Today, Monday, being the beginning of the first full working week of the New Year is a time for reflection and even a touch of melancholy for me. It is not an unenjoyable feeling, just a quiet time to reflect on the past without the ongoing interference of the non-stop socialising, eating and drinking as in the previous week between Christmas and New Year— a time of weight gain and indigestion. Perhaps better described as a week of guilt and discomfort. My greed for the delicacies and the need for the odd celebratory dram outweighed any moderation in actions that would have circumvented these self-inflicted ailments.
In writing this, the days of drinking copious amounts of alcohol have long gone; past are the days of only going home once the bottle is finished, more often than not in the company of Joe Whaley, Henry Bezuidenhout and Alistair Smith. If more than two of us were together, one bottle would never suffice. All proven whisky drinkers in their day. Sadly, Henry and Joe have both left us, two of the best good-humoured party animals I ever encountered. It would be a rare evening that anything would be left in the bottom of the whisky bottle before we set off to our respective homes. In saying that, now, only two glasses of wine and or a couple of strong whiskies are more than enough to affect my mobility and speech.
Part of my problem is whatever they, the medical professionals, have done to my stomach has somehow hugely reduced my capacity for the consumption of alcohol. A good thing I have no doubt. It does, however, not reduce my wistful thinking for the ‘Good Old Days.’ I was never one to stop drinking for a month to prove I was not an alcoholic like many of my friends. To a man or woman, they always choose February; those few days less were significant incentives for choosing that month for abstinence. As an interested bystander, it appeared to me that the consumption of alcohol in the weeks prior to this month and the week immediately following more than made up for their brief abstinence.
Adding to my melancholy was the arrival of what was described by the author as a ‘missive’ on the land compensation issue from my old friend Vernon Nicolle, who now resides in Australia. Vernon was a wine drinker, not a whisky drinker. In his day, Vernon was one of the most dynamic and innovative farmers I knew in old Zimbabwe. He was a great friend but also very outspoken. Being a friend did not spare you from a verbal lashing at a farmers’ meeting. He would demand to be heard; this was a Nicolle trait, as all who knew the Nicolle brothers well knew. Sadly, Vernon is the last of the Nicolle siblings still alive.
There are lessons here in making yourself heard. Due to Nicolles’ loud demands for action, many agricultural projects and developments were carried out with Government support and in some instances, participation. A few that come to mind are Beri Dam, funded by NSSA, Northern Products, a grain storage facility good enough to compete with the parastatal Grain Marketing Board, and Ghost Acre Dam, a large private dam solely built for irrigation. Still, we need a younger generation with the same dynamism and tenacity, perhaps slightly more politically correct, to ensure we are being heard in our fight for compensation, not just in Zimbabwe but in the seats of power in America and Europe. Once again, our reticence due to the fear, perhaps real or imagined, of the Government closing the door on negotiations detracts and tempers our leadership's vigour in fighting our cause. It was pleasing to hear Deon Theron, a respected past president of the CFU, announcing that a new legal initiative was in the pipeline. At last, positive news?
Vernon made some good points in his missive. It certainly lacked the aggressiveness of his younger years. However, unlike me, he still strongly advocates support for accepting the more passive path offered by the Property and Farm Compensation Association (PROFCA) in the Farm Compensation Agreement. He argues that due to inaction by our farming leaders, we are left with this bad deal. He put that in more straightforward terms, but he goes on to argue that notwithstanding this, we should accept it. In doing so, he had few kind words to say about the CFU and the Compensation Awareness Group. Is this because they have not accepted this bad agreement on behalf of their membership?
“Being the only agreement on the table does not necessarily make it acceptable. As with any agreement, there is always the choice of rejection by one of the parties. Agreements are between two parties, one of which in this case is the individual. Therefore, it is up to the individual to partake or not.” - Peter McSporran
In the event of this being a bad agreement, it will be deemed worse than no agreement if it is proven to prejudice the majority at a later date. Perhaps there is still confusion in the roles of the different groups and who they are and who they are mandated to represent. Our leadership needs to continually make it clear the status of each group, elected, mandated or self-appointed. I know it has been said and written about repeatedly, but in this day of speedy communications, we need to be continually reminded in regard to their roles. It would appear service providers are taking on the mantle of representative bodies.
Despite access to multiple sources of information, we of older years think the last post is substantive rather than referring to the facts already on hand. The problem is that with the deluge of views to be found on the various social media groups, we find it hard to discern between the truth and fiction in many instances despite our best efforts.
