UK Foreign Aid, the Eu and German Coffee Barons

Of the £13 Billion annual UK foreign aid budget around £600 million is given to Kenya.

Kenya has long ties with the UK and is arguably one of the most progressive countries within Africa. Kenya is striving for self reliance and is a dynamic rising economy.

But the question has to be asked: Why does Kenya need this aid?

Why isn't Kenya self reliant already?

To be self reliant Kenya (or any country) needs to build trade. They need to sell and export Goods and Services. From this trade comes a surplus and from that surplus Kenya could provide the education, health care and education services that are currently propped up by UK foreign aid.

One of Kenya's main industries is growing coffee beans and selling the unprocessed beans to the Eu (Germany in particular)

Compared to selling processed coffee, the profitability of selling coffee beans as a raw material is pitiful. If you spend say £5.00 on a bag of ground processed coffee, then  about 5 pence (1%) will go to the Kenyan coffee grower.

So why don't the Kenyans process their own coffee and sell on the refined product? 

That's where we come to the German Coffee Industry and Eu protectionism.

Germany (and the rest of the Eu) cannot grow coffee beans. So the Eu is happy to have a zero tariff on coffee beans when imported as a raw material. 

But coffee is processed in Germany and the German Coffee Barons don't like competition. Neither does the Eu. 

If the Kenyans wanted to sell processed coffee to the Eu then they get hit by a 7.5% tariff. On the tight margins in a competitive industry that 7.5% is a killer.

AS a result Kenya doesn't invest in processing its own coffee and makes far less than it should out of its coffee industry.

All so German coffee grinders and blenders can operate free from competition.

Meanwhile UK Foreign Aid is used to prop up vital Kenyan services. 

In a perverse way the final destination of a large part of the £600 million UK foreign aid given to Kenya isn't Kenya at all. It ends up lining the pockets of protected and cosseted German Coffee Barons who profit from this unfair competition.

Without punitive and debilitating Eu tariff boundaries the Kenyans could develop their natural industries as they should be developed. Then they could pay for their own services and not be dependent on the largess of the UK government.

Poor Africans striving for a better future deserve better than this.

And so do we.

Vote Leave on Thursday.

Vote Leave for yourself, and vote Leave for the poor African farmers abused by the Eu.

Hat tip to Anna Racoon who looks at further Eu abuse and exploitation of African Farmers Here

DIY Foreign Aid on a Budget

The great thing about DIY is that it is cheap and effective.

That applies to DIY foreign aid just as much as it does to building that book shelf the wife has been moaning about for the last year.

You can get somebody else to do it, but then you know it is going to cost alot more and probably be done to a lower standard as well.

If you really want to get ripped off just get a government department to do the job. Not only will you pay through the nose, you will also get crap service. That is why much of the seven billion we spend in aid every year simply goes down the toilet.

Not only does our governmental aid fail to reach the deserving poor, it is often used to ensure they remain downtrodden.

Have a read of this Daily Mail article (HERE). AHa! I hear you say, but that is the Daily Mail, they would say that wouldn't they?

Well, how about this Zambian Economist (HERE) Incidentally she created quite a stir with her book titled Dead Aid (Amazon HERE)

So what can you do?

Personally, I have followed the advice given by the above Zambian economist (DAMBISA MOYO) and have loaned out (not given) a small amount of cash to honest hardworking folk all over the world through an organisation called Kiva (HERE)

It may be only a lousy $150 in total but I suspect it does more good than a considerably bigger sum doled out by the foreign office.

Not only that it is also relatively safe.

On Kiva you can deal yourself in with $25 (circa £18). That and you can also get your money back if necessary. This is Billothewisps Kiva page (HERE)

At least have a look at Kiva. You can make a difference as an individual by giving a hand up not a hand out. Even though you end up doing the bloody Foreign Office's job for them.

Despots versus the Deserving

OK my grubby little Englanders, here are a couple of very happy individuals, possibly celebrating some of the few billions you have shovelled their way.

Now, while the one on the left has recently spent a great deal of time sat on the toilet thinking up excuses for the rape, torture and murder he has inflicted on his own people, there are several other equally vile despots queuing up to take his place on the world stage.

All of these despots are gleefully massaging the ego of  the UK governmental "Ship Of Fools" who promote the  prevailing "vision" of the UK being a [sic] (or is that sick) foreign aid "Super-power".

The other smiling bastard in the picture needs no introduction.

