News

Jun 13, 2023

Drum

BUDDY SPARE A DIME It’s always tough to get money out of your bank, so begging on the street could be one way out. But consider these interest rates if you need a loan. In Zimbabwe, you are up for a

BUDDY SPARE A DIMEIt’s always tough to get money out of your bank, so begging on the street could be one way out. But consider these interest rates if you need a loan. In Zimbabwe, you are up for a crushing 150% or 97% in Argentina. Not too bad in Ukraine where you can still get capital for 25%. Closer to home, its around 4.1% in Australia and 3.55% in China. But if you are really desperate, a trip to the home of cheap loans, Japan, is the go with a stunning rate of minus 0.1%. Just remember to say “domo arigato” many times as you back out the door.

ENGA WARZONEOne has to sympathise with the Engan Action Governor. He has tried to develop his province’s infrastructure in so many ways. Just a pity his peoples’ attitudes have not developed at the same rate. He is fond of saying he wants Enga on the front page, but the thugs, criminals and guns for hire roaming his province have put it firmly on the back pages.

HAPPY DEBTORSThe National Debt tends not to interest the hard working man and woman scratching a living on our streets. But the reality is if we reduce debt, we have more to spend on improving peoples’ lives. During the term of Bart Philemon as Treasurer, he reckoned for every Kina we earned, we lost 70 toea in debt repayments. We are creeping back towards those levels. We are not alone. Some 3.3 billion people – almost half of humanity – now live in countries that spend more money paying interest on their debts than on education or health, a new UN report says.

PAY YOUR TAXESNo one needs billionaires to colonise outer space. We need them to pay their fair share of taxes so people can thrive here on Earth. – Robert Reich

WELL HELLO DOLLYWe should all think about what we bring to the world and how we will be remembered. Will it be how many millions we made? Will it be some legislation that changes the course of our country for the better? Consider then, the singer Dolly Parton. She didn’t spend her dollars on space travel, a satellite, or a trip to the Titanic because she was too busy writing cheques to put 150 million books in the hands of children. That’s a legacy!

TIME TO ACCOUNTAs the US gears up for another Presidential election in 2024, the issue of campaign funds is to the fore again. Which reminds us. Don’t we have rules on declaring how campaigns were funded? Wonder how many members have done their acquittals? Perhaps the office responsible can enlighten us?

SAVE WATERWe are always complaining about shortages of water or power. But are there any attempts by the relevant authorities to conserve water? We do nothing to save our water. We just flush it away. But in Japan they have come up with an ingenious idea where the hand basin is mounted on top of the cistern, so as you wash your hands, the water flows back into the cistern for the next flush. Clever fellows those Japanese!

–PENGEE: [email protected]