Oh Hell, is Family Fun!
Last week, I mentioned how adverse I have become to air travel. In saying that, the day before our Dutch friends were due to fly home, their flight was cancelled and they were left to their own devices to arrange a new ticket with a different airline. Both an arduous and time-consuming task, nevermind the claim for their original ticket refund, another burdensome task ahead on their return to Holland.
“It would appear that modern-day airlines work at reducing passenger numbers, rather than offering a service which would be rewarded by increased business. They are more effective than the ‘greenies’ in reducing one’s individual's carbon footprint.” - Peter McSporran
I do not worry about much nowadays but have a nagging worry about our flights to London and Amsterdam next week. Will they be on time, will there be last-minute changes or will they be cancelled? These are questions in days gone by we rarely had to ask. Two-night stops could easily be eliminated in the modern reliability of air travel.
We have spent most of this week in Ericeira with our daughter Storm and her partner Duncan Bull. Clear skies during the day with a chilly wind morning and evening. I have not so much as put a toe in the sea, let alone my whole foot. This is not only because of the cold but the lack of alcohol has reduced my urge to do stupid things like swimming in the cold Atlantic claiming it is fun. My daughter informs me the cold is good for the body. I will leave her with her beliefs, I have mine.
Ericeira is described as a small fishing village. I presume the word ‘village’ is more attractive than the word town in tourist brochures as the population is more than twelve thousand, three times that of Campbeltown which calls itself a town. Maybe by calling itself a village, it attracts a better type of tourist. For sure, there are no multi-story hotels, therefore the tourists are more families and the elderly, although it also caters for surfers. Most of the shops and activities are based around this sport.
Tourism and traditional fishing are the main local employment drivers. For fishing, I would say lobster and crab more than fish although, all the restaurants specialise in excellent fresh seafood dishes. I had the best sole I have ever tasted this week.
In the evening, to save money and the fat build-up, we ate lightly at home followed by cards and ‘tile’ games. Rummy Klubs is our favourite tile game while more recently ‘Oh Hell!’ or alternatively known as, ‘Up and Down the River’ is currently the card game of choice.
Nothing like so-called family games to sharpen the individual's competitiveness. In our games there are no prizes for winning, only forfeits for the losers. This week the loser had to choose and book the restaurant for lunch the following day. A job about as hard as acquiring a cheap air ticket in season.
‘Oh Hell!’ requires a strategy, the game is about calling the exact number of tricks you will win with those achieving correctly getting a bonus. Over or under calls are both denied point bonuses.
That brings me onto strategy.
“Strategy. A plan that is intended to achieve a particular purpose.” - Oxford Dictionary
A New Inclusive Strategy?
Almost two weeks since the closure of the compensation survey, only silence other than a rather subdued letter stating the result. The extended silence of the Compensation Steering Committee (CSC), Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) and the Government is ominous.
“Methinks the silence means the government is reviewing its strategy while the CSC await the announcement of it, in every likelihood to offer support rather than formulate its own strategy.” - Peter McSporran
Does the Government plan to go ahead with the deal? If so, is this a purely divisive strategy to further isolate the disenfranchised Title Deed Holders (TDHs) that rejected the deal? That being the majority who voted no or simply abstained.
The CSC and CFU informed us that on the rejection of the bond deal under the GCD (Global Compensation Deed), they would now yet again appeal to the government to improve what was on offer. Remember, this deal was sold to us as the only and last deal on the table. If you did not take it you could lose out. Further, decide now, there is no time for a legal or financial review at this stage, that will be done once the new addendum is prepared. The question is what is their strategy? Is it to go back to the Government and simply ask them to tweak the existing deal? This is for the third time or start afresh with negotiations.
“There are only so many times you should attempt to fix something, at some stage it is better to replace it, this includes a plan or strategy.” - Peter McSporran
The way the survey was compiled was in such a way that it was a simple yes or no to go ahead. Only about 18% of TDHs voted yes. I would remember that figure in future. Remember, one of the levers for a positive vote was the verbal provision and disingenuous promise you will be able to exit whenever you wish in the first four years, including before and after the drafting of the agreement or in the failure of Government to honour its role or payments. The latter it was stated could be done at any time within the ten years, meaning the government would forfeit any payments and your title would be returned. I would say this carrot was viewed very suspiciously, hence the lack of participation. At least the promoters understood that those that did not vote were rejecting the deal as it required an actual yes vote.
If you are really kind, giving them a huge benefit of the doubt, perhaps this is the result they were seeking, allowing us, the TDHs to reject the deal rather than have them as negotiators.
