It is hard to ignore the idea that some charities saw the disaster as a chance to raise money; why else did they all need to be there despite the duplication and slap their logos everywhere? The Lancet accused them of jostling for publicity while Médécins sans Frontièrs – which almost uniquely stopped fundraising after a few days, having made enough for its needs – told me charities loved to be in front of cameras to ensure cash flowed in to their accounts.
This would not be so bad if the money was well spent. Big chunks went on vital and immediate emergency relief to save lives. But substantial sums were blown on botched projects and needless staff costs. I visited one place were families were lured to live in wooden sheds on the promise of jobs and decent public services, only to find themselves marooned on rocky land 10 miles from town, unemployed and charged twice the going rate for water. The voices of local people were ignored by arrogant outsiders, undermining accountability and sustainable development.
As the Centre for Global Development reported this month, only a shameful 0.6% of the money spent by bilateral and multilateral donors was given to Haitian charities and businesses. Meanwhile an estimated 40% went on supporting all the foreigners dispensing aid, with their inflated housing allowances, vehicles and drivers.Well, that sums up Haiti, Ian.
Now, about all those other huge charities...
Oh, wait, wait! Do you have a solution to this?
When it comes to development aid, the concept of giving cash to people to spend as they see fit is attracting interest. Perhaps it is time to apply similar tactics to disaster relief once the most pressing emergency needs are out of the way. In Haiti, people could have been given more than double the average annual income. It is hard to believe they would not have spent the money better than the foreigners who have achieved depressingly little.What an awesome concept! Could we extend it to schemes here at home, maybe?
5 comments:
I can remember seeing pictures of aid workers clearing rubble while the haitians sat about watching; I also remember a few cases of rape and robbery of the luvvies (alright, you'd need a heart of stone not to laugh!)
Stuff haiti, they are as they are because of the inhabitants, Chile has an earthquake and fixes it up, Japan doesn't need billions in charity; oddly enough the land of the workshy nog is a basket case years later, why is that?
Give them more than double average annual income? Does this fuckwit understand basic economics? What does he think the effect on inflation would be, I wonder? Colossal sums of new money chasing fewer goods in an economy fractured by. Strap disaster? I mean, what could go wrong?
There is a strange problem with giving aid charitable or otherwise. It does do some good but very little in comparison to the downside. It encourages abuse and corruption either by the middlemen or by the collecting organisation or both. It has the effect of increasing prices at the place of receipt (inflation) and often is not used wisely or efficiently. There is a place in society for charitable organisations but better is to encourage environments that allow those who need help to be able to help themselves. Charitable giving is socialism in microcosm and is yet another indicator that it does not work. The poorest in society have only ever had their lot improved by capitalism as can be demonstrated by China's, India's and our own western nations experience and is even now starting to bear fruit in Africa. If you want to do more harm than good then let the lefties, greens and do gooders loose. O I forgot we have especially here in the West and we most certainly are going to pay for it.
XX only a shameful 0.6% of the money spent by bilateral and multilateral donors was given to Haitian charities and businesses. Meanwhile an estimated 40% went on supporting all the foreigners dispensing aid,XX
And the remaining 54%??!!
"I can remember seeing pictures of aid workers clearing rubble while the haitians sat about watching..."
Quite! Remember all those 'refugees' from the Kosovo war? Very few women and children, mostly young men.
" What does he think the effect on inflation would be, I wonder?"
It's the 'Guardian'. Are you really expecting a sound grasp of economic theory?
"There is a place in society for charitable organisations but better is to encourage environments that allow those who need help to be able to help themselves."
Well, quite!
Rather like all those 'this child has to drink dirty water' ads about Africa, why does no-one simply suggest that they stop shitting in their water source?
"And the remaining 54%??!!"
That, they just squandered... ;)
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