Africa-Press – Eswatini. Now that the new Cabinet is in place, there is no time to waste; not only assessing the challenges and defects in the respective ministries, but also giving vigorous attention to the opportunities.
The appalling deficiencies found in the Ministry of Health certainly yell out about what was an appalling lack of control of resources, but also reminding us that this isn’t the first time it’s happened in the public sector. But this time it has directly affected human lives; nothing is more serious. That forensic audit must be completed quickly and thoroughly, with the general public comprehensively assured that every guilty person is held fully accountable and fairly punished; and publicly, so as to deter others. So many lives have been lost that most people you meet know some person who died amid the challenges of drug shortages and the failure of the Phalala Fund.
Improve
This is an opportunity to improve financial control across all public services by including internal check procedures throughout each year. Not waiting for millions lost, and only discovered at the end of the year. ‘The stitch in time saves nine’. And reputable and independent external auditors – not civil servants – should be used for this exercise, thus augmenting the ex-post audit work of the auditor general. It’ll pay for itself many times over. Everything flows from economic growth. Government’s job is to help the private sector secure a competitive advantage over external competitors. So we import less and export more; that’s economic growth. But resources must be found to take rural dwellers out of subsistence farming – access to inputs, water and external markets being top priorities. A massive programme, especially attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), is needed for the adding of value to primary products, especially sugar and certain vegetables.
Then tackle the biggest wasted opportunity of the lot; a beautiful country with kind, friendly and largely peaceful people, many thousands of whom absolutely desperate for an income. What word screams out at this moment? It’s ‘tourism’ – you must have guessed it – with ‘niches’ the required focus. Sorry to dig into French for the most appropriate word. It means a segment of the market. In a landlocked country with vast areas of wonderful scenery, we answer the question with a question – what do more and more people think is one of the best ways of living longer?
Magnificent
The answer is EXERCISE, which in recent years has enjoyed a massive shift up the personal priority list for people across the world. There are millions of tourists wanting to walk and talk on trails in the wilds, gazing at magnificent scenery, while ramping up their pulse rate into the 100s; and on a decent surface so they don’t have to be watching their feet all the time to avoid an accident. So get them into Eswatini and get those trails cut! We have the scenery, the climate and the manpower – sorry, person power – to create walking trails in and among the many beautiful parts of our country; jobs for thousands of emaSwati in such projects, community-oriented in nature. And wonderful holidays for thousands; mainly walkers and bikers – even horseback riders – each segment with its own set of trails. With Eswatini becoming known in the tourism world as not only the Gem of Africa but also, given the hot external competition, the Chosen Gem of Africa.
As part and parcel of creating the competitive edge over our rivals elsewhere, government should encourage what are called ‘competitive alliances’ where trail providers team up with accommodation providers and transport providers, and strive to provide a highly competitive service to the tourist, even competing with other alliances around the country. Government’s responsibility is to promote and sustain an effective State/business relationship for the achievement of a private sector competitive edge over the outside world – providing the infrastructure, institutions, improved government services, education and health services. MALOP is a suitable acronym for Mistakes And Lost Opportunities, capturing Eswatini’s recent history in tourism activities. We’ve just been a transit tourist stop. Bushfire has been a successful niche. We should now be drawing to the table those who brought skill and creativity in holding such an internationally popular event; seeking their ideas to take the niche further and deeper, with longer tourist stays targeted.
Outsourced
In the case of trails tourism, we should also examine the impact of the EU-funded community tourism projects of 20 years ago. Tourism projects that involve large numbers of people in rural communities around the country tick every box in sight, but a critical review of those projects will reveal a mixed bag in terms of the real benefits brought to those rural dwellers. Without losing the financial benefits for the communities it may, in certain cases, improve performance if the actual day-to-day management is outsourced. Tourism is recognised globally as the economic sector that creates the most job opportunities. We have the beautiful and varied scenery with fascinating wildlife; the potential to become the walking paradise of the world. Government has to motivate and support the private sector; engage with existing trail operators to prepare a new strategic plan and implementation road map, and then provide the necessary infrastructure and other State/business enhancements.
Source: times
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