal out of the Second World War and remaining friends with the Spanish dictator, Franco. In fact, the relationship between Franco and the Portuguese dictator Salazar was very cordial, both were Catholic and authoritarian. I did not ask my neighbours how they felt about the revolution, but one day prior to an election we met the socialist candidate for the area who informed us he was wasting his time as our village was very right-wing. So perhaps the revolution was just an excuse for a get-together. As there were so many guests they used the garage to serve up a magnificent fish braai along with home-produced wine and liquors.
For myself, I and many Zimbabweans will remember the day that revolution took place with one of the things it promised was the end of the Portuguese colonial era. I was sitting on the Botswana border at Pandamatenga nearing the end of my National Service on that day. It was not hard for us to know it would mean that from a permeable friendly border to the West, we would have a fourteen hundred kilometre downright hostile border allowing our so-called freedom fighters easy access to Zimbabwe along its whole length. We knew then our war would not end with our National Service, as proved, it had only really begun.
Trip to the Alentejo
This past weekend Rozanne and I along with John and Margaret Tidey revisited farming relations of theirs in the Alentejo. Sarah Soares and her son, Thomas Pichard and daughter, Joana Soares run a cattle and sheep farm near Campo Maior which I have mentioned before when we visited it last year. This was the first time we spent nights away from home since my surgeries. My condition brings its challenges in travelling but planning is achievable. I am still loath to consider an air flight. Not so much the flying but the challenges in air travel these days with delays and cancellations being common rather than rare.
Not only did we view their cattle and sheep but also spent a morning fishing in one of their dams for bass. Small ones were caught most by our host, Thomas, who in fact caught the vast majority. For me it was great to visit a farm and look at the cattle, probably all originally of the Alentejana breed upgraded over many years with the introduction of the Limousine. More recently Thomas has introduced a Beefmaster bull and has bought a further one for use later this year. This is despite his mother still favouring the Limousine. They run about seventy breeding cows selling the offspring as weaners. They try to run the herd with no concentrates fortifying their forage with the use of legumes and mixed grains. Two figures he quoted really impressed me. First, in three years he has only had to help two cows to calve and his calving index was under three hundred and sixty five days.
Trips like that remind me of my own cattle and the wonderful bass fishing we had in Darwendale.
“I am one of the keenest and worst fishermen I know. This does not detract from my enjoyment of throwing a line in the water with little expectation of catching something. Life is like fishing, be happy with what it offers, not what you want.” - Peter McSporran
Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.
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