MAKE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES

 Sir,

The Kingdom of Eswatini should be productive for the benefit of its people, not foreigners. However, it is heartbreaking that we own profitable and expensive commodities yet the economy still suffers. It is unfortunate that there are benefits that we should be enjoying as a country but we are not.

We are supposed to be making millions right now and significantly shifting our trade position globally due to the presence of natural resources which have been there for years in our own land.
The sad scenario is that currently, we are being robbed of the riches that should be making our lives better. We are being robbed in broad daylight.

Initiative

Foreigners feast on Eswatini riches because we are not taking the initiative to claim what is rightfully ours. Perhaps the reason is lack of expertise or proper training of qualified citizens who would otherwise be good owners of such reserves. The economy is in the hands of foreign investors, who by the way have every right not to care about us because they were not born here.

This is a huge blow for Eswatini because it means we can only afford employment as cheap labour working under pressure through contracts, while skilled labour positions are taken by the foreigners since they are the experts.

Improves

This, in the end, improves the lives of the foreign people and their countries while we continue swimming in abject poverty and struggling to support our families.
However, there is a saying that there is always a chance to correct mistakes of the past and start to do things right. I believe as a country we are now clear of the reasons why our economy is facing challenges.

It therefore means that wise approaches should be implored and carefully considered so that emaSwati can inevitably benefit from local resources.
Of course, this should be done without discouraging foreign investment because in the end we all need each other as countries and citizens of the world.

Department

Our government should enforce laws on foreign-owned companies locally, which ensure that at least two out of six people in each department or skilled labour are locals.
EmaSwati with relevant skills should be empowered to take initiatives for such projects, especially through fair and professional structures instead of corruption and favour.

Relevant organisations and stakeholders should provide training for locals who have certain professions to expose them to field work, thus making professional employment easier to achieve.

Ms Phiwa Lerato Bhembe

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