Garret the Good wants more economists

I laughed til' I cried when I read in this morning's Irish Tripe, Garret twittering on about the need for loads and loads more economists in the Department of Finance. Maybe I have become harsh and maybe he is trying to be kind pretenting that there is a skill shortage in that area which is being ignored to soften the blow for the scores of unemployed economics graduates their sad parents.

Garret explained that he didn't have his usual Data Bank (no doubt electronic and very complicated and can only be operated by very intelligent people like him) so he could now give an opinion about the important and complicated work that economists him do ( in between betting their shirts on disasterous floatations like GPA and forgetting about valuable art work in the attic). There are lots of economists around, well there were up to a few weeks ago, Dan and gang have gone into hiding, some have been laid off, others are seeking refuge in academia with a few government nixers, poor old Leo is hoarse can't get anyone to do a vox pop.

You have to hand it to them, they predicted the end of the construction boom ( now we all know how complicated, technical and sophisticated that was), pity none of them predicted a global downturn. The fact is they are only sure something is going to happen after it happens.

New Year's Eve in Harare

Electricity goes again, off we go to the substation where we were sent to yet another industrial estate. We easily find where the action is a man holding court at a desk in the yard, major discussions with a well dressed man pleading his case as to why his electricity should be turned back on. We clearly had what was required so Gaza (a great footballer appearently ) and Shazmo were dispatched with us. We quickly found our local junction box, Gaza opens it half the innards were melted with a quick insertion of a piece of wire the necessary sparks and we with power again. Gaza's phone rang (the mobile network is still quite good) it was the ministers office and off he had to go and fix a diplomats electricity, not before accepting a gift of a few dollars. Single US dollars are in short supply and are very useful in situations like this.

Best to cook in future at midday too much demand on the electricity in the evening. Still can get over the girls' names Sudden, Storm, Marvellous, I have not come across River and Leaf yet.

The architecture in Harare is superb, red brick columns and cast iron and of course like Belfast during the troubles there are well to do suberbs. I feel a lot safer here than in Dorset Street. Climate is also superb does'nt have oppressive heat due to the elevation. Only when you are on the ground that you realise than the Mozambique coastline is only five hours drive away, if you feel like a swim in the Ocean.

I met John Malone from Finglas, he has been here since 1970, has all the angles on how to make a living out here. A bit like a Buy n'Sell lifestyle in a nicer climate.
Zimbabwe is still one of the most comfortable places to live in Africa.


The battery is runnng low so I'll exit and return to this wireless area shortly.