It's official - our new currency is the petrol coupon

The government endorses a whole new way of paying for what we want

Roll up, roll up, for a grand auction here in Harare this coming Friday. Leading auctioneers Hammer and Tongues are putting cars and other valuable goods up for knock-down sale. And the official currency for the event is the petrol coupon.

This new purchasing phenomenon has the blessing of the government. It has been advertised on television here, with the slogans: "Homegrown solutions for Zimbabweans!" and "Now we are selling in litres, not dollars."

Under the system proposed by the auctioneers, potential purchasers will have to put down a deposit of 1,000 litres of fuel coupons before they can make their bids. At the current prices that amount of coupons is worth about $US1,500. The balance will be paid - again in coupons - when the sale goes through.

But that auction is not the only aspect of life in Zimbabwe which is being run on the barter system..

Workers in private businesses and state departments are also being paid, at least in part, in essential food stuffs, while in their dealings with the public many companies are accepting monetary payment only in US dollars - a practice that remains illegal.

Private schools, currently sending out invoices to parents, are quoting their fees in petrol coupons. One school I know of is asking for petrol coupons to the value of a hundred litres per term. These the school authorities will exchange for hard currency on the black market.

For a while, then, the petrol coupon may seem to be helping stabilise commercial life here. But not for long. Already the value of a coupon is beginning to soar. And it becomes clear again to the meanest intelligence that such stop-gap and off-the-cuff moves will do nothing to salvage our wrecked economy.

Comments

[Joyce]

The Mdc must demand the undemandable so that they will drag the talks till up to the end of the year.Zanu-pf is now finished, by talking to them the Mdc is giving them a life line. Tongai tione was a good was a good idea. Mugabe is now finished.
During the mozambican civil war they never run short of cash.

[Hungry Sick Hopeless]

Its sad MDC is dancing with the evil zanu. However,its not surprising some MDC fools will be bribed and zimbabweans will be suffering again.People should learn from what happened to Zapu from libraries.Shame on MDC because again its the ordinary Zimbabwean who suffers and certainly all you MDC fat cat's children will follow zanu's fat cats abroad when they'r busy denouncing the West.

[Casimir Starsiak]

I know this comment is not related to this article, but I could not find a general contact form.

Please write about the rape and abuse of girls and women that is occuring in Zimbabwe. Betty Makoni has been working on the ground to stop it for years and an updcoming documentary, "Tapestries of Hope," will show her efforts to save girls throughout the ravaged country.

website
tapestriesofhope.com

[RMacleod]

As can be seen by this latest write up feature, its all about economics in the final dying days of Zimbabwe. To obtain any form of aid and hard cash there must be full international endorsement of any settlement that arises from the present talks. This endoresment is unlikely because Mugabe and his cronies refuse to step down. It also appears at this stage neither Mugabe or others will ever face criminal charges. Therefore, whatever is left of Zimbabwe in the coming months or year, the country will probably become another province of South Africa or a Chinese mining outpost. Take your pick!

[Buy from taobao]

nous allons louer une voiture pour le week-end*_*

[air jordan]

None of the turmoil that routinely attends film-star existence ever seemed to visit the Astaire household.

[ClubPenguinCheats]

Shame on MDC because again its the ordinary Zimbabwean who suffers and certainly all you MDC fat cat's children will follow zanu's fat cats abroad when they'r busy denouncing the West.

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