Wafflers are waffling

At some point we have to stop this silly business of waffling about foreign direct investment every time there is some government policy we don’t like.

Muckraker is hostile to the curfew but she cannot stomach people who claim it will scare off foreign investors.

This fearmongering has been in overdrive since the curfew was announced.

Even people who cannot spell their names under pressure are talking about the curfew spooking foreign investors.

You hear such tosh on radio and social media.

Some charlatans (read that as journalists) have found ways to sneak this crippled narrative into newspapers under the guise of news and analysis.

What investors? From where? Doing what here?

And how come those investors were not queuing at the border to come here before the curfew? When was the last time you saw any company started by a foreign investor in Lesotho?

Let it be known today that the economy of this country is not driven by foreign investors but by local small businesses that employ nearly 200 000 people.

Just because some illiterates in the previous governments insisted on calling those businesses “the informal sector” doesn’t change the fact that they are the anchor of this economy.

Those waiting for foreign investors to change this country’s economic fortunes are either hallucinating or smoking something illegal.

There is no one coming to create jobs for us. We are on our own.

Muckraker hopes this government of self-acclaimed entrepreneurs understands this reality and start supporting its people instead of perambulating around the globe and grovelling for money that doesn’t come.

And one more thing. Businesses should stop pretending that they were formed to create jobs.

Those in the businesses selling beer and tobacco are claiming the new levies will lead to massive job losses. They elevate this job issue as if their core business is to create employment or they care about their workers.

Nonsense! Business is about profit. If they can make more money without employees they would.

Nka! Ichuuuuuuuuuuu!

muckraker.post@gmail.com