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DO THE RIGHT THING MR PM!

30/10/2018 04:07:00 The Editor

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We welcome the new Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Ambrose Dlamini, to office and we wish him success in carrying out the mammoth task that lies ahead of him. Dlamini possesses all the attributes required for the position to deliver on the mandate of the high office.

These qualities will need to hold him in good stead as his predecessor has not done him any favours by leaving behind a country virtually crawling on its knees economically, flooded with a myriad of social challenges and an empty vault. This while the public sector is in urgent need of a resolve to their two-year cost of living adjustments and the private sector awaiting government to come good on its multi-billion debt that has crippled business in this country.

Parliamentarians set the tone for what awaits by warning him to seek full cooperation and not confrontation in setting out to raise this country back on its feet. Today, the parliamentarians meet His Majesty the King after which possible candidates for cabinet positions will be identified. This is largely where the reign of the PM succeeds or fails. We wish to reiterate that the PM is spoilt for choice given the quality of the current crop of legislators.

However, we must caution that the country can do without several of these ministries whose duties can easily be incorporated into others to maximise efficiency while reducing expenditure. Doing so would serve as a strong statement of intent to do things differently as mandated by His Majesty the King at the cattle byre, Sibaya. It cannot be business as usual.

It is at Sibaya that sound advice was in good supply. PM Ambrose Dlamini could do well for himself and this country by becoming one of the very few PMs to ever listen to the people and implement the workable solutions that have always been on offer for the taking.

It is time for hard decisions Mr Dlamini. Hard decisions include putting aside all the projects that have no immediate benefit to the economy while concerted efforts are made to channel the meagre resources towards quick-win initiatives.

It is also time to deal harshly with - among many others - corruption, the unnecessary expansion of the security forces, uncontrolled travel, a free-for-all government fleet, unsustainable perks of Circular No 2 for politicians, as well as all the investor unfriendly regulations! Do the right thing Mr PM; our lives depend on it!