While Mugabe is regarded as a bit of a bad boy by the foreign office, that has not stopped them in the past giving him everything from gold plated Mercedes limos to jet fighters.

Oh, So much better value than spending it on hip replacements for old ladies.

Needless to say all the money, aid, skill and sheer hard work that has been squandered on these so called "World Leaders" has effectively gone down the drain.

Now have a look at this bunch.

Billothewisp along with about 30 other folk, each lent them the princely sum of $25.00.

It is being repaid, on time and to the penny.

Or this group.

I blogged about these guys earlier Here (if you adore guinea pigs - look away now!)

Again, like the African group, they are normal, average, honest people who need a hand up, not a hand out. They also have met all their re-payments in full.

The loan was set up by an organisation called Kiva (Here).

I do have some issues with Kiva. But compared to traditional foreign aid and "charity" they are shiny white virgin saints.

Our government can continue to stroke its political ego. It can continue fuelling the despots of this world by giving them massive hand outs.

Or it can promote personal responsibility. Enable honest people, who are willing to lend relatively small amounts, to directly help other honest people wanting to borrow.

A hand up not a hand out.

If Cameron wants to install some "moral" imperative, maybe he should facilitate individuals doing their own "foreign aid". Cut the appallingly wasteful foreign aid budget and give tax breaks to the average person. Encourage them to lend on a person to person or Peer to Peer basis.

Cut the Mugabes and Gadaffis out of  the loop.

Am I dreaming?

Naive?

Is this wishful thinking?

Possibly.

But it cannot be worse than the current foreign aid debacle which swindles the UK tax-payer, fuels depravity and gains little or nothing for those who simply need a hand up.

Good News from Africa.

It is not often that something good happens in Africa. But today the world welcomes a new Country, South Sudan.

Exploited, dominated and brutalised by the Northern Khartoum dictatorship for the last 30 years, now the people of South Sudan have a chance to pull their desperately poor country into the 21st century.

This is good news due to the potential in this new country and the hope and determination of it's people. Perhaps if South Sudan comes good then we may see an "African Spring" which will involve the removal of the old ugly despots who tyrannise almost the rest of Africa.

Will South Sudan bloom into the Central African torch bearer of freedom and development?

I really hope so.

Because they start with a clean sheet, South Sudan must command our backing and support. Compared to the other countries in Africa which have squandered aid and then slid into the mire of factionalism and corruption, South Sudan is a beacon of hope in a sea of despair.

Let us hope the West gives real practical support to South Sudan and not just the feel-good mediaeval style indulgences that have often passed for aid but have simply bought off corrupt elites at vast expense.

If anywhere in Africa deserves our support, it is South Sudan.

Guinea Pig Stew

The other week it came time to loan out $25 on Kiva that had recently been repaid. I had a quick search through the listings for a suitable borrower. 

My grand-daughter decided to help.

We looked through a few. Then we came across a fine band of Peruvian farmers. They wanted the money to buy chickens and Guinea Pigs.

Stew? My names is not Stew. My name is Brian

My grand-daughter thought about this particular group long and hard. Her wistful expression said it all.

Guinea pigs. Fluffy little Guinea pigs. Nice guinea pigs. Then, by association, nice Peruvians, kind Peruvians, looking after the nice little Guinea Pigs.

I was a coward. I said nothing.

Because of my silence there was no option. The Peruvians got their loan.

Here they are:

The Yayanmarca farmers Group Peru

One day I'll have to summon thhe courage and tell my grand-daughter what the Peruvians farmers plan for their fluffy little Guinea pigs

But not for another ten years, or maybe twenty.

Don't forget, Kiva is great.

Make loans directly to decent people in the third world, not their greedy ruling class. These are loans that get repaid, not lost in a Swiss bank account or a Mercedes Benz dealership.

Everyone gets their own link from Kiva. Here's mine, go on have a look. (you know you want to)

http://kiva.org/invitedby/bill8214

Do I get any money from this link? - don't be bloody daft.  But if you would rather their main site....

http://www.kiva.org/

But I do get a bit of Kiva "street cred" from how many people eventually become loaners from my introduction.

I might need that if the local animal rights looneys come calling. Especially if they start asking pointed questions about what exactly happens to Peruvian Guinea pigs -  and who is financing them.

Banking, Foreign Aid and Pensions.

