Government ‘land reform’ is no such thing, says RP

THE Republican Party (RP) has ended the annual holiday from political discourse with a strongly worded appeal to Government to reconsider its land redistribution programme.

The RP says the programme does little to promote the welfare of the disadvantaged. According to the party’s Agricultural Committee, land redistribution and restructuring the public service enrich a small group only.”The authorities are so obsessed with the redistribution of wealth that they have lost sight of the promotion of the welfare of the people,” the RP said in a statement.The party said mounting unemployment and the expansion of squatter settlements were but two indications that the welfare of the poor, aged, unemployed and other underprivileged sectors of society was being neglected.The committee’s secretary, Louis Genis, said that taking land away from those who were using it productively and responsibly was not the way to go about advancing citizens’ welfare.Injudicious redistribution of natural resources in favour of the few also “cannot alleviate poverty and unemployment”, Genis said.The RP has once again lashed out at trade union leaders who it says “do not understand” that the welfare of the working class depends on the productive and economical exploitation of natural resources by “capable entrepreneurs”.”Due to history, the ownership of land and other natural resources has become an emotional issue overshadowing the economic consequences and possible effect on those who will in any case never be landowners,” says the party.The RP says it will make its own land-reform proposals to Government soon – proposals that would ensure production was maintained, and wealth generation, for the enjoyment of all.”The redistribution of natural resources merely for window-dressing and political expediency can never promote the welfare of the people.It can only result in the inequities of the past being replaced by inequities between the new elite, the poor and the needy,” says the party.According to the party’s Agricultural Committee, land redistribution and restructuring the public service enrich a small group only. “The authorities are so obsessed with the redistribution of wealth that they have lost sight of the promotion of the welfare of the people,” the RP said in a statement. The party said mounting unemployment and the expansion of squatter settlements were but two indications that the welfare of the poor, aged, unemployed and other underprivileged sectors of society was being neglected. The committee’s secretary, Louis Genis, said that taking land away from those who were using it productively and responsibly was not the way to go about advancing citizens’ welfare. Injudicious redistribution of natural resources in favour of the few also “cannot alleviate poverty and unemployment”, Genis said. The RP has once again lashed out at trade union leaders who it says “do not understand” that the welfare of the working class depends on the productive and economical exploitation of natural resources by “capable entrepreneurs”. “Due to history, the ownership of land and other natural resources has become an emotional issue overshadowing the economic consequences and possible effect on those who will in any case never be landowners,” says the party. The RP says it will make its own land-reform proposals to Government soon – proposals that would ensure production was maintained, and wealth generation, for the enjoyment of all. “The redistribution of natural resources merely for window-dressing and political expediency can never promote the welfare of the people. It can only result in the inequities of the past being replaced by inequities between the new elite, the poor and the needy,” says the party.