However, the speaker that spoke before me alluded to the fact that there is some US$ that cannot be converted into any other currency outside the borders of this country and they can only be valuable in Zimbabwe. Given that scenario, the introduction of bond notes has been long overdue and it should have come in yesterday because we were engaged in self-servitude, meaning slavery or bondage of one’s dignity and person. We were using false currency. We were using bond notes that were printed in a US$ form. The US$ that we use in Zimbabwe can never be used anywhere else. Try changing them in a bureau de change or try exporting them to South Africa against the amount that is exportable at the airport or any borders. We are allowed US$500 as a holiday allowance but you cannot use that anywhere. In that way, this introduction of bond notes was long overdue.
I need to also deal with Section 4, where there is a question of application in retrospect. I believe in all honesty that we sat and burnt midnight candles when we were crafting and passing the labour law, which was applied in retrospect. I earnestly believe that what cannot be applied retrospectively is capital punishment. I am not a learned friend but I hope to become one very soon. So, it is my fervent view and opinion that the law in this effect can be applied retrospectively because it is devoid of capital punishment.
I also need to say that as a general rule of thumb, it has been said that the introduction of the bond note was as a 5% incentive on exports. I agree with Hon. Ziyambi to the effect that if it is alluded to as an export incentive, it becomes rather a bit on the restrictive side. However, its introduction is very important. How the Minister can bring about other ways of introducing the bond note that is broad based is now up to him as a financial guru. The issue of just saying 5% export incentive rather becomes a bit on the restrictive side in this way Mr. Speaker because as we speak, gold is the only exportable or tradable commodity. It is my belief that assuming there was no introduction of the bond note, easily in Zimbabwe we can introduce what is called the gold coin. The gold coin can be introduced because Zimbabwe is endowed with ubiquitous amount of mineral wealth. It is therefore easy for us to utilise those gold mines in particular, to produce gold coins. Al beit, we have tried and are trying to go the way all other global players have gone, introducing any other form of currency which is not gold coin or gold oriented by attaching our gold to a note called the bond note and US$ note – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Muri kuda kuti ndisadebater here. …
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Members, order. If you are debating please, you do not have to communicate with Hon. Members who are on the other side.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you for the protection Mr. Speaker and I agree with you that this is my turn. I believe in all honest that if we bite the bullet as a nation, we can introduce the gold coin because gold is the only tradable commodity that is acceptable globally, that all other jurisdictions are buying and putting in their volts to hedge against their currencies getting weaker day by day. I believe this is a stop gap measure but going forward, if we include the marginalised gold producers Mr. Speaker, and start first and foremost by removing the issue called alienship and register everybody in Zimbabwe so that they all have identity documents and birth certificates in order that as they grow into artisanal mining field, they are well documented and can be given an incentive. They can be brought into the mainstream of the economy because it is these people that are not documented that are producing a lot of gold.
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