It’s not too late to make right decisions

Madam,

Despite all the socio-political issues we are faced with as a nation, we should not stop imagining and re-imagining how a perfect Eswatini looks like in our eyes. On occasion, I do allow myself to draw out and picture a bird’s eye view of what country I would like to live in and bring up my children. There is a lot to work that needs to be done.

We live in a country with only slightly over a million people. That’s not too many people to take care of now, not so? We have tracts and tracts of arable land, flowing rivers and several dams that can support a thriving agro-economy. We have a reasonably well functioning transport system, comparably speaking, that can support a thriving private sector that should be able to leverage on an export-based economy.

Our population is relatively young and provides a healthy workforce to drive this economy. We are also rich in mineral resources and more continue to be discovered. The nation also boasts a rich cultural heritage and scenery that attracts scores of tourists every year. The tourism industry is ripe to take the world by storm. Until recently, the country had a reputation for being one of the most ‘peaceful’ countries in the world. We really have all the ingredients to be that utopic country.

With all the resources we have, we have no reason to be where we are as a country. There is no reason at all why our education system should not be the best in the region, with competitive colleges and universities that attract international students and academic staff alike.

With so little people to take care of, our health system should be one of the best in the world. We should be able to afford high-end medication and medical facilities for our people. Our unemployment rate should not be anywhere near the figures we are standing at. Not only should we be food secure, we should be the food basket of the region. There should not be a reason for our people to live on handouts from international partners as is the case. Our road system should be the best in the region.

GREED, POOR SPENDING

Sadly, that is not where we are as a country. The reason for that is greed and terrible spending habits by those in authority. Our priorities, as a country, are so warped and social spending is always placed at the altar of lavishness and vanity. We deserve far better than this and we should keep asking ourselves how long we intend to keep eating the crumbs of our hard work and true worth.

For this country to achieve its true potential, we need to completely overhaul our systems and way of thinking. No country has ever achieved true prosperity without a well-functioning government and sound leadership with proper checks and balances. If we continue to operate the way we do, let’s forget about a better future for our people. We can expect the strife we have come to be accustomed with to intensify. Ever so optimistic, I hope our leaders will have a change of heart this year. It is still not too late to make the right decisions for the common good. Our leaders can still put emaSwati, not just a few individuals, first.

Son of Eswatini