Uganda: Statement on Escalating Fuel Prices of Petroleum Products by Minister of Energy and Mineral Development (20.11.2018)

Zimbabwe: Citizens’ Cabinet – Statement on the Proposal of a Foreign Currency Utilisation Monitoring Mechanism (19.11.2018)

EFF Letter to Pravin Gordhan MP: South African Revenue Service Irregular, Unlawful and Criminal Activities (07.11.2018)

The ERG dream of a Super-Canada Deal: The ERG dream will not end the Brexit Nightmare!

The European Research Group (ERG) dropped a paper today, a 7 pages slice of paper, which is as thick as many of the prequel documents of Her Majesty’s Government before the Draft Withdrawal Agreement that was published last week.

The last week has been terrible for the Prime Minister Theresa May and her Cabinet. The resignations, the added no-confidence letters and the whole chaos from within. As the United Kingdom are supposed to vote for this Draft Agreement next week. While that is happening, the ERG, which is between 70 or 80 Conservative MPs. They dropped their document. Showing what they are thinking about the agreement.  What the “Your Right to Know: The Case against Chequers and the Draft Withdrawal Agreement in plain English” says are “We would hand over £39 billion of taxpayer’s money with nothing guaranteed in return” (…) “The UK will remain a ‘rule taker’ over large areas of EU law. The UK will continue to be bound by EU laws in vital areas such as social policy, environmental policy and employment policy, i.e will obey EU laws, but have no further influence over how they are drafted” (…) “No exit from a ‘backstop’ Customs Union. The agreement establishes a ‘joint committee’ which will oversee the UK’s ability to proceed to a future trade relationship” (…) “The Agreement creates internal borders within the UK. Northern Ireland would become a ‘rule taker’ in further areas such as goods, agricultural products and VAT compared to the rest of the UK” (…) “The European Court of Justice (ECJ) will remain in control of the agreement and large areas of EU law directly effective in the UK” (ERG, P: 2, 2018).

All of this has been said by many others and was expected to key arguments by the ERG. They are wanting full sovereign United Kingdom outside the European Union. However, they are not coming with solutions and how it will pan out. They complain that the Withdrawal Agreement and its content. But the ERG Notes are not specific in where the Brexiteers will solve the matter with the EU or within the UK itself. They have one way, but that doesn’t measures the reality of leaving the Union.

The ERG are saying this: “In essence, Super Canada would involve taking an existing EU Canada trade agreement, which was signed in 2016 and updating this framework by adding on some additional elements, such as a security protocol and a protocol on data. The EU Canada agreement took several years to negotiate but this means that most of the ‘heavy lifting’ has already been done and many of the key issues have previously been thrashed out in a manner the EU has already agreed to. A Super Canada trade agreement would not involve being in the Single Market or Customs Union and would not leave the UK subject to the authority of the European Court of Justice” (ERG, P: 5, 2018).

The ERG are proposing something that took years for Canada to do. Canada was never a member and neither had responsibilities toward the EU. That did the UK and they have benefited from the EU and its membership with the single-market and customs-union, even if they have to lose other sovereign control to be a part of that. However, now that they are leaving.

The EU will not accepted being a partner tricked by UK. The UK doesn’t want to be tricked by EU. The EU wants to follow protocol and also be correct within their laws. That is why the Withdrawal Agreement is like it is, but also because the Brexiteers and their negotiators didn’t do their job. They we’re busy promising easy leaving, without thinking consequences of the agreements done.

The ERG are continuing that, as this paper are saying the sad truths about the Agreement. However, they are wanting to go back to start and negotiate like Canada. To get a Super-Canada deal. That has never been done before and that would mean, that the EU would forgive and give-in all their demands. As the UK still have to in the imminent future pay for certain institutions and pledges given as a member. That is normal when people are leaving a Union and formerly being a Member.

