Cape- Verde: From Hero to Zero
How
did we ever reach this point? When did we lose all sense of decorum? How did we
come from the noble ideals of Amilcar Cabral, of creating a fair, educated and
prosperous society, to one that does not hesitate to sacrifice the interests of
all, including the health and welfare of future generations, for the benefit of
half a dozen people?
And
yet, here we are. In a heartbeat, without any pangs of conscience, the
government and the major opposition party have brazenly done it.
On
January 12 2018, a decree was issued by the Cape Verdean government backed up
by the major opposition party, whereby, taxes on milk imports were risen from
5% to 20% and up to 35% on other by-products such as yoghurt an cream.
One
would assume, under the circumstances, that this would be done to protect an
existing or infant dairy industry where the country would have some kind of
comparative advantage. These would be the only condition under which this could
be acceptable and justifiable to the
population, as ultimately, tariffs tend to benefit domestic producers and
government at the expense of consumers. Whether this be the case or not, it is undeniably questionable from an
ethical point of view and strongly reeks of underhand dealings and corruption.
Though
this is the very last o my concerns, I would love to have WTO’s take on this
suspicious piece of legislation.
Such
undertakings would be understandable though, if the country could expect to
derive any economic or social advantage out of this "move" in the
short, medium or long-term. As things stand, it appears rather unlikely. At
this point in time, Cape-Verde does not have one single comparative advantage in
this sector. None whatsoever.
Let's
see:
The
milk processing proposed by this new factory, whose former administrator is now
the Minister of Finance, entails imports of powder milk from uncertain origin
which is then mixed with water - either desalinated or from the drying and
dying sources[1] - packed in equally imported
packages.
As a
result, we are running on traceability 0 and deceptive
information since no mention of the fact that it is actually a reconstituted
milk is made. These facts alone constitute, from the outset, breaches of the
law 24/2009, art 1'a) which stipulates the obligation of explaining the nature
of the product.
Furthermore,
as it stands now, there is, noticeably, no import substitution objective, but
rather replacement of imports with one and one only purpose; enriching a
handful of individuals to the detriment of the entire population of the islands.
According
to a specialist in the matter, this reconstituted milk contains less nutrients
(vitamins B, Zink and Selenium and phosphorus, for instance) which are
fundamental to maintain a healthy population. And yet, the knowledge of this
has not prevented the government and opposition from voting a sizable increase
of taxation on milk imports for the benefit of concocting a milk of lesser
quality and artificially cheaper.
Sadly,
the great majority of the population will, for economic reasons and unawareness
of the long-term implications, opt for the acquisition of this mixture instead
of the nutritious alternative. The health consequences will, hopefully - those
who made the decision, must think, if bothered at all to do so- be way
down the line. The health bill or even possibly life costs, are too far away
for anyone to remember, let alone holding them accountable.
I am,
personally, utterly shocked at the deceitfulness, the total lack of social
responsibility and duty of care from the people we have elected. I am so
profoundly shaken, that I have hardly been able of thinking of anything else in
the last few days.
Without
any intention of casting stones, I cannot help being dumbfounded by the
SCREAMING SILENCE of the doctors, nutritionists, lawyers and consumer
protection organisations - to mention but a few - in this God-forsaken
land. It is as if we were under a spell, as if we had been transformed
into zombies plodding along without ever looking at what is going on, without
even noticing the damages being done. Have we, irreversibly been numbed into
total apathy?
I did
not mention, you may have noticed, the mass media. It is, sadly, no lapse. The
reality is that they are nonexistent. They are mere resonance boxes of the
successive governments with no expression of their own worth mentioning.
I,for
one, will never buy or knowingly consume such an offence and insult to the people of
Cape-Verde.
[1] These
are speculations based on the possibilities offered by the country water
resources for, the consumers are yet to be graced, in the packaging, with any
information concerning the origins of the ingredients.
How
did we ever reach this point? When did we lose all sense of decorum? How did we
come from the noble ideals of Amilcar Cabral, of creating a fair, educated and
prosperous society, to one that does not hesitate to sacrifice the interests of
all, including the health and welfare of future generations, for the benefit of
half a dozen people?