‘It would appear with this rejection note, the majority of us were hardliners as those questioning the GCD deal were so described.” - Peter McSporran
Maybe they should have had a further two questions to assist them in seeking guidance on the way forward. These questions being;
1. Should the GCD still be valid despite the Government's default? and
2. Are bonds an acceptable form of payment?
That would remove any question of doubt, something they seem to be having difficulty with by continuing to push for an amended deal, despite its overwhelming rejection.
“I would say, in light of the recent survey even the most hardened advocates of the deal, including the Government, must have an inkling on the meaning of this rejection's clarity. A direct no or abstention to me is a clear no. It is certainly not a yes. This should be a signal trigger for a review of the strategy by all parties to achieve the common cause: fair compensation to the farmers as required by the constitution and the Government in dealing with it to the letter of the law.” - Peter McSporran
Government wants a solution to the compensation problem to enable them to tackle their monetary problems and the farmers want to be paid. That is the common ground. To succeed, we need a new strategy in the form of new personalities, with fresh ideas to come to an acceptable fair agreement.
“All the now diverse farmer representatives and pressure groups, official or informal, must get together and offer a cohesive and globally agreed strategy with clear goals and a strong mandate. Those parties with the required skills and resources should be invited to assist. All good advice should be heeded. In saying this, I think the leading voices should be representatives of the Title Deed Holders.” - Peter Mcsporran
A Mugging in Amsterdam.
In 1986, Joe Whaley and myself decided to investigate the export flower and horticulture market further in Holland on the way to attending the Highland Show in Edinburgh. I am pretty certain it was in 1986 as the Highland Show is in June each year and that year ‘Woman in Red’ by Chris de Burgh was released and played continuously in pubs and social gatherings. Joe’s wife, Wendy travelled with us, on reflection probably as an unofficial chaperone to Joe and I while in Amsterdam. Joe would eventually grow roses and I would much later try Hypericum. As with many, we were to find the real winners were the middlemen, both local in Zimbabwe and those agents in Holland. Starting horticulture or floriculture had its benefits making it easier to access foreign currency, low interest rate loans and access to foreign currency income. Hard currency in Zimbabwe was hard to come by. If I am honest, many export horticulture and floriculture projects were subsidised by tobacco or other crops just to get this currency access. Some of these exporters and aggregators were to grow massively over the next fifteen years, many with balance sheets burdened by enormous foreign currency debt leading to their failure. My neighbour, Ian Gordon was successful. He even set up his own wholesale business in the UK. Of interest, at one time he informed me his office in London with its three staff members’ monthly costs were similar to the farm costs with several hundred workers. Rising freight costs were a constant issue, although foreign currency income was a good hedge against local currency inflation, which in the nineties became rampant.
On arriving in Amsterdam, I think we were overawed by its obvious bohemian culture. We diligently trekked around trying to get information on marketing while at the same time admiring the city and sampling the beer. Joe and I could never reconcile with the Dutch, they insisted a beer should consist of at least half the glass being filled by froth. A rip-off as far as we were concerned. Eventually, we decided we should visit the ‘Reeperbahn’ or red light district as we had been told you could view the merchandise in the windows as you walked through. Something we would never see in Zimbabwe. How do you get there, who do you ask? Eventually, in walking past a sex shop, we built up enough courage to go in and ask, to be told it would be a long walk with the Reeperbahn being some five hundred kilometres away in Hamburg. The gentlemen, sneeringly suggested we may be looking for the Canal District. Two very red-faced men returned to Wendy, who wisely remained outside the shop, to inform her of our newfound knowledge. The Canal District did live up to its reputation although the pubs and restaurants there were the best we had come across in that city.
One night, Wendy and Joe, like a good married couple, decided to go back to the hotel early, leaving me in a pub with a bunch of newfound friends hailing from Australasia. I must emphasise that being married coupled with the fear instilled in us by Peter Fraser-McKenzie and Kerry Kay about AIDS ensured no further interest by us other than the viewing.
That evening weaving my way home, I was accosted by what I thought were three African gentlemen seeking to relieve me of my wallet. A skirmish ensued, although due to alcohol and numbers, I was losing the fight. Eventually, I shouted at them. I was pissed off as I had not come to Europe from Zimbabwe just to be mugged by Africans. This brought about a lull, while they informed me they were not from Africa but Suriname. This opened some dialogue with them agreeing to take only some cash and leave me with my Zimbabwean passport, Zimbabwe travellers' cheques which along with my few Zim Dollars was considered worthless. The next day, with a hangover we set off to see my Dutch relatives who added to my compounding hangover by plying us with copious amounts of Genever Gin.
Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.
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