Monday, June 20, 2005
Jack, Money Is Like The Midden; It Does Nae Guid Till Spread.
Jack McConnell, First Minister of the Scottish Parliament, visited Malawi last month and pledged up to £3m a year in aid to that country and others in the region. The money would come from the executive's international development fund. The public have raised more than £20,000 since McConnell launched a public appeal.
Commendable? Perhaps. More likely another foolish act from Jack. Opposition leaders in Malawi have asked that the pledge be withdrawn, pointing out that President Bingu wa Mutharika is spending nearly £900,000 on three Mercedes Maybach sedans with 21 speaker DVD systems for himself and his family, while a million of his people are starving.
In a report by Amnesty International which overshadowed the visit by McConnell, Malawi stands accused of serious human rights abuses, and just last week it came to light that Malawi spent £500,000 on tear gas, some of which was sold on to Mugabe's Zimbabwe.
Because of state corruption, Malawi is not included in the deal made by Gordon Brown, British Chancellor of the Exchequor, to have third world debts written off.
Whether McConnell heeds the the advice given to him over this remains to be seen. The trouble with Jack is simple. He is a small time politician trying desperately to be a big time statesman. Unfortunately he has neither the intellect or the experience to dabble in the world of the G8 big hitters like Blair, Brown and Bush (and no one can accuse Bush of being big on intellect).
McConnell would be perfectly adequate, I have no doubt, as a backbench MP or town councilor, but a world player he will never be. The leader of the Scottish Parliament should not be allowing the planned visit to Scotland later this year by the President of Malawi. I don't believe Scots people want their leaders issuing invitations to corrupt heads of state.
And Jack, in case your grannie never told you,"money is like the midden; it does nae guid till spread", meaning "money and manure are only useful when used properly".
Commendable? Perhaps. More likely another foolish act from Jack. Opposition leaders in Malawi have asked that the pledge be withdrawn, pointing out that President Bingu wa Mutharika is spending nearly £900,000 on three Mercedes Maybach sedans with 21 speaker DVD systems for himself and his family, while a million of his people are starving.
In a report by Amnesty International which overshadowed the visit by McConnell, Malawi stands accused of serious human rights abuses, and just last week it came to light that Malawi spent £500,000 on tear gas, some of which was sold on to Mugabe's Zimbabwe.
Because of state corruption, Malawi is not included in the deal made by Gordon Brown, British Chancellor of the Exchequor, to have third world debts written off.
Whether McConnell heeds the the advice given to him over this remains to be seen. The trouble with Jack is simple. He is a small time politician trying desperately to be a big time statesman. Unfortunately he has neither the intellect or the experience to dabble in the world of the G8 big hitters like Blair, Brown and Bush (and no one can accuse Bush of being big on intellect).
McConnell would be perfectly adequate, I have no doubt, as a backbench MP or town councilor, but a world player he will never be. The leader of the Scottish Parliament should not be allowing the planned visit to Scotland later this year by the President of Malawi. I don't believe Scots people want their leaders issuing invitations to corrupt heads of state.
And Jack, in case your grannie never told you,"money is like the midden; it does nae guid till spread", meaning "money and manure are only useful when used properly".
© Colcam 2005-2007