The ERG just want to flea and expect to be able to get a favorable deal. They expect to have a say and still be on the outside. Like the EU is going to be humiliated and played like that. The UK will feel the pain and that is part of the plan there. To show the members the price of leaving. That is why the EU is prepared for a “no-deal”. Which is really devastating and costly for the UK. As the hard-borders, tariffs, and all sorts of measures happens over night.

However, the ERG are nothing considering that, as they are dreaming of a possible approach. Where two years of negotiations are down the drain and they can start all-over. Like it wasn’t anything and can be changed for the betterment of the UK. Because, everyone just want to be the loyal servants of the British Empire and the Giants of London. However, the world doesn’t look first London anymore. Even if London thinks so.

The ERG should consider themselves, humble themselves and wonder what the EU has planned. Because the ERG is just weakening the Tories, weakening the own Union. As the ERG just like the Withdrawal Agreement didn’t mention any remedies for the Scottish or Welsh. They are the forgotten siblings in the custody battle. The Good Friday Agreement and the Irish question is always major.

Still, the ERG thinks that the flawed Agreement can be rewritten into a Super-Canada. Do they think Brussels is that foolish? That forgiving and that they don’t have leverage? Seriously?

The ERG should consider to a unilateral approach so the HM Government or the Tories could be able to have a deal, where the votes are unanimously for one way with the EU. However, it is more knives and less finding ways to solve the Brexit. More dreams and less of a reality. Which has been a problem for the British for two whole years. An it doesn’t stop. Peace.

Zimbabwe: RioZim Limited – Withdrawal of Cautionary Statement (15.11.2018)

Public Notice from Telecommunication Companies on the Mobile Money Tax (17.11.2018)

MTN implements reduced Mobile Money Tax (17.11.2018)

Brexit: Mark Francois MP letter to Sir Graham Brady MP – “She Just Doesn’t Listen” (16.11.2018)

Brexit: Rehman Chishti MP resignation letter Vice Chairman of the Tories and Trade Envoy to Pakistan (15.11.2018)

Brexit: A Perfect Nightmare!

“Now that I’m back, you can’t sleep, I’m a nightmare, huh?” – 50 Cent on ‘Back Down’ (2003)

This Brexit process, this whole Withdrawal of Membership from the European Union has been a perfect nightmare. There haven’t been signs of hope or professionalism from the Tories concerning this. The Vote Leave or Be Leave people combined with Brexiteers promised a silky road to heaven without the toils of Brussels. That would never happen, as there are rules and they will be followed, if the United Kingdom want to be able to trade with the European Union. However, these protocols and these regulations has been cast astray, because the United Kingdom was supposed to get just they way they liked it.

The Draft Withdrawal Agreement that was published yesterday, proves what many of us has said. That the Brexit would cost UK a lot, it would cost independence, but also the sovereign control, as it has to still follow regulations from Brussels. Even if London think of itself as an Empire, they are still a soldier in the field of the EU, when needed be. That is the cost of trading and being in the single-market of the EU.

What is worse, is that they are outsider looking in, without any direct say, as the laws and regulations will still come from the EU. The standards and the jurisdiction comes from the EU and not from London. They are becoming a Third Member state who still has to comply to the EU directly. That is what is amazing me.

What amazes me more, is the political gambit and gamble that the Tories has done, but is not paying off. The ones thinking they could get both the cake and eat it. They thought they could get it all without paying anything to be involved with the EU. However, that is not the case. That is why the deal is looking as it is.

This is the continued nightmare, a process that was flawed from the beginning, but the Tories wouldn’t tell or say. They kept the rouse and said nothing. They spoke of ease and said it would be fixed, but the narrative, the story wasn’t true. They wanted to sell a dream, a dream is so easy, but the reality was that it was a nightmare.

A perfect nightmare, that is revealed again and again, but Prime Minister Theresa May doesn’t want to accept that. A nightmare that haunts the halls of Whitehall and London.

Now there are talks of ‘No Confidence’ vote over the PM too. That shows how dire the process, as the has been plenty of resignations and today alone a few. Therefore, this nightmare evolves on its own. Peace.