Unthreaded
tomo & Supertroll Overseas Aid
It is the amount of money that gets snarled up in admin costs or deliberately siphoned off, by corrupt officials, whether in the UK/EU, or in transit, or in the country of destination that annoys me.
A hi-vis jacket being worn at a container port for Health and Safety reasons, might as well have a UK Logo on it for publicity purpose, as opposed to an EU one in the current context. Most sacks of food with a UN Logo on it, are USA sourced and financed.
Being able to account for every penny or grain of rice, is impractical for overseas aid, with the number of vermin involved, but having a culture that favours vermin over the intended recipients is wrong. UK Government Departments (MPs and Civil Servants) find it too easy to pass money to NGOs for "distribution" and devolve themselves of liability for misappropriation. The NGOs are more difficult to hold to account, as they are not held to the same standards of public accountability.
golf charlie
Jeremy Vine today, unusually cold and wet weather in Spain (including snow) is causing shortages of sprouts, broccoli, aubergines.
Global Warming not blamed, yet
golf charlie
Officials 'drawing up plans' for diesel scrappage scheme to cut emissions Telegraph
across all media now
I suspect creating anti-diesel hysteria was a technique by subsidy getters to get a strong starting negotiating position.
9:36am Dr Grigg was on LBC making approval noises.
Our Discussion
stewgreen
Supertroll
the peculators of public funds routinely point to pious deeds when unfortunate antics are uncovered. The UK's "aid" program might be good in parts but the bad bits are simply awful - we should not have to rely on the media to uncover wanton abuse of position and fraud. The bureaucrats should - if they were competent and honest - be able to rationally evaluate the efficacy of the projects they are running and perhaps not even start funding Ethiopian girl bands and so on...
What we have is a carnival of utterly appalling judgement, a lack of appetite for *any* introspection and blundering waste on an epic scale. I saw somewhere not long ago that the aid budget exceeds the local council budget.
There are different standards for the spending of money borrowed on the public account - we can debate those standards - but the arithmetic of borrowing money is inexorable however you dress it up.
Aid has grown in large part because it isn't subject to much in the way of assessment of performance and the obfuscated justification deployed away from public scrutiny to keep the whole shebang going. I wouldn't deny unfortunates some assistance - what we have at the moment is clearly a farce and imho it should be terminated forthwith. DfID is simply a boondoggle for a bunch of chancers.
tomo
Clipe. (Feb 3, 2017 at 12:43 AM) what more do you want me to see? It's a device that identifies where the aid is coming from (and possibly identifies the wearer as being allowed in the unloading facility). Without it, the aid could be claimed as coming from the indigenous government and I'm sure you wouldn't want that.
You seem to be almost ashamed to take credit for what the British public are doing. Demonstrating that it happens also informs the British public that it happens and allows most (but clearly not some BHers) can take pride in a long-standing policy of helping the less fortunate. Virtue signalling perhaps, but I see more problems if all the aid is anonymous. Perhaps you are ignoring the fact that some British aid is transferred by aid agencies and is thereby less visible.
If you want to complain about British Aid complain about the attached strings - that British goods or services must be used, or that it cannot be spent where it might do the most good (commonly for environmental reasons). What about links between aid agencies and some Western intelligence agencies? Not to mention waste, overly high administrative costs and inappropriate spending. These are much more worthy targets for your ire.
Supertroll
Toronto YYZ
Average high
1.4°C
Average low
-6.0°C
Highest temperature (1937-2012)
18.9°C 1946
clipe
Zoom in and scroll to the bottom where you find Bussing Facility. To the left find the Met Observing Station.
Temperature records go back to late 1937 (oct/nov?)
(no more Golf Charley it seems)
clipe
- Banning cars on Saturdays in Mexico city hasn't reduced air pollutants according to a new study. Scientists found no discernible effect.
Residents got round the restrictions by car pooling, using taxis and purchasing extra vehicles, researchers say
stewgreen
On balance, I think that calls for the cracking open of a bottle of champagne. Is there no end to the joy of 2017?