OK you grubby little Englanders. It is Saturday night. Let us put the world to rights. Or at least, let us think about how to fix a few things that desperately need attention. So tonight....

Putting the world to rights involves doing three things:

1. Screwing over the disgustingly greedy bankers.
2. Ensuring foreign aid actually goes to decent people not tyrants and despots
3. Making sure that those who invest in a pension actually get one.

Here is a short discourse on the way it is, what needs fixing, and the way it could be.

The way it is:

Banking
The obscenity of the banking scandal continues. The banking wide boys reward themselves with outrageous bonuses while waving two fingers to the rest of us. The banks charge loan shark rates to borrowers while rewarding savers with a pittance. Businesses needing working capital can go to hell.

Foreign Aid
The governement grotesquely announces that it wants to be an aid "super-power". It shovels more and more money abroad in a grandiose attempt buy itself friends and importance on the world stage.  Massive amounts of the aid money ends up supporting the tyrants and bigots who brutalise much of the third world. The decent people of the third world who need a hand up (not a hand out) get the table scrapings, if they are lucky.

Pensions
The self same banks, also peddle dodgy pensions. Though they make their financial advisors and associates millions, they leave the suckers drawn into their schemes on a sure course to a poverty ridden old age.

So how can this be fixed?

Basically, as stated at the start, we need to:

1. Screw over the bankers.
2. Ensure that foreign aid goes to decent people not tyrants.
3. Ensure that people who invest in a pension actually get a decent return.

So here is a suggestion. Naive it may be. Even unworkable - maybe.

But I hope you find it interesting,

The way it could be.

Instead of trusting the untrustwothy bankers, pension savers would commit (say) a portion of their pension to micro-finance initiatives. This could include foreign aid initiatives like those run by Kiva. Through organisations like  Kiva, this money gets lent out directly to the ordinary decent people in the third world. Of course lending like this, although relatively safe, gives a poor or nil financial return.

This is where the foreign aid budget comes in. Instead of just funding ugly despots, the foreign aid budget could provide a return to the pension saver for the loan. This would amount to perhaps 5% of the loaned amount. It would ensure that foreign aid actually supported decent people rather than the ugly despots. It would mean individuals would take responsibility for helping the poor of the world, not some government quango. Meanwhile their government would take responsibility for ensuring that pension funds, honestly saved, get a decent return, At the same time, they could massively reduce the corrupt foreign aid budget.

But there are losers:

1. The ugly despots who find they cannot now affords a new golden 500 series Mercedes every six months. Or some new electric whips for their secret police.

2. The bankers who suddenly find out that their slush funds have vanished and their bonuses are in jeopardy.

Anyone grieving for the losers?

...Thought not.

p.s. If you are wondering "What about investing in UK industry?" ... see one of my next posts

Lancaster JB314 - EA-Q

Here is a picture of a young man. At the time he was about 17 years old. He never saw 22.

This is my uncle (1st cousin once removed), Sgt. David Rowcliffe RAFVR, pictured shortly before the outbreak of WWII. He was, when this picture was taken, just plain David Rowcliffe.

I want to use the story of David's brief life to illustrate some points about our country, and how it conducts itself today.

Most of the information this post is based on was provided by two sources. One is http://www.bomberhistory.co.uk .

The other was from the kindness of a German researcher named Eberhard Michel, to whom I will always be indebted.

Why am I posting this here tonight?

There are several reasons.

The first is that on this day, 67 years ago, David lost his life in a bombing raid over Germany. That was ten years to the day before I was born.

David  trained as a Navigator. After training in South Africa, he and his crew were assigned to 49 squadron operating out of Fiskerton in Lincolnshire. Their aircaft was Lancaster JB314 call-sign EA-Q They were a mix of Brits and Canadians.

The night of 30th March 1944 49 Squadron was allocated for a large raid on Nuremberg. This was David's first (and last) mission.

The night was clear with a full moon. but the target was obscured by cloud. Pathfinders recommended that the raid be aborted. This advice was directly over-ruled by "Bomber" Harris. Even by Harris' dismal standards this was an insanely poor decision. Harris was supremely careless with the lives of the men under his command, although he claimed otherwise. As for the lives of German civilians he was openly dismissive.

David's aircraft  was one of the 12% of the aircraft that did not return. JB314 was shot down by Fw Reitmayer from I/NJG5 based at Stendal. The plane fell in pieces near a small village called Quotshausen. Only two of the crew bailed out of the burning bomber. The mid upper gunner Sgt. A.J. McAvoy and my Uncle, Sgt. D. Rowcliffe. Both were heavily burned.

