Opinion: Leadership get off the hook in the sunshine, but when it rains… it pours…

There is a reflection of our time, our day and this moment we are living in. We are seeing the true reflection of character, of values and priorities. The reflection of what counts and what is defaulting. We are seeing what counts and what falls.

There is no middle-ground in a crisis. There is golden route to the next destination in a hectic storm, a hurricane and a tornado. No, there is only a focus on how to hold on the boat, steady it and ensure your vessel get into shore. It will not be easy, this pass and the passage across the angry sea will not be without effort and hard-work. However, you got to hang in there and secure the personnel, secure the ropes and machine. Just to be sure, that you will get through and not caught in a wave. That is where we are passing right now.

We are in the midst of a storm, in the midsts of terrible winds. Where we are seeing people cast overboard, we can decide to move-on or try to save them. We can decide if we want to salvage the hurt or secure the weight of the boat. We have to count stock of the inventory and the possible timeline to the next port. So, we got enough time and food in the pantry to move along. That is where we are at.

This is not easy, especially when there is only a spoken few who is used to the sea onboard and the vessel isn’t that sturdy. This was build for the sunshine, not the rain. This boat of ours wasn’t built nor prepared with guidelines, legislation nor protocol. We have to trust the Captain, the main-deck, that their orders are good and will lead us ashore. We just have to trust and continue.

That is not easy. It will never be easy. That is why the great leaders will steer in the midst of winds and high waves. They will push through and give us hope. Even as everything seems dire, everything is grim. The fog, the wind and the waters seems more dark than ever before. Still, the Captain says the words and orders. You follow. You listen and take note. That is all you got to do. Because, you believe this man will take you there.

However, by that example. If the Captain is reckless, is beneath the office and beneath the character, which is needed. The boat will not be steady, the supply will run low and the moral will be dead. The ropes will not be taken care off and the course will be shifted. The risks are for failure even more astute. As the staff, the people are not prepared. The winds, the currents and the trust of leadership is breached. The ones onboard will fear the next turn, the next twist and the possible sinking gets there.

Because of this, the need for steady leadership is there. It is no other way out. This crisis needs that, it need the trust and understanding of the possible outcomes. An understanding of how to get away from the storm and get to port. Get ashore and be reassured along the way. Since, this sort of ride, this sort journey is hectic, nervousness and stressful. There is no short-cut, no way of turning around without getting the sea-water right in your face. That is where we are and we just got to deal with it.

Therefore, at this point of time. At this part of the journey, we will see the real leaders, we will see the Commanders among men and the ones who are followers. We will see the true ones destined to lead and the ones destined to failure. However, in this rain, we will see who gets a grip and who manoeuvrer quickly. Who has the courage and the ability to grasp the sincerity of the task at hand. That is what we will see.

The others will let the boat sink, they will let the vessel be damaged and hope someone else path up the hurt. That is not leading anything, but letting the buck stop and hoping someone else picks up the slack. That is mismanagement and destruction without taking responsibility. In reality, you see who has it and who doesn’t have it. Who can act upon the pressure and who collapse. Peace.

EFF Statement on the Financial Sector’s Deliberate Sabotage of the Lockdown (02.04.2020)

RDC: Societe Miniere de Bisunzu – Communique (02.04.2020)

Brexit: European Commission – Statement by the European Commission following the first meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee (30.03.2020)

Philippines: Anticipate rising rice prices ahead

In these times were living in, the Department of Agriculture or other authorities cannot monitor or control every avenue of the Republic. The President and his associates can issue and ask for the public to follow guidelines. However, this will be hard to follow in the days ahead. As the exports of rice from Vietnam will dwindle. Even as the DA has stockpiled enough for 75 days. There will still be questioned, as the public are on lockdown and people cannot move as they used too.

The Luzon is already under quarantine and under direct lockdown. While Mindanao isn’t under that yet. Still, this will stop the movement of rice and other goods. With this in mind and with the COVID-19 or Coronavirus outbreak. The most likely thing to happen, when the public are not allowed to cross checkpoints and leave their homes. The traders, the farmers and everyone involved will need to be compensated. This will make the process more expensive, as well as the ability to import rice from Vietnam and elsewhere will be harder too. With all of those pieces in mind, the price from farm-gate to the consumer will rise.

The DA can by all means, monitor and challenge the rises of prices. They can send out information about their stockpile and the previously bought stock of rise in 2019. However, now in 2020, as people are living and seeing the spread of virus. The stops, roadblocks and lack of imports will make the prices go up. That is common sense.

The stockpiling which was done is positive. That the DA has stocks for three months of ordinary supply is good. However, the ability to transfer, the ability to get the rice moved will be harder. When the army and police is guarding the barangays and the communities. This will hit it and the ports will not as open as before, because the state has already issued guidelines.

With all this in mind, the prices are most likely rising and the basic commodity of rice will go up. Even if the warning letters comes the way of the DA. They cannot stop the inevitable. This is not just scrupulous traders, but usual tendencies when situations like these transpire. If there becomes shortage in Zambonga Del Sur or del Norte. Expect the prices to sudden rise. That because the rice from the stockpile in Luzon isn’t arriving there. The rice from Davao isn’t crossing Mindanao, because of the social distancing and the authorities are blocking the movement. Which likely could happen too.

