HOW DOLLAR CRISES WILL WIDEN DR. RIEK’S SMILE
5 min readBy Kon Joseph Leek, Juba, South Sudan
April 18, 2016 (SSB) —- Despite the facts that our Pound is improving against the Dollar since last week, goods are still climbing higher in prices or maintaining their prices, they are not flexing with the change in Dollar rate. Things have never been good economically since mid-last year. All these started with the global fall in fuel prices, then threats of sanctions by Troika and fully implemented by the devaluation of South Sudanese pounds against the dollar
The president of Nigeria Mohammadu Buharu termed it as “murdering of Naira (Nigeria currency)” when he was advised to devalue it (Naira) due to drop in fuel prices. The bitter part climaxed in December when the authority devalued and floated the currency with black market’s dollar price. So, it became, and still is the black market regulating the Central Bank instead of the status quo!
With big illiterate population of the country, they couldn’t or was hard to understand how fall in fuel price as well as the said sanctions could affect the economy
When the currency got devalued, the crash was now felt. Taxi fare changed from 1ssp to 5ssp, small mineral water from 1ssp to 4ssp and now at 6ssp and so on and so forth
The prices of goods increased and the salaries still down, this made the government to rethink and increased the salaries by what they called 300% increment though it calculates to less of that
Many thought, any month after January would not be reached due to the climbing prices of goods but as time goes, people adjusted themselves to the new situation. Only the buttocks of many are erased in the process but people are swimming with the tide. There is no change without inconvenience anyway!
As of Dr. Riek, being opponent in something, nothing stops one to smile against the other when he is befallen by an appalling thing. You celebrate because it is increasing your chances of winning against the other. Of course he would comment against it, deploring the situation South Sudanese are in but giggling inside
Things have never been too bad in South Sudan until fuel crises, and things have never been too bad until the Troika’s threats of sanctions which I believe they have
They (Troika) have in several times talked of withdrawing their aid(s) unless the government commits itself to the implementation of peace which they (government) seemed to have ignored
With Troika sticking to its threats, the government began moving swiftly to implementation leaving the ball rolling in the IO’s side, and they (IOs) are now dashing up to be angels in the eyes of the Troika just like the government
By asking the views of the civilians whose majority seemed to have not wanted Riek back last year, they would simply tell you that it is Riek who is now spoiling this country for he is delaying to come to Juba because they believe that his arrival to Juba would reduce Dollar price against Pound and this would better their life
The Dollar rate came down to 310ssp (and it now moves between 260-280ssp) from 430ssp on the day the third badge of IO’s arrived in Juba. This made many locals to believe that IOs and Riek, through Troika really have something to do with our Pound against the Dollar. The government is very quiet to say that or something close to that!
According to Sudan tribune’s report on 6th of this month, it says that, after the arrival of Riek and formation of TGoNU, the TGoNU with IMF (International Monetary Fund) and World Bank will sit and discuss the economic crises.
Perhaps things becomes better after the sitting of the above teams, then this would automatically make people believe that Riek’s arrival has change things and this would reciprocate any negative perception against him and that would be the start of his fame and heroism unless the government comes up and tell the people it is governing something in order to save its trust otherwise Riek’s fame will start with Dollar in case Pound improves against it
What few know is, this economic crisis was caused by the Troika as a pressure to fasten peace implementation and if that is it, then that is not what South Sudanese knows. It is attributed to the weaknesses of the government through corruption and nepotism. Unless the government comes up clearly and officially tell us the truth of devaluation and floating
Looking at those toothless, half naked Nilotic boys regulating the Central Bank through their filthy black market, you immediately can’t stop worrying, and you can’t also blame anyone blaming the government on economic crises.
You just tell us what you didn’t tell us to save your fame
The writer is a commentator on South Sudan’s contemporary issues; Reach him on j.konleek@gmail.com
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