But of course job creation has to be the government's priority in the long term. Which can be done by investing in projects that create sustainable jobs and provide a perpetual return on investment, the proceeds from which can then be reinvested.
Resources are scarce and projects have to be prioritised to projects that create sustainable jobs, improve people's quality of life.
There is no strategy, no vision, no plan and no prioritising. We are talking about a place that has almost no industry to speak of, that produces no goods of its own and that exports very little, that has no formal economy or jobs to speak of, that has no tax base. We need to invest in projects and initiatives that will result in currency inflows, job creation, taxation income and other forms of return on investment, in perpetuity, which could then be utilised to invest in either in infrastructure projects or more revenue-generating investments. Government can't invest in infrastructure if it has no way of generating revenue because there is no tax base, because there are no formal jobs, because there is very little in the way of formal economic activity. Solution? invest in revenue generating job creating projects.
Here are just some of things they can and should be doing. Somaliland's 'government' supposedly has an annual budget of
$250 million, if it used even 10% ($25m) a year on job-creating investments in the following industries, the country could be transformed in the space of 5 or 10 years and THOUSANDS of jobs could be created:
- Invest in a fishing fleet transportation; storage, freezing, processing and transportation facilities. Create jobs. Earn hard currency though exporting the catch. The government can tax the operations of the entity. Revenues can be re-investing in either enlarging the operations of the entity, improving the technologies and operational methods, branding & marketing, entering new markets or in new industries altogether. We have easy access to the Saudi/UAE/Asian markets and the daily catch can be on restaurant plates in Dubai, Riyadh, Mumbai within 4 hours.
- Invest in mechanised abattoirs & tannaries on the outskirts of the major cities, storage, freezing, processing and transportation facilities. Create jobs. Earn hard currency though exporting the products. The government can tax the operations of the entity. Revenues can be re-investing in either enlarging the operations of the entity, improving the technologies and operational methods, branding & marketing, entering new markets or in new industries altogether.
- Invest in light manufacturing of imported consumer goods that can be produced or assembled within the county even if we have to import the required raw materials e.g. shoes, clothes, furniture, construction materials, foodstuffs, flour mills, edible oils etc.
- Invest in a small power plant (solar, wind, coal) dramatically bring down the price of electricity and encourage light manufacturing. Build power lines to the major cities, with the support of donors/friendly nations.
- Invest in in farming in fetile parts of Awdal/Waqooyi galbeed/the South, significantly increase the land under cultivation, drill wells to irrigate those farms, get the universities & professionals with the requisite technical knowledge to improve agricultural methods; bring in drip irrigation, bring in fertilizers and encourage import substitution of whatever produce can be produced domestically. Improve food security, reduce food prices, improve peoples quality of lives, create jobs. Earn hard currency though exporting the products. The government can tax the operations of the entity. Revenues can be re-investing in either enlarging the operations of the entity, improving the technologies and operational methods, branding & marketing, entering new markets or in new industries altogether
- Nationalise all universities (ban all non-government owned universities) and create a government funded independent univeristy. Invest in a proper university/research institute that has a modern campuses, is fully equipped and that employs the most qualified, experienced and talented members of the Somali diaspora. The university should have faculties for applied sciences/technology/engineering/medical sciences&technologies, medicine/nursing/midwifery, economics/business/sociology, religious studies/Somali history/Somali literature. This university/research institute should: provide excellent teaching, free of charge, to all qualified students. This university should also conduct cutting-edge problem-solving based research to address the technological/economic/social/health issues within the country and come up with practical solutions and authoritative recommendations. The university should have close links with and directly work with companies/industry/schools/hospitals/government departments.
BUT OF COURSE THE MINISTERS WILL NOT DO ANY OF THESE THINGS!!! INSTEAD THEY DO FUCK ALL 360 DAYS OF THE YEAR AND COME TO THE AIRPORT TO GREET VISITING FOREIGNERS 5 DAYS A YEAR. I'm done
