General Chat

I spoke to a doctor (of medicine) who has been to help the starving in parts of Africa. She said she was horrified at the state of the emaciated children but noted that the parents appeared to be reasonably fit. She also noted that the parents used the children to obtain food but relieved them of it. I worked for an organisation that collected hundreds of thousands of pounds for aid around the world. Much of the money was lost to corruption. I think that woolly-minded do-gooders should invite Geldorf to put his talents to better use, perhaps really helping the human race by combating de-forestation and pollution to begin with. Then perhaps concentrating on population control. His latest ruse is to inundate us with illegal immigrants and cause havoc in Edinbugh. Perhaps he will be offered a peerage? We all want to help the unfortunate but some get blinded by strong philanthropic emotions which mislead them into futile actions which, far from helping the world, are jeopardising the futures of their own children and grand children. len

Lynda, Corrupt governments can also on occasion, be oppressive and/or genocidal. So it is always wise to determine as best possible, the ultimate destination of your financial aid. Harold, it is often difficult for an oppressed people to remove without aid, their oppressors. By virtue of the fact than an imbalance of power facilitates the removal of political and social resources required for self-attained liberation by the oppressed. Patty

Ladies and Gentlemen,It is a sad fact of life that 'Africa'will forever need 'Aid' as long as they have people running them like 'Mugabi'and his Ilk.When that sort of ruler is removed,only then will they begin to prosper,and the money donated go to the needy.However,the people of those Countries should be the ones to remove them,and all Bank Accounts of these rulers in whatever Country,Should be forfiet to the Countries concerned. Hal.

Jan, the more people rant about the corruption within areas where Aid is required and donated, the sooner this issue will be addressed and resolved. I personally never donate to other than Non-Government organisations where appeals for aid are concerned. These groups either have headquarters, or workers and volunteers in place at the site of areas in need and there is more assurance that the aid goes directly to the people who need it. Patty

Personally I think we should get the corruption sorted out as a priority. Jacqui is right, the people who need aid and for whom it was intended, don't get it. I can't speak for Grenada but I certainly have first hand knowledge of what happened in Sri Lanka after the Tsunami. From the world aid, everyone who lost their home, had only the clothes they stood up in and absolutely nothing else were EVENTUALLY awarded 5000 rupees (per household) to get their lives back together - that's about £26 in our money. All those that had tried to help themselves, salvaged what they could from the rubble, got lumps of wood from broken boats and made tent like structures and had generally tidied up as best they could didn't get a penny - but miraculously somehow it appeared that they actually had received the money. Question? So who did get the money. A large proportion of these poor souls were fishermen and so they'd also lost their means of earning a living - boats smashed to smitherines on the road - and all they got was lunch packets as they stood helplessly by the roadside. And guess who provided the lunch packets - locals, church organisations, the Red Cross, Red Crescent and people like me who were there making sure our friends were OK and trying to do what little we could . It was heartbreaking on the one hand and made you sick on the other knowing roughly how much aid was flooding in from across the globe and having a damned good idea where it was going to land up. It's absolutely despicable. Rant over, sorry. Jan

Hi, One of the reasons I give to Comic relief is that you see where the money goes - they show you the projects they have set up. The same applied with Band Aid, you saw where your money was going. Government aid is often tied up with contracts for businesses in the countries giving the aid. We pay you 'Aid' and you pay one of our companies to do the work. (Notably the US and France) People have big families because a lot of children do not reach adulthood and parents are totally reliant on their children for support in their old age. There is no old age pension for them. Birth control is not easily available in many third world countries, several religions still forbid their members from using it, even where it is available. Sir Bob has said that this time Band8 is about raising awareness. He's certainly doing that, and I respect him for it. Gwynne

Len, great topic for discussion and debate, and already informative in terms of Jacqui's responses in particular. I am a bit of a nit-picker, so can you elaborate on your statement 'Bob Geldof needs his head testing' as it's a bit ambiguous with regards exactly what it is he is doing that you don't agree with. Patty

So we just leave them to die..... I have already stated that AID does not get to where it is supposed to but if Like US AID people go and do what is necessary then they can help... I see what you are saying Danial but that's life so to speak... Jacquie xxx

I know when you see the pictures you want to help- rightly so. But at the root of it all the countries bring it on themselves. They have famiiles they know they cannot afford. Contraception is still not being used as much as it should be. These problems would stop in a few generations if they changed their negative culture and adapted more to help themselves. It's not politics, it's common sense.

