Opinion TheReview Wednesday, February 6, 1991 A10 ane Play if again, Sam: fishing for forex It is called the Meikles Hotel. Twelve stories high, it looms over a park-like Harare, capital of Zimbabwe. I sink into a leather armchair in the massive lobby. A waiter, " garbed in white tunic, side-striped — pants and sash — looking remark- ably like he has been borrowed from a 1930s Bogart movie — serves me an iced Malawi Shandy. Idly I weigh the merits of stay- ing here indefinitely, under the whirling fans and plied with drinks; or trying out the rooftop -pool, set among white pillars with its own bar and quota of uniformed wailers. That pre-trip lecture in Ottawa warning about culture shock as Canadians discover a different standard of living was absolutely would like to station a foreign _ correspondent permanently in Harare? This is the tourist Zimbabwe — urban Harare with curio-crammed shop windows, photo-safaris through game parks, spectacular Victoria Falls and endless sun- shine. But there is evidence, even in westcernized Harare, that Zim- babwe 1s still a developing country. Two blind women beg on Street corners, each with a toddler tethered to her wrist. A blind child begs outside a ramshackle market on the outskirts - of the city, drawing attention by shaking a rattle. Near the market a Street enterlainer draws a crowd — he balances bottles, spins a bicycle * wheel on his head and lifts a heavy iron bar in his teeth, earning a few tossed coins for his efforts. Although there is no social wel- fare as in Canada, the government operates homes for the blind and a food for work program in the drought-stricken south. Under the program residents identify a local project, such as bridge or road upgrading. The government provides the building materials and those who work on the project are paid in food. As long as building materials and food transportation are availa- ble the program works — but shortages of both materials and transportation are common. The farmers’ market in Harare is - stocked with mounds of potatocs, sull caked with red soil, pincap- ples and bananas, mangoes and truck loads of corn, the country’s Zimbabwe’s fields and herds produce enough food for export to neighboring Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa. Yet the last week in January there was a shortage of meat and poultry in local stores. Press spe- culation blamed the shortage on the decision to sell meat to the European common market to obtain much-needed foreign cur- rency. Although butcher’s bins were empty, the Victoria Falls Hotel was still able 10 serve its customary evening braii of barbecued steak, veal, poultry and sausage. This favoritism shown the tour- ist industry may be because visi- lors also contribute foreign cur- — rency. Currency is closely controlled. Visitors must register the amount of forcign exchange they are bring- ing into the country and every conversion to the local currency must be recorded in a booklet which is turned in as the visitor leaves. For those who want to risk breaking Zimbabwe’s strict fore- ign exchange laws there is ample Opportunity: in Victoria Falls it was impossible for a visitor to walk 10 feet without being accosted by someone offering a “better rate” for “forex”. A common practice of visitor- frequented hotels is to require foreigners to pay the hotel bill in foreign currency, dollar for dollar. Therefore, a room costing $100 a night Zimbabwe for the country’s Continued on Page A26 Liquor stolen from Verdier house A house in the 800-block Ver- dier Avenue in Brentwood: was broken into and five bottles of liquor stolen, about 12 midnight Jan. 26, Central Saanich police said. A tracking dog and identifica- tion specialist were brought in but police are still searching for a suspect. Those with information are asked to call CrimeStoppers or municipal police, .. FLOWERS SPEAK FROM THE HEART Remember that | Special Someone - P onaet- ile Nt j | = Florists and Gift Shop 652-9149 #5-7816 E. Saanich Rd. Pioneer Village Shopping DAILY HOSPITAL DELIVERY. ORelea SIDNEY MIXED SLOW PITCH ASSOCIATION NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING FEBRUARY 18, A 1991, 7:30 p.m. 7 IROQUOIS PARK CLUB HOUSE ELECTION OF OFFICERS ..- ALL LEAGUE TEAMS... PARTICIPATION REQUIRED ANY NEW TEAM ENQUIRIES FOR INFORMATION CONTACT M. HUGHES 656-9870 TOMMY TUCKERS 9819 7ih Street, Sidney In the Mariners Village OPEN FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER 7 AM to 10 PM, 7 DAYS A WEEK THE GREAT FAMILY RESTAURANT Fully Licensed — Take Out Service 656-1711 nas ta sieve 100d ZIMBABWE STREET ENTERTAINER Oraws a crowd by lifting a CEIEBRATE THE Roasted or steamed com cobs, i ets : eles 2 heavy iron bar in his teeth, balancing bottles and spinning a ee ee bicycle wheel on his head. VALORIE LENNOX photo Chinese Ne ew You Cay bl 3 OPEN =) | EVERY DAY = - £ j SUN. - THURS. 11:00 A.M. - 8:00 PM. sd dt eG LL FOURS & SAT. 11:00 A.M. - 10 PM. ~ eo . Te O r HOLIDAYS 11:00 A.M. - 8:00 PM. Oo dy oe o Ss fhe DAILY LUNCH SPECIALG......... $qes (ft 6 ( Jeet ( Ut =~ SERVED TILL 3 PM. © CHINESE NEW YEAR SPECIALS ENJOY A DELICIOUS VALENTINE’S DAY DINNER COMBO SPECIAL FAMILY DINNER oy) IN THE WATERFRONT WHARF DINING LOUNGE CHICKEN CHOW MEN __ > CHINESE CHOW MEIN i ix CHICKEN CHOP SUEY Se CHICKEN Bie S ° SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN + DEEP FAI THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14th, from 5:00 P.M. si oc Ee COMPLETE DINNERS INCLUDING fo ie SOUP OR SALAD, ENTREE AND DESSERT I. INCLUDED 6 a Oe if : $ 50 | _& $ : PEOPLE eg Es the waterfront 13.95 rs C4 - CB shore Serving the *26' over 13 ; * = years. tt Ay s otel RESET CNSs Soe « Oli: dy. ee Sil ata a) Sidney 2537 BEACON AVENUE ly eG WHARF DINING ROOM SIDNEY R = 812 Verdier Ave. Brentwood Bay