Give and ye will receive - not!

[Dodger666]

I copy this from the Mail-on-Line website, I couldn't have have put it better myself. Ungrateful b................

"Well that's gratitude! We give India £1bn in aid, THEY snub the UK and give France a £13bn jet contract"

Read more: http://www.dailymail....ct.html#ixzz1l7TFLKrx

[Ann]

GRRRR - been saying for ages that we should not give all this "foreign aid".
I would like to know how much of this £1bn aid package was actually given to the poor starving little children in India (I have no problem if it got to them but I doubt it) Do the governments who give these handouts actually request a financial breakdown of how the money is spent - if not, THEY JOLLY WELL SHOULD DO!!

[starone]

Does this mean they are using our money to finance their purchases from other countries such as this one from France? This should be treated as a wake-up call, but needless to say, it won't.

[Ankou]

lord elpus, are you actually in the uk ?

a report in 2011 by the independent commission for aid impact criticised the uk goverments aid programme as ‘fragmented’ and in need of ‘significant improvement’ to stop millions being squandered.

so mr cameron decides to give £1.4bn between now and 2015 to india.

is mr cameron a hand wringer ?

[sp1814]

Also, can we be a little clearer on what 'aid' actually means.

When we see the phrase "£1bn in aid" - we immediately think of one of those giant lottery cheques with £1,000,000,000 on it (at least I do - I'm childish that way)...

...but from what I've read, that's the *value* of aid to India, rather than a total sum.

For instance, national banks will agree loan deferments on interest payments. This money will still be paid, but at a later date, which effectively means that within a fiscal year, that payment amount 'disappears' - and that's counted as aid.

[venator]

The lunatics are running the asylum **

How about this - http://www.telegraph....-aid-to-Zimbabwe.html

The UK is no longer the policeman and lawgiver of the world - Queen Victoria is dead.

[Ric.ror]

I hate to say it but if the Indian government cares more about a space programme than the poor in their country - why should we

I really hate myself for thinking like that

[sp1814]

Ric-ror

Ah - that's an urban myth. It's not a 'Space program' at all. That was something reported by the BBC back in 2007. It was a mis-spelling.

India is ACTUALLY investing heavily in a 'Spice program'.

[Ric.ror]

Oh I'd be in favour of that alright

[Dodger666]

Gromit

"More Daily Mail heap of sh*t distortion designed to anger the gullible".

Can you substantiate that comment? It's not just the Mail who's running the story.

[Dodger666]

Hear, Hear My Lord!!

[emmie]

why do we give 1bn in aid to India is what i want to know, for heavens sake this makes my blood boil.

[Ankou]

"We could/should use every penny and put it to far better use over here for our own people."

true, like the poor, sick and unemployed.

[emmie]

agreed ^^^^

[Old_Geezer]

"Give and you shall receive" ?!?!? No I think you mean, "For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him."

Er now what was this thread about ? Oh international contracts. Well you either play the game or lose that round. More fool us for giving aid to a country that can afford nuclear weaponry. And so back to my first observation above.

[Dodger666]

It would nice to know what you mean, OG.

[Old_Geezer]

Which bit are you having problems with ? Maybe I can clarify.

The biblical quotation from Mark's gospel ?
The fact that you have to play the selling game well, or lose this round to your rivals ?
Or that we are giving "aid" to a demonstrably rich country ?

[Dodger666]

Sorry OG, I'm a bit rusty on the Gospel according to St Mark.

I think it's easier to say charity begins at home.

[rov1100]

That Mitchell feller seems quite a P R A T. He's the one who wants to enshrine in law the money we give in aid so that any future government is committed whether they agree or not. So are we committed for evermore handing taxpayers money to the likes of India who don't need it.

Now he's getting involved in Somalia. Here he was watching a demonstation by the Somalian police who are either corrupt or useless at sorting out their own terrorism and he seemed to fall for it.

Aid shouldn't be dispensed in food parcels but something that gives them the
ability to stand on their own feet.