Beyond Economists

Economists belong to an interesting species. In Zimbabwe they are easy to study, since they write articles in the various newspapers, you hear them on the radio and you see them often at gatherings of important people.

Recently Professor Hawkins, a well know scholar from the university of Zimbabwe, gave an excellent presentation to our Rotary Club. All about the State of the Economy, the absence of the centre of power, the shortage of finance, the weak infrastructure, and everything else which makes you feel that you are attending a memorial service of the state of Zimbabwe. Prof. Hawkins has a slight Rhodesian accent. I find it not only slightly funny, but because of this, I rate his views and findings quite high. Scholars with such an accent were brought up in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. They know a lot about what happens behind the scenes and they mingle with quite a number of shakers and movers. Go to a business lunch and you are likely to meet him. I like his admittance that politicians and economists move in different fields, in which they usually oppose each other vigorously.
His favorite saying: ‘the situation is fluid’.

Equally renowned in Zimbabwe is John Robertson. His accent is very British, and so is his dress code. He always reminds me of an old fashioned reverend of the Dutch Reformed Church at a funeral. He walks straight and talks straight. He is a walking statistical handbook, with immense knowledge of economic figures and trends. He provides these to a wide range of organizations, including diplomatic missions. Go to any diplomatic function and you find him there. His view is that Zimbabwe can only improve if politicians follow the advise of economists. As if he does not know that will never happen, as we have seen clearly again in the last couple of weeks in the USA and in the EU.
His favorite saying: ‘I told them (government) years ago’.

Godfrey Kanyenze is the most humorous economist I have ever met. You meet him and he starts smiling and laughing. When you are with him you start thinking that you are one of the greatest comedians on earth. He heads an organization which provides labor movements with specialist economic advise. Go to a labor related function and you will hear him laugh. Don’t think he is not serious: he is one of the members of the new Board of the Reserve bank Of Zimbabwe which clipped the wings of its illustrious Governor Dr Gideon Gono within three months of its installation.

Godfrey is the co-author of a recently launched masterpiece ‘Beyond the Enclave’. Read it! A well-researched book, which provides a logical and realistic blueprint for development for any country in the world. This book could very well be the starting document for a Graduate Summer School in Zimbabwe. Meant for any student anywhere studying economics. It will be a great success when all of Tony, John and Godfrey will be the lecturers.

By the way, Godfrey’s favorite saying: ‘look beyond economics stupid!’