Sgt A.J. McAvoy was found wandering in a state of shock. His wounds were so severe he was repatriated before the war ended. David crashed into a tree and was left suspended until rescued by the villagers. However, his burns were even worse than those suffered by Sgt A.J. McAvoy. Little medical help was available.

But both men were treated by a local German girl only known now as  "Sister Annie". She probably saved Sgt McAvoys life (God bless her heart).

Regrettably though David died of his wounds. The rest of the crew, P/O L.G. Kellow, Sgt S.G. Silver, Sgt L.E.Walford, Sgt T.C.Baker, P/O J. Latham perished in the aircraft.

Just another tragedy in a world drowning in tears and grief. 67 years ago.

So what? What is my message? What am I trying to say here?

I know (and you know) much more about this tragedy than Davids parents and friends ever knew. They didn't actually even know which raid he was killed on.  After he was killed the bureaucrats could not be bothered, his parents never even knew where he was buried.

In the past our country has been extremely careless with the lives of our young men and women. I fear today we are still ever being pulled into gung-ho self righteous campaigns on behalf of the world, while the world looks on. Sometimes they cheer, sometimes they curse. But always from the sidelines.

Our country haemorrhages its wealth into the pockets of foreign gangster elites in what is farcically called Foreign Aid. Meanwhile our young hemorrhage their blood into the sands of Iraq, Afghanistan and 21 other wars since WWII. Always fighting somebody else's war. Paying for somebody else's excess.

At least David died fighting a war defending his own country, even through he was led by a megalomaniac Air Marshal.

Perhaps what I need to say on this black anniversary is that we need to be more careful with those we put in harms way.

Today it is Libya. Another righteous war, but one waged for somebody else.

We owe the likes of David a huge debt. Today we need to make sure there are no more tragedies like JB314.

The only way we can do that is to stop the Ship Of Fools in Westminster from grandstanding on the world stage and using our soldiers as some blood sacrifice to their beloved "World Role".

There are times when regrettably war is an ugly fact of life. David, and his crew paid the ultimate price in such a time.

Today we must get our politicians to understand that war should always be the last resort of the incompetent, not the first resort in international diplomacy.

Lancaster JB314 (EA-Q)
P/O L.G. Kellow Pilot (Killed)
Sgt S.G. Silver F/E (Killed)
Sgt D. Rowcliffe NAV (Killed)
Sgt L.E. Walford W/OP (Killed)
Sgt A.J. McAvoy A/G (P.o.W.)
Sgt T.C. Baker B/A (Killed)
P/O J. Latham RCAF A/G (Killed)

R.I.P.

Kiva: A Hand Up Not A Hand Out

OK you grubby little Englanders.  Today I want to explain how as individuals, we can give a hand up to the decent hard-working poor in the Third World. Not a hand out to the idle gangsters who rule them.

I expect you may have noticed that Billothewisp has a very low opinion of the way UK foreign aid is allocated and spent.

To me it looks more like a never-ending pleasure excursion to fame and riches than a method of alleviating suffering. The fame and riches are, of course, shared out among the Fats Cats at home and the Fat Cats ruling the Third World poor.

Meanwhile the poor sods at the bottom of the pile  get the table scrapings.

Overhanging the whole enormous DFID budget is the ugly stench of graft and greed. Fat cat salaries and cynical exploitation of both the giver and receiver. Read this article in The Telegraph for a quick whiff.

Via our government and it's incredible addiction to Globalisation, we are soon going to be  each "giving" another £500 a year each whether we want to or not.

How charitable.

But people in the third world deserve a hand up not a hand out. Charity should be only for the truly incapacitated, not for the decent people of the Third world. They deserve better.

So Billothewisp doesn't do charity any more. Charity is for the work-house and pompous Victorian oligarchs.

Now there is a better way for a personal involvement in helping the poor of the third world.

It is called Micro-finance.

Small loans to real people in need of a hand up. The crucial thing here is that the money is a loan not a hand out. It gets repaid, and then (of course) can be lent out again.

It appears to work. The main organisation involved in this at the moment is Kiva. I have a couple of issues with Kiva, but nothing that (as yet) would stop me using them.

It is run a bit like the UK peer to peer lending organisations, Zopa and Funding Circle, but Kiva is a not for profit organisation. Kiva allows individuals to loan small amounts of cash to real people. $25 via Paypal deals you in.

