Overseas Aid

[haveabeer]

Just heard that the Uk is to spend 11 Billion a year on overseas aid

For me i could think of things nearer to home that need to be put right first

But thats my Opinion

[ChesterfieldJohn]

Just heard that the Uk is to spend 11 Billion a year on overseas aid

For me i could think of things nearer to home that need to be put right first

But thats my Opinion

I agree completely and so much of it that we gives get wasted.

John

[Dark Knight]

That's a bit harsh, dictators need new palaces and Bentleys

also on the off chance they have oil, gold, or something else we will need, we need to bribe them to be our friends, so we can make sure they don't kill us and we get the resources we need to survive.

you didn't actually think it went to people who really needed it did you??

[haveabeer]

Take both overseas aid and immigration into the UK we must be paying out a fortune
Yet our social care is crumbling

[Mervyn and Trish]

In my view we need to seriously review our overseas aid programme. Certainly we should help in practical ways when there are disasters around the world, such as by providing expertise and vital supplies, but just blindly upping the amount of cash we send overseas every year to meet some artitrary political target without considering other priorities seems bonkers.

[Ray B]

On the news UKIP say it goes to Bongo Bongo Land. Can I say that or will I get the red pen?

Ray

[Ray B]

Just a point, if I have offended anyone I am sorry ,that was not my intention.

Ray

[Dark Knight]

if you are going to give that much money to overseas, FFS make sure it goes to the right people, not to some bloke with a lot of guns
it should only really go to bona fide charities, like Oxfam and cafod

[haveabeer]

Having recently had to deal with NHS, social services, and carers when every thing I tried to do to help my mum get proper care and after care all they kept saying due to budget cuts we can't help.
Care homes shutting down I just can't understand why we throw this money willingly at other countries but let ours go down hill

[emjay45]

I have stopped giving to these charities. My own nephew worked for a charity, he no longer does. I couldn't believe the things he and others received as 'perks' of the job. I now give only to charities over here which I know are run by volunteers and other charities in the UK dear to my heart. With regard to the big charities and the overseas charities I'm afraid I no longer have faith that the money goes where I would like.

[mavismumakrill]

I totally agree with every word Dave. It has been said that there are also a lot more sleeping rough, homeless in this country over the last few months. As this 'Bedroom tax' hits harder there will be even more in this state when the councils don't have suitable accommodation for those concerned to move to. We need to look to our own first. Charity is supposed to start at home yet the government seems to think charity begins anywhere but at home.

Mavis x

[Delboy]

I think this is a good article re Overseas Aid

http://www.theguardian.com/global-devel ... ectiveness

[The Monocled Mutineer]

Delboy:

Your intervention, with the link, is a welcome "breath of fresh-air" in this otherwise "saloon bar" example of politics that most of the rest of the thread comprises.

The only "good thing" this "bongo bongo land" has done is to allow the very poorly affixed mask to slip on the typical UKIP representative and their repellant members and reveal their deeply unpleasant "little englander" politics.

A right own goal given that some of UKIP's premise is to replace some of our favourable trade links with our fellow EU nations with the developing world - many who I presume match typical UKIP activists' appellation of 'Bongo Bongo Land' - hardly winning friends and people - other than appealing to saloon bar bores, racists and the underclass.

[Silver_Shiney]

It wasn't actually UKIP who made the statement, but one of their members, Godfrey Bloom, who has been reprimanded by UKIP. While his choice of words is, indeed, regrettable, I do agree with his sentiments in that we should be getting our own house in order first instead of giving money to third-world country governments who then squander the aid on luxuries rather than providing relief to their citizens. Once we have put this country back on its feet, we'll be in a better position to provide overseas aid.

I think, DK, you'll find that Oxfam take a slice of their donations for running costs.

Not every charity does, though. Every penny ours gets, gets sent out - often more. We also know where it is going and what it will be used for. UK-based Charities, who send money overseas, now have a raft of regulations to adhere to, and if we do not adhere to these regulations we suffer severe penalties.

We are also putting £1 million into micro-financing (not from donations), where loans are given at low interest rates to destitute people who want to work their way out of poverty. For example, a man in South America (can't remember which country) fancied making soft toys. He took out a MFI loan, bought materials and tools, made his toys, sold them at market, bought more material..... not only has he worked his way out of poverty, he is now employing others and helping them out of poverty.

[david63]

He took out a MFI loan

Not the best choice of an acronym I would have thought

[Kendhni]

I have really cut back on charitable donations within this country apart from Marie Curie, Hospice and a couple of animal sanctuaries.
I know of a couple of overseas charities run on a voluntary basis that I contribute more to. One in particular purchases teddy bears with a built in MP3 player ... the volunteers put stories and children's music on them and then take them overseas.

It does gall sometimes the amount of money spent on big salaries in this country or corrupt government officials and bribery overseas but as a wealthy country (the 6th richest in the world) I still believe it is correct that we send money overseas to those in genuine need and genuine poverty. There are many aspects of charitable giving and one of the most important, in my opinion, is that we try to ensure everybody has the very basics of human rights including shelter, heat and food.