Even if the ASEAN partners wants to help, they still got their own neck to consider too in this crisis. COVID-19 is hitting worldwide and therefore, the damage is everywhere. Philippines will be hit like everyone else. In this instance with imports of rice, as Vietnam and Thailand is not doing as much as they did in the past. That will affect the prices and will limit the scope. As well, as the other travel advisory and other measures made across Asian nations in concern of exports an so-on.

The DA and the authorities means well, they are trying to signal positivity in the midst of a crisis. However, initial thoughts from me is that with a crisis like this the prices will rise. Unless, the state decrees the prices. They nationalize all parts the food-chain from the farmer to the consumer. Where every party has a fixed price and therefore the rice is costing a much as they set it to be. If they don’t do that, then the prices will spiral and go up. As the fear, the ability locally and in the Barangay’s can use their means to put it up. Since it is less movement, they can initiate a jump of prices and the national authorities cannot follow-up in all areas.

That is why this will most likely happen. It is a force of nature. Even with a giant stockpile. That stockpile is one place and not made across the Republic. The rural Barangay’s will not get their additional loads of rice quickly. Not in this time. Because, the state and authorities doesn’t have the capacity or ability to move that quick. Therefore, there will be change of prices and costs will go up. They can try to stagnate it, but if they wanted to control it. They should do so on decree and nationalize it. Peace.

EFF Statement on the Decision by Rating Agency Moody’s Investors Services to Downgrade South to ‘Junk Status’ (28.03.2020)

South Africa: National Treasury – Media Statement – Government’s response to the rating action of Moody’s investors Service (Moody’s) – (27.03.2020)

Opinion: Illegal trade of pangolins is the cause of this pandemic

Who knew a mammal like pangolins would cause this much pain and suffering. The illegal wild-life traders in Asia would bring these to small locations in Wet-Markets, where they sell wild creatures from all over the globe. So, that the Chinese elites can eat wild animals, which is supposed to bring luck and healing. While they are in closed off locations, where the animal diseases are spreading between the animals and also onto people. This is how we gotten the COVID-19 or Coronavirus, which we know of today.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) writes this about the Pangolins: “These solitary, primarily nocturnal animals, are easily recognized by their full armor of scales. A startled pangolin will cover its head with its front legs, exposing its scales to any potential predator. If touched or grabbed it will roll up completely into a ball, while the sharp scales on the tail can be used to lash out. Also called scaly anteaters because of their preferred diet, pangolins are increasingly victims of illegal wildlife crime—mainly in Asia and in growing amounts in Africa—for their meat and scales” (WWF – ‘Pangolin’).

In February 2020, the National Geographic had this report: “In China, where pangolins are strictly protected too, the government allows certain clinics and hospitals to sell pangolin scales for medicinal purposes. As of 2016, some 200 Chinese pharmaceutical companies were also allowed to manufacture more than 60 products containing pangolin scales, according to the China Food and Drug Administration’s online database. Officials say scales for medicinal use are distributed from a government stockpile, but China has never clarified how large the country’s stockpile is or where the scales came from. As the Wildlife Justice Commission reports, the medicinal system is likely being used to launder illegally obtained African pangolin scales into China’s legal domestic market” (Rachel Nuwer – ‘Illegal trade in pangolins keeps growing as criminal networks expand’ 11.02.2020, National Geographic).

When you have an issue like this and there is scientist saying the first bearer of the virus hitting the world comes from this mammal. That the pangolins are the ones who first carried it and had it. This is happening because we take the wild-life out of its habitat and put them into wet-markets for sale. Selling wild-life like other commodities and for traditional medicine. Instead of actually having scientific effects of the matter. Where they are then exposing their illnesses to both other animals and human beings too. That is why we’re living through this issue today.

This here should be a lesson to not support illegal wild-life trading. Stop trading of wild-life and in general, if possible let the wild-life live in the habitat they comes from or even be part of their natural surrounding. Not being taken away for their scales or their meat. Which has happen, where they was transported, put into small environment and made it possible for the virus to spread. This the reality and that is why COVID-19 got spread to new areas.

This is not just a Chinese problem. Even if they are the ones with the Wet-Market and the tradition of using pangolins as medicinal. Still, the illegal traders, poachers and the whole chain of people still active. They are ensuring their next check and their profitable transaction, as they know perfectly well, there is big business is selling this mammal to China. The Chinese isn’t alone this, this is also a problem in Vietnam as well. Therefore, it is only becoming evident because the virus started in Wuhan, China.

This here is a warning about the danger of this life-style. The pangolins are not made or living for medicinal exploits, neither healthy to use it in this way. As it causes a pandemic. Which shows they should stay in their habitat and become a commodity. Since, becoming a commodity, they also become a dangerous. A danger the world is now facing.

We can ask ourselves, is it worth risking humanity over transferring wild-life like this? The answer should be no. Not because we’re all green or climate change activists or all the above. However, because we care about the environment and out own well-being. Also, that the nature should run its course and we shouldn’t interfere with it, unless we know the consequences of our actions.

So, we now know what happens … and therefore, should stop the trading of pangolins, indefinitely. Peace.

Botswana: Suspension Sale of Liquor, Certain Trade and Gambling Licenses in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic (26.03.2020)

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe: Press Statement – Interventions in Response to the Financial Vulnerablities Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic (26.03.2020)