M'DALAS REPORTOne of our Mdalas who wishes not to be named but who is a very well known and respected M'dala, has very kindly sent in the following snippets gleaned from recent copies of the Financial Gazette. Many thanks for this.
1. British Government has recently released secret documents after the mandatory 30 years secret period. Of particular interest is the fruitless discussion of Rhodesian Independence. The British Prime Minister, being completely frustrated with the stubborn Ian Smith, eventually told him he might as well go home and get on with his U.D.I.. So it was the British Government who floated the idea and gave Ian Smith the "green light" to go ahead!
2. Flower exports to Holland are currently published at a value of Zim$ 10 million per week.
3. A recently established fish farm at Charara on Lake Kariba is now exporting individually packaged bream to U.S.A. at Zim $ 1.5 million per month.
4. The cheetah is now a "problem animal" in the cattle ranching areas of the lowveld. Cheetah are being captured and released on the Matusadonna area near Kariba where there is an over population of their favourite food, the Impala. One of the translocation camps is on Fothergill Island.
5. The Chigarira National Park is being threatened by the proposal of a new thermal power station on the adjacent Sengwe South coalfield.
6. Another new luxury hotel is being built at Victoria Falls, making now seven hotels in and around Victoria Falls.
7. The target for this years tobacco crop was an increase of 7% over last year. This may not be realised because of the very erratic rainy season.
8. The planting rains did not really get under way until late December, so most crops will require rain through to March and April in order to achieve even moderate yields. In any event some areas are already classified as drought stricken.
9. C.A.B.S. is suing an African businessman for $2.1 million, so his fancy Borrowdale mansion which cost $15million to build will be sold. Are you looking for a bargain??
10. There are reports of extensive corruption in the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. It is said that some individuals there were actually receiving financial benefits from the sale of Rhino horn. A sad situation indeed!