Hi, Singh. I think you just pointed out some negative sides of Morocco, which a lot of them are not true. As for prostitution and pedophilia, I don't think there is any big difference between Morocco and England. Prices of food are certainly cheaper in Morocco than England, comparing say tomato 20 pence a kilo in Morocco with english tomatoes £1.50 for 4 of them. Weather in Morocco varies greatly- from 40 degrees in August in Marrakech to 20 degrees in August in Ifrane or Essaouira. If you have a property to rent - the obvious choice is to do it through a respectable agency, renewing contract yearly. You wouldn't rent your property in England to someone you just met yesterday, so why risk it in Morocco?? As for medical expences, they are no different, than say in Spain. If you would need medical help in Spain, unless you have insurance, you would pay a hefty price for any help. As for bills - did you forget council tax of £ 1200 - 1600 a year in England? Did you forget oad tax of £200? Did you forget TV licence of £150 ? Did you forget British Gas ripping you off every winter for keeping you warm? Did you forget robberies, gun crime, knife attacks in broad daylight??? Did you forget pensioners actually freezing nearly to death, because they can't afford to pay their gas bills and food shopping from their measly pension? Did you forget that cost of living in London is one of the highest in the world?? Did you forget how many repossesions of homes left families homeless?? Did you forget about goverment actually warning people about shortages of money for pensions and planning to extend retirement age to 67?? And I think most of all you forgot that Morocco is developing North African country. At least in Morocco foreigners are respected and not discriminated against. Yes there are some problems within society - selfishness, greed and materialism, but also there is kindness, hospitality and willingness to change. So for me - investment in Morocco any day!!!
Hi laila,
Many thanks for your reply.
I think Morocco is loosing its authencity or culture to foreign investment. It is a country known for kindness, hospitality and willingness to change. But this is all coming at a cost to Morocco.
I am looking at your comparisons and please keep it between Morocco to england or Morocco to spain. Like this we can get some fair comparisons.
Ok as you are aware your medical bills are paid by the National Insurance contributions to the National health service hence you get a very good medical treatment in the event of accident, sickness, or health problems. We certainly get our value for money at the National health service and the hospitality is just Excellent!
Although I am an immigrant in England but I have reason to believe that crime in England is alot between the uneconomical migrants and the uneconomical british. The politicians have a solution but they know its problems in crime that gives their political activities alot of interest. So they just choose to keep it like this!
The crimes in Morocco involve Drugs, robberies, deception which is alot more common, and etc. However there is alot of safety for foreigners in marrakech, Agadir, Essouria and all touristic places. The Surrette Nationale and especially the Gaundermere are very feared off by the locals. Infact the safety I have felt in Marrakech walking near Sofitel, Avenue Mohammed 5, Avenue Mohammed 6 is the best I must say. There are guards everywhere monitoring the safety of tourism.
About food shopping. Yes Fruit and vegetables and sugar will be cheap in Morocco. But other processed food, toilleteries, utensils, consumer electrics will be expensive from major stores as Marjane or Acima.
Ok so with regards to repossesions. The official statistics of repossesions in Morocco are not really talked off and neither produced by the Ministry of Finance ( I just dont understand why?). But I understand they have had repossesions because foreigners are unable to pay the mortgages for the buy to let properties.
Indeed UK there have been alot of repossesions because credit was too cheap however there has been a softer attitude from the UK banks to deal with unpaid mortgage payments. Intesrest rate of a UK tracker mortgage is 2.25% which is the lowest I have heard of in any country and in Morocco it is between 5.25% to 6%. The chancellor of england deliberately cut the insterest rates to 0.5% or virtually nothing to discourage savers from saving money. Hence this attracts savers to spend money and invest in shares or stocks and help tackle the credit crunch.
I think that finance in UK, consumer protection and the official statistic are alot more transparent and straight forward than developing countries.
Although we have no or little manufacturing industry in UK but we have two main sources of revenue and they are the London Stock Exchange and the North Sea Oil. The North Sea Oil money contributes towards the social securty benefits ( and also taxes). However if you look at Morocco, Morocco has tourism, phosphate, and fisheries for exportation. Why is the revenue from its phosphate industry not used on social projects or to tackle poverty? Indeed this is a very 'touchy' subject in Morocco.
Well there is some discrimination but it is hidden in Morocco. I am sure if you show your pocket in UK everywhere then virtually you will see no discrimination!!!
In my conclusion Morocco is a developing country and has to keep a balance between tourism and its culture. Morocco has its unique taste and that is the authentic culture, its food, ceremonies and language! I like that because I find that entertaining and not the clubs, the casinos, the mcdonalds, the KFC and the western clothing.