The people are  requesting loans to run a business or generally improve their life. Just like in the UK.

The default rate is evidently 1.8%. Which is pretty good. Of course if they default then they don't get another loan. But almost to a man (or woman) they don't default. Which must give us all a bit more faith in humanity.

For Billothewisp there is to be no more "charity" to poor Africans, but there will be loans. I am going to give a hand up not a hand out.

It is a pity that my pay is going to be drained of another £500 so the fats cats in the DFID can go and squander it at home or in foreign parts.

Believe me, with Kiva I think even my 2 year grand-daughter could do a better job with my £500 than the DFID.

Welcome to Southern Sudan

Occasionally, very occasionally, something good happens in Africa.

Recently under the threats and intimidation of their northern occupiers the people of Southern Sudan voted overwhelmingly for independence. This independence (if it is not strangled at birth by the regime in Khartoum) is due to take shape in July.

Already there are acts destabilisation and violence (bordering on genocide) being committed against the long suffering people of Southern Sudan. (See Here) .

The world looks on. If it looks at all.

The West (particularly the UK - especially the UK) wastes billions propping up cruel and corrupt regimes all across Africa. Meanwhile the average African is left to go to hell.

So how much support have we given to the common people of Southern Sudan? How much help do we give to a desperate people who are striving for independence and dignity?

HERE  they say £40 million. This £40 million for the Southern Sudan though, is actually, £40 million "given" to the UN.

The figure itself is derisory compared to how much scumbags like Mugabe have received. One estimate I read was that the Mugabe regime received over £12 billion in twenty years.

But remember, this £40 million is money going to the UN.

After you take out the "administration", the "commissions", the "pre-payments" the "enabling payments" and the outright bribes then that figure probably comes down to £4 million. This is what gets  directed to Southern Sudan.

Then after this is shipped through the neighbouring gangsters and thieves who surround the good people of Southern Sudan, I expect the net amount probably is about £500,000.

If that.

Southern Sudan has no roads. No sewage system. No power grid. The people are grindingly poor. Yet they aspire to better things. They have fought for democracy and independence just as our forefathers did.

Khartoum will try everything it can to destabilise the South and we, shamefully will probably just look on. If democracy is defeated, we will probably end up  supporting whatever faction has some marginal preferential business or party political interest to the UK.

We will probably look the other way while some nasty warlord takes control. Just as we have done elsewhere in Africa. We will probably see Southern Sudan mired in squalor.

No doubt in years to come there will be the Band Aid style appeals so the stupid and ignorant can massage their consciences and egos by donating some cash. This will of course, almost inevitably end up in the pockets of the gangsters who run Africa just as it has done before..

Nothing will change. Nothing will [expletive deleted] change.

Our £40 million is simply the modern day equivalent of medieval indulgences. Paid so the indolent can look righteous. Paid to secure a place in heaven. Paid so it looks good.

A year ago I blogged about a different way to do foreign aid, a way pioneered by Cuba. I am no fan the ugly Cuban regime, but just as the Nazi's built good Autobahns the Cubans do good foreign aid. The post is HERE. With this method everyone wins - except the fat cats.

Southern Sudan is a blank sheet of paper.They need our practical help. Their emerging political system can be influenced by decency and fair dealing.

Southern Sudan deserves better than petty medieval indulgences.

If there is anywhere on the dark continent (or for that matter the world) that deserves practical aid it is Southern Sudan.

Will they receive it? I am not holding my breath.

Something Fishy with Foreign Aid

Billothewisp is perplexed. George Osborne has brought a heavy axe down on the grotesque cancer of public spending excess. But there is one exception. Foreign aid is to grow by 37%. Notice dear readers not so much a squeak about this out of Labour, SNP, Plaid, or any of the others. The silence is deafening.

Furthermore, reporting of the many billions increase in foreign aid has been almost non existent (with the odd notable exception see here.) Do not expect any expose from the BBC any time soon.

There is something not quite right here.

This simply does not fit.

Realistically, any government of any colour would rationally cut the foreign aid cloth to fit the economics of the day. But that is not what's happening.

A 37% increase, especially by a government in a challenging economic situation is simply bizarre.

Especially when it is an open secret that 80% of African foreign aid ends up in the Swiss bank accounts of the gangster rulers. While India and Pakistan use it to pay indirectly for their nuclear weapons programmes.

