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Post by Ann1 on Apr 7, 2011 14:21:23 GMT 1
I can never understand why we send money anyway!!!  Why not send "expertise"?? They need proper housing and schools? Send the builders in - god knows we have plenty of unemployed ones here  Need food? Send in people who know about agriculture to teach them how to grow things and maximise their production. This could be replicated for all sorts of things, that way corrupt regimes cannot spend the money on huge palaces and arms!!!
And as Jazz says, there should be proper accounting of where the money has gone, at the min we send over vast quantities of it to them, with no idea of what it's spent on!!! No wonder people are complaining, especially as we are in the brown stuff ourselves - allegedly!!! We still manage to find money to stick our noses in other peoples' business though!! 
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2011 16:44:44 GMT 1
Ann I strongly suspect much of the aid is actually given as you describe in expertise and not just cold hard cash................. Mind you in some cases the money will still go into the wrong hands! CWL  |
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Post by Ann1 on Apr 7, 2011 16:58:42 GMT 1
It's a pity they don't say that then! All we see is headlines "xx millions given in aid to xxx" They should make it clear that it's actual "stuff" that we are sending, it might not seem so bad then! I know the stuff we send costs millions, but it doesn't somehow seem so much if it's in equipment and expertise. It's understandable people getting antsy, when they are losing their jobs and getting money cut left right and centre.
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Post by Jazz on Apr 7, 2011 20:31:43 GMT 1
Very informative article, Shadow.....I've bookmarked the site. Its a complex issue which often seems to be dogged by bureaucracy and no doubt corruption in one form or another. Maybe us laymen are naive to think that its an easy matter to distribute aid in the most effective manner. However, saying that, at least some help is getting through. Wish they would start with basic stuff like clean water....that sort of thing. (Disaster relief obviously takes precedence of course). |
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Post by skintagain on Apr 7, 2011 23:45:21 GMT 1
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2011 9:21:57 GMT 1
The Portugese will be expected to make drastic cuts as part of any recovery deal.............as did Greece. Whether they work is another thing entirely. Does make me wonder whether there is a very good case for having national referendums before such decisions are taken. Wonder what Labour thinks of all of this now...................? I imagine they will keep very quiet. CWL |
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Post by Ann1 on Apr 8, 2011 12:13:16 GMT 1
I think there should be referendums (referendai??) before every major decision, That way it would be truly representative of what the people want. Mind, they'd have to make voting in one compulsory, otherwise it wouldn't work!! It's no use having a referendum if only 35% of the electorate bother!!! I don't believe in hanging, but if the majority voted for it, then I'd just have to lump it, same with going to war etc. At least then, the people of this country feel that what they want actually matters!! Unlike now!!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2011 13:18:20 GMT 1
Ann the sad thing is you have hit the inevitable downside of this approach...................voting apathy. I'm always annoyed at the number of people who moan about various things, but never vote to try and change it! Don't get me wrong here I realise plenty do not vote because they believe the system employed just doesn't make change viable. Well that's when getting out and about to make people change their views and vote for change is crucial. It's honestly why I believe introducing AV is such a major step to electoral reform in this country. CWL  |
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Post by Ann1 on Apr 8, 2011 15:53:58 GMT 1
I always vote  I don't think you have the right to have a good moan if you haven't voted  Mind, if voting made much difference, I don't think they'd let us do it!!!! ;D
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2011 16:16:07 GMT 1
Couldn't agree with you more Ann, if you can't be bothers to vote don't moan at the out come.
Although I have to say the choice was very difficult last time.
People like me who voted for that @%X# Clegg have more right to moan than most.
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Post by Banshee on Apr 9, 2011 14:34:06 GMT 1
I always vote I don't think you have the right to have a good moan if you haven't voted Mind, if voting made much difference, I don't think they'd let us do it!!!! ;D I agree Ann, maybe we should have vote on if we should have compulsory voting Then people can only moan about being forced to vote if they can prove they got off their a***s and voted against it. |
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Post by Banshee on Apr 9, 2011 14:46:01 GMT 1
I'm not against overseas aid, and there is an argument for education helping to prevent people from getting involved in terorism. However I dont think that education is particulalrly the main reason people do that. There are many factors, and oppression is the main one in my view. The Glasgow bombers were highly educated Doctors after all. Did anyone watch "my brother the Islamist" this week?
What about closer to home obscene spending decisons? Gateshead council, while cutting jobs and services, have just spent over £200,000 on carpets and over £200,000 on office furniture for the civic centre. Surely given the choice most workers would prefer to walk on bare floors than lose their jobs, wouldnt they? As a Gateshead tax payer, I would have liked a say in how that £400,000 was spent.
They take our money then take the p**s out of us, by spending it very unwisely.
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Post by Shadow on Apr 9, 2011 17:33:39 GMT 1
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2011 18:10:59 GMT 1
I recall something said once by Prince Phillip about his lasting memory of many Royal visits being the smell of drying paint! Perhaps he had a point............... CWL |
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Post by Shadow on Apr 9, 2011 18:22:47 GMT 1
Doesnt surprise me CWL.
They replanted the entire conservatory area of the RVI in honour of the visit-cant remember the exact figure now but the nurses were gobsmacked as was I-it was fine as it was and a welcome bit of greenery to retreat to after hours on the ward....Meantime the kids were being presented with food that I wouldnt give my dog and thats no joke.Half the time even the staff couldnt tell what pile of mush was supposed to be what.
Few months later the conservatory was gone-thousands down the swanny with absolutely nothing to show for it-although I understand the Prince did request to have some of the tiles from Ward 1 commemorating his relative opening it- prior to its demolition.
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Why not send "expertise"?? They need proper housing and schools? Send the builders in - god knows we have plenty of unemployed ones here 
Need food? Send in people who know about agriculture to teach them how to grow things and maximise their production. This could be replicated for all sorts of things, that way corrupt regimes cannot spend the money on huge palaces and arms!!! 
I don't think you have the right to have a good moan if you haven't voted 
Mind, if voting made much difference, I don't think they'd let us do it!!!! ;D
