|
There are many
things that worry the Gecko these days and the lack of real estate
investment by the so called “Indigenous Zambians” is one of them.
Look around you -
how much has the Zambian invested say, in creating employment on a
large scale?
How many of the
structures that you see in major towns belong to Zambians?
The answer is
obvious – very little because many of them were built by a
parastatal organisation or, as the story goes, “by the colonial
masters”.
The Gecko has
observed from the mad houses that many a Zambian who ‘claims’ to be
affluent will generally have a string of posh cars, what they call a
nice house, a chain of “house servants”, kids attending good schools
here and abroad. And when sick evacuated to some clinic…
The Gecko’s heart
bleeds with sorrow at the mention of clinics and schools.
It’s mostly about
the self. Self, self, selfish…
The source of
income will generally be a business of sorts which returns do not
justify his/her life-style.
There is
something wrong here and if you stay with me you will see my point.
The problem in
Zambia unlike say, Libya or any other country in Africa on the mend
economically, is that there are very few people running genuine
businesses.
There are too
many businesses surviving on money laundering. Money dubiously got,
is ‘cleaned’ and used to support some fancy lifestyle. Because the
people behind this ill-gotten wealth are not serious business
persons, they rarely think of investing in tangible projects.
Take for instance
– Manda Hill. Did it have to take some foreign businessmen to build
a ‘shopping mall’ and start importing veggies from down South for
Zambians to wake to the task of venturing into this business?
If you are a ‘big
shot’, ask yourself, what you have done for Zambia in terms of real
estate investment. I mean the kind that adds value to a country?
Are you the big
shot that talks about his millions in the bank, but has failed to
invest in manufacturing, agriculture, transport or even tourism? How
genuine is your business and how developed is it?
One thing that
you people forget is that the wealth of a country is also measured
by the structures that have been built. Roads blah, blah, blah
inclusive. An additional building on the scale of Findeco, Society
(though not the real situation example) or Farmers’ House will do
well to enhance a country’s beauty and wealth and not the chaos you
are seeing around you. If you Zambians, forget colour here, cannot
invest in real businesses and structures, foreign investors will not
do it for you. Why blame chain stores that have come in and taken
over buildings that were left vacant at the demise of parastatals?
Business is about
patience, hard work, perseverance, a little prayer and not always
making a fast buck at all.
There are stories
of Zambians with off-shore accounts, money in Switzerland, Zurich,
the America’s – you name them.
But what good
does this do to you, when you have not cultivated the culture of
real estate investment and off-shore banking. You cannot even enjoy
your money at home. You will never enjoy your monies abroad and in
plush places where people do not know how to say hello.
You being swarthy
is a different story and ball game all together. Unless it is proven
beyond doubt that your money is clean. Ask your fellow businessmen
and women from say India, China, Nigeria, the defunct Eastern Europe
or better still the West. They remember to invest back home. In
real estate no doubt.
Zambia needs
massive investment in all sectors of the economy. Foreign investors
must team up with the locals and pool money for a common good. What
is unacceptable is the trend of using Zambians as fronts, while the
money bag remains in foreign hands.
Zambians and
other interested parties in this beautiful country should be in the
fore front of building this nation and no one else. The story in the
developed world is a lesson for every Zambian – that one must be
selfless and have a bigger picture of life. This picture is one of a
patriot, who puts country before self and the family. Yes, it all
starts from the family into the community and then the entire
nation.
The best way to
share ones wealth is to invest into tangible projects which will
give an orphan here and another vulnerable person there a job and
some sense of pride which incidentally is slowly been lost in this
country of plenty. This action replicated on a wider scale, by those
who have the means will benefit an entire nation and not just an
individual.
Further, stop
corruption and bickering on empowerment when greed is put first.
If this is done,
perhaps, then the worries of the Gecko will be lessened especially
those concerning INVESTMENT, IN REAL ESTATE. |
June
2006