There has to be a reason, probably a dark reason why this is happening.

Is it some form of Dangeld? (see here) Or what?

I cannot figure it out. But to suggest it is the magnanimous gesture from our Great and Good for no reason other than righteousness is trite.

There is something seriously wrong about this.

We are not being told the truth.

An Outbreak of Common Sense

Many of the Great Good and Extremely Well Fed are moaning about the lack of commitment that has been shown to the victims of the Pakistani floods.

So why is the level of support so low?

Why are we not providing significant support from either the government or from the general population?

Cast you mind back to the Tsunami of 2004. Initially, that catastophe also went unaddressed. At the start the government grudgingly donated a derisory amount of aid. The sum was actually soon outstripped by personal donations. The government under Gordon Browns direction tried to hold its position. But public outrage dictated otherwise.

Today, the the lack of public support for the Pakistani disaster is primarily due to the economic constraints upon the country at this time. This is ampified by the fact that Pakistan spends £2 billion a year on nuclear weapons, and has been actively seen as supporting those that are murdering British troops in Afganistan.

But in both the Tsunami disaster and the Pakistani floods the government has found itself in a position where it simply did not have any money left in the coffers. The reason for this is that most of the Foreign Aid budget has always been squandered on African gangsters and other odious members of the worlds corrupt elites. We have always heavily contributed to the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund. This fund is supposed to deal with crises like the Pakistani floods but it is arguably worse than useless.

At least now, the coalition government appears to (at last) have smelt the coffee and is axing some of the multitude of commitments that have previously soaked up the foreign aid budget like a sponge.
See Channel 4 here

Morover, (shock and horror) we will be targetting aid to help extract us from the mess of Afganistan. See Guardian Here

Maybe in future years we will not be buying Lear jets for the corrupt bully-boys who rule the third world. Perhaps we will have enough kept back so we can immediately respond to a calamity like the Pakistani floods.

Maybe if there is not a disaster in a particular year, then maybe, just maybe, we could spend it on our own poor and needy instead.

The Budget: Vicious but Fair

Osbourne should be applauded for his emergency budget. If nothing had been done we would have gone down the Greek road to ruin.

But Why Oh Why is foreign aid ring fenced? Eight billion a year goes out the door on foreign aid. Much of this goes into the pockets of ruling elites that don't give a damn about their poor.

If pensioners and others in this country are expected to go without, I am sure the foreign aid budget could at least be trimmed.

Most other countries in Europe put their own people first. Why don't we?

Cuts for the Old. Foreign Aid Ring Fenced

I cannot believe this. Our political leaders have all queued up to emphasise how they are going to ring fence foreign aid. Now Clegg wants to cut winter fuel payments to the over 60's. See BBC news report here

I must be missing something here. Who comes first? British people at the end of their working lives or foreign governments?

Most of the aid recipients are massively corrupt. Others like India and China are running huge budget surpluses. They have the money, but they choose not to spend it on their poor. They let us do it instead.

I appreciate that the winter fuel payments for the under 65's may have to go due to the catastrophic economic situation we are in, but surely at least some of the £8 billion foreign aid budget should go first.

If you want to see why people in this ruined little land of ours cannot be bothered to vote then this must be a iconic example.

With this we see our political leaders displaying exactly how unimportant they regard the common people in this country. They seem all yearn to strut about on the World stage showing how generous and globalised they are, while their own people can go to hell.

Foreign Aid and Africa

We spend between £6 and £8 billion a year supposedly relieving third world poverty. Much of this money goes to Africa. But in Africa, nothing gets better. (See this Coffee House Article Here)

In total from us and others, Africa has received over £500 billion in aid over the last 50 years. Yet, in most all African countries, life expectancy, wealth and literacy has fallen. The only thing that has risen, and it has risen astronomically, is corruption.

Essentially we are donating money to the gangsters of Africa in the vain and stupid hope that they will get a conscience and help the poor. This is about as likely as trying to help the poor of the East End of London by donating money to the Cray Twins and Ronnie Biggs.

So what do we do? He have all seen the debacle of Iraq where Tony Blair and Co tried to impose a 19th century colonial solution to a similar problem. Hopefully we won't make that mistake again.

A different approach to foreign aid has been successfully and rigorously pursued by Cuba. Even though Cuba is a pretty rank dictatorship itself and has very little money, the Cuban foreign aid policy is something to be reckoned with.

