WHAT IS IN STORE FOR THE FUTURE?

The country has the potential to generate enough foreign revenue to clear its debt if it takes the ganja industry seriously. New revelations have shown that the industry has brought significant revenue to states in North America and other countries to help alleviate their debt problems. The results of the debt management strategy indicate that risks associated with foreign currency debt will remain high, but is expected to fall by 2020. They project that total foreign currency debt will fall to 60 per cent of total debt by 2020 and foreign currency domestic debt to six per cent of total debt.

Plus the following risks to the macroeconomic framework: I Revenue and economic growth weaker than projected; I Fiscal risks – wage settlements, unbudgeted expenditures, judicial awards, public private partnerships;

Exogenous shocks causing fiscal slippage;

Increases in international commodity prices that could drive the domestic inflation rate upwards, in particular, rebounding global oil prices that could adversely affect the cost of energy; I Sustained reduction in the NIR; I A deterioration in the international trade balance; I Higher than projected depreciation of the local currency vis-àvis major international currencies; I Increase in unemployment; and I Extended and severe drought conditions and poor farming practices