Terrence Mawawa|The Progressive Teachers Union, Masvingo Province, has described this year’ s Christmas period as a wasted season due to the economic abyss.

See the PTUZ statement below:”We bring to you our Christmas message.
Cdes it is with a sad reality that we are having a unique Christmas for the first time in the history of Zimbabwe.

Unique in that this is the first Christmas we have had without a full bonus.Unique in that this the first Christmas we are having with our salaries having been directly translated from US to bond at no compensation in the guise of the draconian Mutulian 1 to 1 correspondence which exists only in the inner circles of the ruling elite.

Unique in that this is a Christmas we are having without our close relatives due to exorbitant transport cost.
Unique in that this is the first Christmas we have had without even a budget for next year fees because we either don’t have it or we don’t know it.

Unique in that for someone like me who used to enjoy cookies for there is neither cooking oil nor flour.
Unique in that this is the first Christmas we have had without a tomorrow destine because there is neither light at the end of the tunnel nor the tunnel itself.
Unique in that for the history writers but will be recorded as the first Christmas without Coke and by coke in Zim language I also refer to Fanta Spar Letta etc.

Unique in that we have a basket full of demands to the authorities that be which the President has acknowledged but never said a thing.
In light of these and many other issues confronting us it would be deserving to have a special Christmas message of hope. We have no hope and and if ever it’s there it’s hope to nowhere.

As we face this festive period filled with bleak tomorrow let’s take our time to reflect on issues that confront us as a unity. Cdes these issues ranging from professional economic to social demand that we introspect and sharpen our combat in preparation for bruising battles. Nothing comes on a silver platter cdes and we have to fight for what is ours. Without our fight we will get nothing. The diluted Christmas demands that we turn the anger into action come January. In our multitudes of numbers let’s discuss and create in us an appetite for a lasting resolution.

Let’s enjoy that little on our table remember the birth of Christ as the birth of hope. Let’s share the little we have with the many we can.
Let the new year bring us a hope for action. For those traveling journey mercies cdes. Don’t drink and drive. It’s better to be late than to be the late.