In Cameroon the term used to describe the activities of a conman is feymanism, a term that describes the activity of some people who pose as legitimate businesspeople, promising their would-be victims that a small or significant investment will bring great wealth - guaranteed and risk-free. A basic premise behind feymanism is that one does not have to do the hard work that it takes to generate much wealth - there is no great risk in investment. It is similar to what Bernard Maddof, who is now sitting in prison in the US, did. However, feymanism works in a different way in African politics. Paul Biya, for example, does not present himself as a businessman; rather, he presents himself as a benefactor, a generous lord who can help Cameroonians reap more without making the hard changes that need to be made in order to bring about a flourishing society. By suppressing the ability of the private sector to flourish, Paul Biya has fooled Cameroonians into believing that they can only benefit from the state. Infrastructures that may help boost private initiatives and independence, such as transportation, good education, improved medical care, etc., are abandoned to rot as the economy is squeezed to rely on the largess of Paul Biya's state.
The recent protests in North Africa, which has been partly encouraged by high unemployment, has frightened Biya so much that he now appears to be concerned about unemployment in Cameroon. Instead of creating an open society that may boost private sector growth, he has decided to grow the government by announcing that 25,000 people will be employed into the civil service. However, economists generally acknowledge that increasing the size of the civil service does not grow an economy in the long run. What Paul Biya wants is simply to increase the number of people who would be depending on his largess for their daily bread. What he is doing is simply increasing the number of bribe-takers who see the state as a farm. The announcement that 25,000 people will be employed in the civil service has set in motion all the mechanisms of bribe-taking as the millions who are looking for a stable job bribe their way into one. After having presided over a worsening unemployment situation for 28 years, Cameroonians are now being fooled into thinking that Paul Biya is concerned about employment and their well-being. The simple fact is that Biya is more concerned about staying in power and continuing to do as much damage to the economy as possible. Cameroonians must tell Biya that they can see into his feymanism. The recent announcement of job openings in the government will end up making things worse for the country because the conditions that make for the sorry state of affairs in the country are still there. What is needed is the building of economic and political infrastructures that spur growth in the private sector. That is what Paul Biya has refused to do. That is why he needs to leave - now. In fact, like Maddof, Paul Biya needs to be sitting in jail for conning Cameroonians and destroying their economy.
The recent protests in North Africa, which has been partly encouraged by high unemployment, has frightened Biya so much that he now appears to be concerned about unemployment in Cameroon. Instead of creating an open society that may boost private sector growth, he has decided to grow the government by announcing that 25,000 people will be employed into the civil service. However, economists generally acknowledge that increasing the size of the civil service does not grow an economy in the long run. What Paul Biya wants is simply to increase the number of people who would be depending on his largess for their daily bread. What he is doing is simply increasing the number of bribe-takers who see the state as a farm. The announcement that 25,000 people will be employed in the civil service has set in motion all the mechanisms of bribe-taking as the millions who are looking for a stable job bribe their way into one. After having presided over a worsening unemployment situation for 28 years, Cameroonians are now being fooled into thinking that Paul Biya is concerned about employment and their well-being. The simple fact is that Biya is more concerned about staying in power and continuing to do as much damage to the economy as possible. Cameroonians must tell Biya that they can see into his feymanism. The recent announcement of job openings in the government will end up making things worse for the country because the conditions that make for the sorry state of affairs in the country are still there. What is needed is the building of economic and political infrastructures that spur growth in the private sector. That is what Paul Biya has refused to do. That is why he needs to leave - now. In fact, like Maddof, Paul Biya needs to be sitting in jail for conning Cameroonians and destroying their economy.
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