And
yet, here we are. In a heartbeat, without any pangs of conscience, the
government and the major opposition party have brazenly done it.
On
January 12 2018, a decree was issued by the Cape Verdean government backed up
by the major opposition party, whereby, taxes on milk imports were risen from
5% to 20% and up to 35% on other by-products such as yoghurt an cream.
One
would assume, under the circumstances, that this would be done to protect an
existing or infant dairy industry where the country would have some kind of
comparative advantage. These would be the only condition under which this could
be acceptable and justifiable to the
population, as ultimately, tariffs tend to benefit domestic producers and
government at the expense of consumers. Whether this be the case or not, it is undeniably questionable from an
ethical point of view and strongly reeks of underhand dealings and corruption.
Though
this is the very last o my concerns, I would love to have WTO’s take on this
suspicious piece of legislation.
Such
undertakings would be understandable though, if the country could expect to
derive any economic or social advantage out of this "move" in the
short, medium or long-term. As things stand, it appears rather unlikely. At
this point in time, Cape-Verde does not have one single comparative advantage in
this sector. None whatsoever.
Let's
see:
- Cape
Verde has no milk producing cattle, or cattle all, in actual fact.
- Most
of its land is dry and bare and almost bereft of grazing land. The average
arable land in Cabo Verde, which also includes grazing land,
was 12.41 as of 2015. Its highest value over the past 54 years was 13.65 in
2013, while its lowest value was 9.43 in 1961).
-
Water is scarce and most of the population only has access to desalinated
water.
The
milk processing proposed by this new factory, whose former administrator is now
the Minister of Finance, entails imports of powder milk from uncertain origin
which is then mixed with water - either desalinated or from the drying and
dying sources[1] - packed in equally imported
packages.
As a
result, we are running on traceability 0 and deceptive
information since no mention of the fact that it is actually a reconstituted
milk is made. These facts alone constitute, from the outset, breaches of the
law 24/2009, art 1'a) which stipulates the obligation of explaining the nature
of the product.
Furthermore,
as it stands now, there is, noticeably, no import substitution objective, but
rather replacement of imports with one and one only purpose; enriching a
handful of individuals to the detriment of the entire population of the islands.
According
to a specialist in the matter, this reconstituted milk contains less nutrients
(vitamins B, Zink and Selenium and phosphorus, for instance) which are
fundamental to maintain a healthy population. And yet, the knowledge of this
has not prevented the government and opposition from voting a sizable increase
of taxation on milk imports for the benefit of concocting a milk of lesser
quality and artificially cheaper.
Sadly,
the great majority of the population will, for economic reasons and unawareness
of the long-term implications, opt for the acquisition of this mixture instead
of the nutritious alternative. The health consequences will, hopefully - those
who made the decision, must think, if bothered at all to do so- be way
down the line. The health bill or even possibly life costs, are too far away
for anyone to remember, let alone holding them accountable.
I am,
personally, utterly shocked at the deceitfulness, the total lack of social
responsibility and duty of care from the people we have elected. I am so
profoundly shaken, that I have hardly been able of thinking of anything else in
the last few days.
Without
any intention of casting stones, I cannot help being dumbfounded by the
SCREAMING SILENCE of the doctors, nutritionists, lawyers and consumer
protection organisations - to mention but a few - in this God-forsaken
land. It is as if we were under a spell, as if we had been transformed
into zombies plodding along without ever looking at what is going on, without
even noticing the damages being done. Have we, irreversibly been numbed into
total apathy?
I did
not mention, you may have noticed, the mass media. It is, sadly, no lapse. The
reality is that they are nonexistent. They are mere resonance boxes of the
successive governments with no expression of their own worth mentioning.
I,for
one, will never buy or knowingly consume such an offence and insult to the people of
Cape-Verde.
[1] These
are speculations based on the possibilities offered by the country water
resources for, the consumers are yet to be graced, in the packaging, with any
information concerning the origins of the ingredients.
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