The above flask can save millions of lives. The Department for International Development gives billions of our money to other countries yet millions of people continue to die.
Guido has highlighted the need for the Westminster government to ensure part of the money given to 'developing' countries is centred on providing clean water for their people. I entirely agree with him about wasting money on propaganda videos showing Douglas Alexander wishing folk in Bangladesh a Happy Ramadan. That is an insult to those dying of dehydration in countries where they can't even break their fast with a drink of water.
We do need to start protesting about where our hard-earned tax goes. Remember, our MPs are there to represent us and to question those in government as to where our money goes. Will the conservatives make a difference to the distribution of DFID monies? I won't hold my breath.
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Feel very strongly on this subject SR and heartless as it may sound - whilst very sorry for the 'starving' and 'undernourished' of this world, we should look after our own first - the old, the infirm, the sick etc etc?
But hey, this is not their money they are spending is it? And one lesson politicians seem to have forgot is that when spending someone else's money it is courteous to ask them first!
In any event it does not all go overseas - see http://witteringsfromwitney.blogspot.com/2009/09/fake-charities-try-fake-aid.html
As someone who has to subsidise, from his state pension, his mother for clothes, toiletries etc as the 'state' takes all her pension to pay for her care home costs.
And people wonder why I get annoyede?????
here it is:
http://tinyurl.com/nuntco
WFW:
The way pensioners are treated in this country is shameful (and I noticed that people commenting on a Times article about how much benefits cost overwhelmingly seemed to think that they should be cut even further). I'm shocked to know that your mother is left without enough money for clothes and toiletries. That is a total disgrace.
I doubt, however, that our overseas aid should be the thing that is cut so that benefits can be increased. Perhaps first class travel for politicians and nobilility, and private travel for members of the royal family might be a start. The Rolls for our ambassadors might be reduced, as might the quality of wine that we serve at banquets for the top brass.
Many other things could be looked at, before we start taking away aid from people who have nothing.
But I agree with Subrosa. The money we send should be targetted on things that make people's lives bearable where they live (with the consequence that they are less likely to want to come here).
The idea of a video of the Alexander idiot being a worthwile use of the money is daft as Gordon Brown. Tom and Jerry would be just as useful and far more entertaining.
I'm with you on this WfW. Overseas aid only reaches the top 10% or so of people and they're the ones who don't need it desperately.
We've been giving aid to those worse off that us for years with such little result it's pathetic.
I can fully understand why you get annoyed.
Many thanks for the link scunnert. I should have put it up myself. A wonderful device it is.
Hi Tris. Pensioners in this country are the forgotten citizens unless they're lucky enough to be reasonably wealthy.
The money we spend on overseas aid is massive yet we see little result. The problem is the people who have nothing get none of the aid. It's all pocketed by governments to improve their lifestyles.
Tris,
A pension is not, repeat not, a 'benefit' surely?
What else does one pay NI & taxes for?
All I am saying is that before we help the 'world and his wife', we should look after our own.
Put another way, if the choice you had is helping say, your kith and kin, or me, who you don't know from Adam - who would you help first?
Of course a pension isn't a benefit WFW, but why do we have the lowest state pensions in Europe?
I've worked all my life (bar a couple of years), paid the full stamp and get a pension I couldn't live from. Fortunately I also have a small works pension.
Here in Scotland laws are different and I doubt my property would be taken by the state to pay nursing home fees.
Anyway, I have a wee agreement with family that I've no intention of getting to that stage.
A pension is counted as a benefit WfW. It is dealt with by the Dept of Work and Pensions as are other benefits.
People also pay NI so that they can have Jobseekers' Allowance and Incpacity Benefit, Child Benefit, Death Benefit, etc, etc, etc.
I don't in any way mean to demean it by saying that. It's simply the way that it is seen by the imperial government in England.
I agree that it is the scandal of Europe. Our pesioners are worse off than the Bugarians!
I agree that a lot of the aid is wasted SR, which is why I agree with the idea of it being targetted at specific projects. Water and heath issues must be the most important of these.
Tris, I certainly don't consider my old age (state) pension as a benefit. I've paid into it all my working life and it's my entitlement.
Other monies 'given' by the government may be benefits but certainly the state pension should not be included in them.
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