While De Beers, gov’t negotiate, new threats emerge
Tuesday, June 27, 2023 | 4190 Views |
Bruce Cleaver and Masisi PIC: DIAMOND DO GOOD
It would have been natural to assume that the 30,000-plus diamond industry professionals who gathered in Las Vegas, USA for the annual JCK Show recently, would have, uppermost in their minds, the ongoing talks and tensions between government and De Beers on a new deal.
After all, as has been repeatedly pointed out, the 54-year old deal between the two partners is the diamond industry’s single most important covenant, each year producing the world’s highest production of rough diamonds by value.
Acting Agriculture Minister, Edwin Dikoloti, is right in saying opening an export-ready facility whilst Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is still spreading would risk getting the whole country blacklisted before a single carcass leaves the door.A ban like that would break the already stressed nation. So, the postponement, painful as it is, is the right thing to do. The local economy is being squeezed from both ends. FMD has already slammed the door...