[Kendhni]

Having recently had to deal with NHS, social services, and carers when every thing I tried to do to help my mum get proper care and after care all they kept saying due to budget cuts we can't help.

Just to be a bit more balanced, most of the (so called) budget cuts are internal, due to more and more being spent on administration staff, rather than front-line workers. The cost of our health service has continued to grow but, with everyone having their own 'pet projects' finances are being spread ever more thinner (including staffing up more and more ancillary services).

I also had to go through much of what you describe and much of the problem was internal ignorance within the NHS .. they just did not know what services they actually provided ... a couple of major services we found were stumbled on by accident.

[haveabeer]

Ken
Out of 5 care home in mums brough 2 where being closed 1 not suitable the others had a year waiting list
And I agree that one section of the NHS I encountered had little understanding of the system we where lucky that a chance phone call to social services was a lady that new my mum she was brilliant
I really don't have issues with overseas aid just the scale of it when I see so much poverty in this country

[Silver_Shiney]

He took out a MFI loan

Not the best choice of an acronym I would have thought

do you mind? Most of our furniture came from MFI!! Actually, their quality, during their last couple of years, was very good. The early stuff, certainly, was pretty awful.

That said, MFI is easier and quicker to type than Micro Finance Initiative!!

[Silver_Shiney]

I still believe it is correct that we send money overseas to those in genuine need and genuine poverty. There are many aspects of charitable giving and one of the most important, in my opinion, is that we try to ensure everybody has the very basics of human rights including shelter, heat and food.

It is absolutely right that we help those in absolute need, but most of the "aid" does not seem to be reaching those individuals who need it. As HaB reiterated, there is need in this country too. Let's get that sorted before we "buy a squadron of F18s for Pakistan" (if that is what was actually happening).

[Kendhni]

Ken
Out of 5 care home in mums borough 2 where being closed 1 not suitable the others had a year waiting list

Part of the problem is that many people got very very rich out of care homes and it is now considered not the way forward for many.
It appears most people would prefer care in the community rather than being resigned to a home ... I have no idea who they surveyed on that one ... but it has meant a government rethink on the provision and funding of the current number of homes. I am hearing about many in our area being closed down as well ... but there is a growth of day centres including transport to/from and a hot meal.

Personally I think there is a market for both 'homes' and 'care in the community'. However the homes may ultimately only become a refuge for the rich.

[david63]

The point about senior managers of charities being given large salaries is a difficult one.

There is a perfectly reasonable argument that you have to pay the "going rate" to get the calibre of manager that is necessary to drive the charity in two key areas.

1. There is, by definition, a need for all charities to raise money and in order to maximise that it is necessary to have a person with the ability to do it.

2. There is also the need to have someone who can at least know which doors to knock on, and better still know which doors to open, in order to achieve the aims of the charity.

It is a very fine balancing act to get right but I do not have a problem with such people having a performance linked salary - just as long as the performance criteria is realistic.

I know that there is the argument that some charities use all of their donations to progress their work but somewhere along the way there are costs with running any charity and these have to be paid for somehow.

[david63]

Having had a fair amount of experience with care homes there is one point that I would make and that is that when looking for a care home for a loved one then, if possible, look at those run by charities and not those run by a commercial organisations.

[Kendhni]

I still believe it is correct that we send money overseas to those in genuine need and genuine poverty. There are many aspects of charitable giving and one of the most important, in my opinion, is that we try to ensure everybody has the very basics of human rights including shelter, heat and food.

It is absolutely right that we help those in absolute need, but most of the "aid" does not seem to be reaching those individuals who need it. As HaB reiterated, there is need in this country too. Let's get that sorted before we "buy a squadron of F18s for Pakistan" (if that is what was actually happening).

It is not F18's we should be thinking about ... but maybe children getting some food .. maybe whole villages being given access to water ... yes bribes have to be paid sometimes and yes money gets diverted but I can accept that if at least some (preferably a majority ... but even that is not always the case) reaches those in genuine need.

In this country part of the issue is that some (and I make absolutely no comment on HaB's situation) have funds but refuse to spend it on their own health .. because they wish to leave something behind for the kids. Surely the best use of money in this country is that it is spent on on our own health and well being and then (and only then) if anything is left over, can it be passed on .. there is a good argument for 100% inheritance tax (but I doubt any government would ever consider that).

We need better use of our already available resource .. other parts of the world desperately need resource.

[Silver_Shiney]

Forgive me if I am wrong, Ken, but I think you have misunderstood what I said. If we, as a nation, are giving overseas aid to other governments to supposedly help their people but, instead, those governments are spending the money on other things, be it arms, or luxuries for their cronies, that must stop. IMHO, we should, instead, be supporting those NGOs who are known to use the money at the very point of need.

As far as this country goes, I think we should be providing affordable housing to those who really need it (NOT silly schoolgirls who get themselves pregnant as a career option). The health budget should be re-ordered so that the bulk goes to the front-line, not administration. I note that old adage that "for quality staff, you have to pay quality salaries" but perhaps the salary expectations of those managers is too high? If the going rate for a managerial position is so much, the application seems (to me) to accept that and try for a bit more on top. I'd love to see someone come along and say he or she would do the job for a far lower salary. I am not aware that it happens.