Post Referendum.

I knew I'd have to say something about it sometime.

Everyone I've discussed the result with is looking at it from the point of view of their own interests, whether they are in big business, or run their own family business, or are farmers, builders, and so on.    I'm looking at things from the point of view of HATW, and Kenya.

One of our volunteers who is in Zambia at the moment also writes a blog which I have mentioned a few entries ago as being worth reading.   I'm sure he won't mind if I quote from it, with his first reaction to the UK decision to leave the EU.:-

I really didn't believe that the British people would make this choice. It seems to me that in a world which is becoming more connected, to choose to isolate ourselves in this way is an odd choice. What saddens me is that it appears to be a move made primarily out of selfish motives. We are keen to keep the benefits of a decent life to ourselves and not be prepared to welcome others, particularly the less fortunate, to share in our good fortune. I suspect that in fact the result will in fact be that we will be much poorer financially as well as being much poorer as human beings.

One immediate impact is that unless we increase the amount we send, our projects in Zambia will receive less today than yesterday. With fluctuations in the kwacha to some extent the differences cancel themselves out, because prices here go up or down as a result, but the drop in the pound it will have a direct impact."

All this of course, also applies to Kenya.   We'll have to send out a bit more each month for it to be worth the same in K. Shillingi as previously, and this in turn means we'll have somehow to raise a little more.

Another thing that occurred to me is that Kenya's Rift Valley farmers and growers of things such as snap peas, beans, roses that we buy in our supermarkets will be affected.

"If a UK recession triggers a fall in consumer demand in Britain, African exporters could be affected as well. For example, exports of Kenyan roses could fall, as UK consumers demand fewer of them.
The UK's trade deals with Africa are essentially the EU's trade deals with Africa. As the UK exits the European Union, all of those deals will have to be renegotiated.
That could take years, leaving trade relations between the UK and Africa in limbo."    (BBC world news)

 

I think the 'Brexiteers' were fed so many lies and opinions that they just didn't know what they were voting for, and what the results could be.