“We are flooded with non-substantive information. Strong leadership can guide us through this maelstrom with good and accurate information. As a storm almost breaks every week, our leadership has to be prepared to confirm or denounce them as they arrive on our screens.” - Peter McSporran
When Zimbabwe is recognised as a democratic country and opens for business, we need to have our voice heard to ensure our cause is recognised at the ‘high table’ in any plan to rebuild the economy. That is the recognition and acceptance necessary to enable a stabilised future economy with land rights as its linchpin. One certainly not based on counterfeit pieces of paper as a substitute for legal title. While the rule of law is the most critical factor in our fight, perceptions are also essential.
“Perceptions seem to have taken on added importance in this modern internet world, where myths get more recognition than the truth. Despite this, we can influence perception with the use of the truth.” - Peter McSporran
Our voice is presently not being heard. We are just not shouting loud enough in the right places. For twenty-five years, the Government has been listening to us with deaf ears; perhaps we need a change of approach.
Mind you, what has happened to us in Zimbabwe, while without a violent component, the rest of the world is also bringing about the demise of the family farm. This is being enacted by hostile Governments, in Europe and Britain, where farmers are under the cosh of the actions, the Labour government and the bureaucracy of the EU. The EU bureaucrats are particularly self-serving as they are protected from their contingency by a lack of democratic election to the seats in Brussels. The inheritance tax issue in the UK and the recent signing of the Mercosur Trade Agreement by the bureaucrats in Brussels without referral to the individual countries' wishes, especially the French, portrays what can happen when you are no longer accountable to your constituents. The Mercosur agreement favours industrial exports by Germany at the expense of farmers in France and Poland, which will see reduced tariffs on meat products from countries such as Brazil and Argentina. They argue the amount of beef and chicken imports will be small but fail to point out that these imports will be the prime beef cuts and the white meat of chicken, which is required to support the lower prices of the poorer cuts produced by their own farmers. They say it also supports their green agenda, cows produce methane, despite the beef in those countries still producing methane and soya from land when cleared, destroying their rainforests for this increased production.
In my last year at the CFU in 1996, I stopped drinking for nearly four months, mostly because I knew I was drinking too much and I was trying to deal with my problems due to my failing marriage. Diane put on a brave face and was at my side at all the important functions that wives were generally expected to attend with their husbands.
As my term in the CFU was ending, I spent time visiting as many Farmer Associations as possible and certainly all the branches. During my time at the CFU I was constantly amazed by the amount of time and energy given to, more often than not, onerous tasks of the farmer representatives on behalf of their fellow farmers. I always thought the most challenging part was the role of ‘Branch’ chairman. They not only dealt with their members but also had to deal with all the Government agencies from land committees, the very worst task, to the police and, of course, the jumped-up local politicos who continually demanded intervention in many matters, most trivial but some well beyond the pay grade of our farmer representatives who gave of their time freely. They did this with good humour, often at the sacrifice of their own farming business and personal life. I know my farming business suffered, although I was partly compensated with the princely sum of ZW20,000 (US$2,500) per annum honorarium. Funnily enough, there were a number of people who enjoyed being on local committees and quasi-government boards; their businesses suffered. One of those who come to mind who fought for his farmers on many fronts to his detriment was the late Hammy Hamilton from Manicaland. Some of these people would remain close even after departure from the CFU including specifically John Meikle from Manicaland, Cedric Wilde from Matabeleland, Dave Irvine the Poultry Association chair, Ian Millar the Cotton Association and Selby Chance from the Cattle Association. All strong leaders who supported me through my term in office. I should not forget my counterpart at the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association, Peter Richards, who I continued to work with at Blackfordby College after my time at the CFU. He as the Chairman of the trustees, me, the chairman of the board.
Perhaps my daughter Storm and her partner Duncan leaving on Saturday brought this melancholy on, although later today we head off to the airport to pick up my sister Fiona and her long-time partner Gordon Foster. Some will recognise the name from Antiques Roadshow shown on BBC, where he regularly appears as a silver expert. Gordon is not a drinker but enjoys a dram and casting a fly when the opportunity arises. In short, a good man.
In saying that, Rozanne and I are going to Lisbon by train this weekend with Fiona and Gordon, so I will post this blog on Friday morning instead of in the evening.
Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.
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