Adopting rand could improve our economy

EDITOR — Minister Walter Mzembi conducted himself well and professionally on BBC HARDtalk with Sarah Montague. The minister was well prepared and rehearsed for tough questions which HARDtalk is known for.

He did not allow himself to be placed in a corner and was very candid about the manner in which the Zimbabwean Government conducts its business.

The minister represented his portfolio well and this is good for our tourism industry. The international community must see the quality and competence of our public officials.

Minister Mzembi would not be competing for the UNWTO post if he was not a qualified and competent individual and his showing on HARDtalk illustrated this to the world.

One thing that caught my attention was the talk of Zimbabwe adopting the rand as a currency and joining the Rand Monetary Union. Like the minister, I think this would be a good move as it would make us more competitive in the region.

The dollar is great for those who want to import, but currently our cost of production is high which then affects our export prices. Adopting the rand would mean that we can fix some of these issues and make our goods cheaper when exporting particularly to countries that will give us the greenback.

Another thing is I think this would be a good move for our tourism industry. It would make visiting Zimbabwe cheaper and also encourage the influx of foreign currency.

I believe that in supporting this move, Minister Mzembi also had this vision.

The rand is already part of the basket of currencies in Zimbabwe right now, but people need to be encouraged to use it ahead of the dollar.