Basically the Cubans train legions of medics and engineers, then temporarily “export” these experts to poor countries. (see Wikipedia here). Currently Cuba has 20000 (yes, twenty thousand) medics helping in the third world.

Think on this: Say you were a poor African. On one hand you look upon the western supported corrupt dictator who brutally reigns over you. On the other hand you see a local Cuban field hospital. There you watch as the Cuban communists save your child's life. Which system would you consider the best? Where would your political support go?

How bizarre that a crumbling old style Stalinist dictatorship can hold the moral high-ground over the Western democracies.

Just to make matters worse, instead of training medical staff and using them to help in Africa we actually have sent out recruitment teams to go and steal the medics away from poor countries. Then, couple of years down the track, we then cannot find places for our own home trained talent (See Daily Mail article Here.) We end up stealing medics from the third world and then forcibly exporting our own to Australia and the States.

The irony of this is that Cuba, even forgetting about the political agenda, gains massive popular support from little expenditure. Our largesse only gains us hate and despair.

We cannot afford to keep on financing the crooks of Africa. But we can afford to help the common people of Africa by training our own people and lending their expertise to Africa. Just like the Cubans do.

Foreign Aid and Political Conceit

All our political parties are highly enthusiastic about dishing out foreign aid. Even David Cameron has declared it is to be ring fenced.

We donate 6-8 billion every year in International Aid. (see Spectator article here). Usually these donations have no strings attached. It is a gracious gift from one ruling elite to another.

A great deal of this this money goes to India. While India is perhaps the shining (and singular) glory of third world democracy, it is hardly in a state of economic ruin.

India has a foreign currency surplus of £300 billion per year. It has an active and growing nuclear weapons program that puts ours in the shade. There is a Space program that rivals ESA and NASA. The final icing of the cake is that India has its own foreign aid budget (no sign of any money coming to Rotherham though).

This is great. I celebrate that India is a dynamic and thrusting democracy and I hope they maintain their progress. But, above all, they are an independent and sovereign nation. They make their choices with their budget as they wish.

Our Great, Good and extremely well fed, do not view it quite like this. They love the kudos for dishing out our money because it allows them to grandstand to their audience and show us all how generous and compassionate they are. We feel embarrassed about poverty in India, but really as India has enough for a large financial surplus, nuclear weapons, a large defence budget and a space programme it should not be for us to support the areas they ignore. It smacks of crass colonialism and political conceit to start dishing out money to areas that the legitimate government in a thriving democracy chooses to not to prioritise.

Take a parallel. Several years ago New Orleans was devastated by a hurricane. The USA administration abjectly failed the poor people of New Orleans and many ended up destitute and abandoned. But this did not mean we started funding them. The USA has more then enough of its own resources to deal with this problem. The same reasoning should also now apply to India. Especially now,as we are in such deep financial difficulties ourselves.

Neighbours Entrails Intact

My thanks to Steve Green for including me in his blog-roll and especially for creating a rather good new icon for BilloTheWisp. I feel torn between Steves new icon and the original old Neanderthal BilloTheWisp. Consequently, from now on I have decided that BilloTheWisp is going to have a split personality and veer from fundamental Neanderthalism through to an etherial Englishness. The exact choice will be highly dependant on the amount of cider I have had to opportunity to consume that evening.

In Neanderthal BilloTheWisp mode I should report that I have had some complaints about using a neighbours entails for forcasting the events of the new year (BilloTheWisps Crystal Ball for 2010)

There are those who feel that sacrificing one of my neighbours for the rather dubious data retrieved was somewhat over the top. However I can reassure everyone that nobody actually lost their life.

I can further relay the happy news that the neighbour concerned will be out of intensive care before the end of the week with his entrails fully restored to their proper location.

Finally as a precursor to a set of posts on Globalisation and Foreign Aid, I will post a statement I heard many years ago from a bitter retired career diplomat. I also saw this repeated almost word for word in a Spectator article Here.

The old guy said:

Foreign aid is really just an excellent way to get the poor in rich countries to subsidise the lifestyles and excesses of the rich in poor countries.

It may be an extremely cynical and pessimistic viewpoint but, unfortunately it has some echoes of truth about it. I'm going to beat this about a bit as is my want in future posts.

Particularly I want to examine how the average Joe usually gets screwed irrespective of whether he lives in Dorchester or Mumbai. But more on that on another day.