Dear Editor,
The provision of foreign aid to developing countries has been a major issue in Europe for many years now, and more states intend to build capacity in sectors like security and climate change through technical assistance.
For example, in Africa, Britain's emphasis will be security, and the Germans will be paying special attention to climate change in the Caribbean. Local leaders are lamenting this decision, on the basis that insufficient aid will reduce their capacity to solve regional ailments. However, we need to dispel the notion that Jamaica, or any other Caribbean state, is entitled to special treatment due to resource constraints.
Independent countries are just that, independent; they ought not be banking on the goodwill of their neighbours. We should be lobbying for strategic partnerships with our development partners, not aid packages. Leaders are expected to set the platform, for a country's development, but if our leaders see mendicancy as virtue, the pervasive dependency syndrome must not surprise us.
After 50 plus years of Independence, we gladly accept grants from the European Union to finance social programmes, and some see nothing wrong with a foreign power repairing Sabina Park. It would, however, be instructive for us to form strategic alliances with developed countries in order to boost internal capacity.
For example, recently South Korea and Indonesia signed an memorandum of understanding on e-government cooperation, both countries also agreed to conduct joint research in the field and exchange information related to trends and data on the use of e-government instruments and applications. Furthermore, the ambassadors of Germany and Brazil have also expressed an interest in building stronger economic linkages with Jamaica, but the objective of our leaders is to lobby for aid to pursue social objectives, clearly we have no interest in helping ourselves.
It was also disturbing to hear the prime minister and her sheep-like followers boast about the grant which she secured from the European Union. This cannot be seen as an achievement, because the European Union has been subsidising agriculture in Jamaica for years and most of the funds will be invested in sugar-related activities. So instead of diversifying the economy, we are trying to rebuild a sector that will never regain its former glory.
It is quite unfortunate that, as a result of asinine politicians, some Jamaicans foolishly believe that these aid packages and social programmes will bear fruit. But, then again, leaders reflect the general population. So if most voters are mendicants who don't have objectives, you expect them to elect equally inept persons.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Our begging hat always extended
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The provision of foreign aid to developing countries has been a major issue in Europe for many years now, and more states intend to build capacity in sectors like security and climate change through technical assistance.
For example, in Africa, Britain's emphasis will be security, and the Germans will be paying special attention to climate change in the Caribbean. Local leaders are lamenting this decision, on the basis that insufficient aid will reduce their capacity to solve regional ailments. However, we need to dispel the notion that Jamaica, or any other Caribbean state, is entitled to special treatment due to resource constraints.
Independent countries are just that, independent; they ought not be banking on the goodwill of their neighbours. We should be lobbying for strategic partnerships with our development partners, not aid packages. Leaders are expected to set the platform, for a country's development, but if our leaders see mendicancy as virtue, the pervasive dependency syndrome must not surprise us.
After 50 plus years of Independence, we gladly accept grants from the European Union to finance social programmes, and some see nothing wrong with a foreign power repairing Sabina Park. It would, however, be instructive for us to form strategic alliances with developed countries in order to boost internal capacity.
For example, recently South Korea and Indonesia signed an memorandum of understanding on e-government cooperation, both countries also agreed to conduct joint research in the field and exchange information related to trends and data on the use of e-government instruments and applications. Furthermore, the ambassadors of Germany and Brazil have also expressed an interest in building stronger economic linkages with Jamaica, but the objective of our leaders is to lobby for aid to pursue social objectives, clearly we have no interest in helping ourselves.
It was also disturbing to hear the prime minister and her sheep-like followers boast about the grant which she secured from the European Union. This cannot be seen as an achievement, because the European Union has been subsidising agriculture in Jamaica for years and most of the funds will be invested in sugar-related activities. So instead of diversifying the economy, we are trying to rebuild a sector that will never regain its former glory.
It is quite unfortunate that, as a result of asinine politicians, some Jamaicans foolishly believe that these aid packages and social programmes will bear fruit. But, then again, leaders reflect the general population. So if most voters are mendicants who don't have objectives, you expect them to elect equally inept persons.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Our begging hat always extended
-->