ECONOMIC REPORT  - By: Abdoulie A. Jallow 10/23/03 Omaha, NE

Mba Fanta's 'jahatu' cost me five Dalasis
My piece of 'kobo' is three today

Tomorrow, I cannot afford 'biftek'
Three meals a day is no more
What has the Dollar got to do with this?

Where is Friedman or Barro when you need them most?
Foreign exchange, budget deficit, consumer index, what?
What has that to do with my 'kobobulaka'?

Here comes the electric broom, watch out! My dear
This shit is coming downhill
And the price of 'jahatu' is to pay

Widespread and absolute poverty
I O U for the mighty peanuts

Deficient industrial development
Two thousand Dalasis a year for staying here

Inadequate technological resources
Give them hell and make them runaway

Bureaucratic ineptitude
"I'm not gonna see no baddy, I mean no baddy"
Use, abuse and refuse. I have 1.3 million of them

Less diversified economy
I have a zoo and my soldiers are farming

High and rising levels of unemployment
Those lazy folks don't want to work

Low and stagnant levels of agricultural and industrial output
Hehe! I gave you tractors eh!

Extensive levels of corruption and mismanagement
Where is my 'mochat'?
Pay those taxes, fat boy
Anything left at central bank?

Severe balance of payment and international debt problems
IMF and World Bank I did what you told me

Increased dependence on foreign assistance,
Allah's World Bank is running out
'Share your wealth' is what the Quran says

Highly volatile rates of inflation
Buy all the 'kobo' to feed the animals
And you say the price of 'jahatu' is too high!

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