Roxanne... I honestly never thought I would be thirsty...really thirsty...we had no water for 5 days....and then only because my husband managed to find a stand pipe that was working!!! He collected it in one of our tanks and brought it up to our Village. As English women, my sister and I and our friend had a reasonable stock cupboard....but water is the most important thing!!!! Jacquie

They don't hope themselves by having large families and continue to have large families. This is there tradition, religion and culture. I don't see why we should give millions which will only be a drop in the ocean anyway, when they continue to maintain such a lifestyle that is detrimental to themselves.

I don't like Bob Geldof at all and I get very irritated with multi-millionaire celebrities asking me to give what spare cash I have when so few of them appear to give a proportional amount of what they earn. However what they do achieve is to raise awareness of the suffering of others and that's got to be a good thing. I would ask you this, Len - if one of those wasted starving people that we see on the news was sat on your doorstep begging for a drink or some food, would you be able to refuse them because you know a lot of statistics and predictions?

Roxanne A bit of both I think....to start with the docks were a mess...people were sending barrels and boxes for their relatives and friends.....lots didn't get to the right people to start with until the Trinidadian Army came in and others. We really don't know where it went but most of the food stuff didn't get where it was supposed to... The financial AID took months to filter through to the people.. It is only now that our Government has said each household can $5,000 to help put their houses right!!! Me, stupid, didn't wait....wanted my roof....so the last of the savings put the roof back!!!!! Now we miss out because they are only giving the money in materials....not cash!!!!! Who gets my $5,000 that's what I want to know..... US AID are here working to rebuild some homes but they are here doing it ....they didn't pass money on.... Jacquie xxx

I do no really know much about what Bob Geldorf has been saying this time....but I have now been on the receiving end of AID...... Countries all over the world sent AID to Grenada last September....for the people, for Schools, for Health Centres... We personally received one small, very small parcel of food and there were 5 Adults staying in my downstairs apartment my husband and I included....10 Dogs....2 cats....1 Goat (she was outside!) The other 3 were homeless due to NO ROOF...my roof had also gone!!! There are people here that still have NO ROOF, some have NO HOME!!! The Schools are UNICEF TENTS!!!!! Still!!!! It is now the WET Season.....hurricane season again!!!!! AID DOES NOT GET TO THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED IT!!!!! Jacquie xxxx

Hi Sue, i dont think Len meant that, but with the world as a whole we should be concentrating on the future, our children and grandchildren and so on, there wont be anything to save one day, and bob geldof is'nt the only person concerned with famine, but he sure likes to be heard and seen Love Helen

I think Bob Geldof is right but for every poor person we save perhaps we could shoot a government official to even the score! Julie xxx

I think I must be reading this wrong. Are you suggesting we should let people suffer...and then once they've suffered enough....then let them die?? Sue xx

There are currently more than six thousand million humans on earth (according to Professor Gideon Carter), a figure that is increasing by 80 million every year. Current estimates suggests that our population will reach 7 billion by 2010, and that by 2500 there will be a human being for every 2 square feet of the planet. As a species we are heavy consumers. Forest land is being stripped at a terrifying rate, while oil and coal supplies are dwindling and industries pollute our fresh water, the land and the air and we are changing the climate with probable disastrous effects. In the near future, wars will be fought over water supplies. The extinction of all species but our own will follow, then the end of even that, We do not need more people. We are sowing the seeds of our own destruction. Does Bob Geldorf need his head testing ? Is he concerned only with his own glorification and to hell with life on earth ? Len