How State Could Have Spent Our Money Better

By giving the green light for Phase 2 of the Midlands Dam during the last 5 years. Phase 1 cost USD 60 million (Rs1.8 billion) and took Lahmeyer International 3 years to build. That increased our water storage capacity by 40% in 2003. Phase 2 would have added another 17 million cubic metres or 20% more. That would have set us back by about Rs1.2 billion or 25% of the amount the STC claims it lost on hedging but it would have reduced frustration levels and saved a few billions in lost economic output this year alone.

But we have to understand that government was busy ripping us off with abusive retail energy prices and broadcasting dumb propaganda. Plaisir quand tu me tiens...

Economy Could Grow By Only 2% in 2011

Or about half the current forecast of 4.2% because of how dumb we've become managing things in general and water in particular. See Minister Beebeejaun is saying that we are facing a 1-in-40 year drought which is exactly what the authorities said to us in 1999 when lower than usual rainfall cut economic growth by 50%.

True the Midlands dam came to life in 2003 but we have to remember that our economy has grown by a third since then. And I don't think it's possible at all to shower with the Mo Ibrahim Index rankings.

Drama in the Mara

But not the kind that gets played there every day. Nope. Eastern Africa is two rainy seasons short so that many animals are dying and livelihoods are under attack. Which would explain why the wildebeests pictured above safely travelled between the Mara River and the Serengeti several times a day without meeting any ton-heavy Nile crocodiles.