PARTLY FACETIOUS: Economic decision makers have all gone to Washington DC
“Two negatives make a positive.”
“So you know your algebra 101 — not impressive.”
“101?”
“That’s freshman Algebra – the teacher comes in and…hmm seeing as you are at a beginner’s level let me explain it simply: you know the first proverb a Statistics teacher may cite to class is lies, damned lies and then there are statistics….”
“Well the economic decision makers have all gone to Washington DC.”
“Good there is a shortfall of 3.5 billion dollars….”
“No silly to attend the annual meeting of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund.”
“Whatever for? It’sjust a gathering of….”
“Not a single Finance Minister we have had has ever missed their annual meeting so there.”
“Could it be because of the large number of IMF programme loans we have secured – we are on the 24th one right now….”
“No the cherry blossoms in DC are beautiful at this time of year.”
“Don’t be facetious.”
“Our finance ministers discuss the programme conditions, always harsh, during these annual meetings.”
“On the sidelines right?”
“Sidelines or front lines does it matter?”
“Yes because the communication revolution, more than a decade old now, allows for remote…..”
“Shush, one trip to DC after the jet fuel crisis has raised fares so much that it is no longer economically feasible to pay for a ticket out of one’s pocket…….”
“Don’t be facetious anyway when I said two negatives make a positive I was referring to Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz with now the US blockade of Hormuz – two negatives would make a positive.”
“Only if you are truly neutral and as we have learnt no one but no one is neutral – because we are all interested in securing our fuel supplies.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Iranian blockade maybe positive for some and the US blockade for others – my point is a negative and a positive whichever side of the fence you may sit on is always a negative.”
“My fence fell down due to lack of repairs, the rupee is eroding and…..”
“Shut up.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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