On the Free Shoes Business; It is difficult to support the free school feeding programme and then oppose the free shoes for school kids programme. In principle, they are different sides of the same coin. BUT; I have a big issue with the state setting up a factory to produce the shoes for the children and also for the military. Our history is replete with examples of the state being useless at managing businesses. Whilst Ambassador, Continental and City Hotels were run to the ground, Movenpic, Golden Tulip and City Hotels which grew from their respective ashes, are flourishing. STC is in distress whilst VIP grows from strength to strength. State Housing Corporation is defunct, and Regimanuel Estates keeps growing. The list goes on and on. The underlying problem is simple. Cronyism, corruption, nepotism etc are the order of the day in state businesses. Useless people are put on state boards solely due to political patronage. Managers fear to stand up to big men in government for obvious reasons. I want to have faith in DIHOC, but I am wary. Schools and the military will have no choice but to order from them. No competition, and no matter the quality. It would have made more sense for government to encourage the private sector to supply the footwear and then tax them. However well-intentioned, DIHOC may become a byword for corruption. Remember SADA? I remain ardent in my view that government has no business managing business.
Posted on: Tue, 06 May 2014 17:26:21 +0000