Rich island should give more to aid

GUERNSEY should be spending more money on overseas aid. Jonathan Le Tocq, president of the former Overseas Aid Committee, said in its annual report that it had performed well during 2003.

But he said that an island with so much income should be contributing more to help people in need.

He has called for a quick decision to appoint the minister responsible for the new Overseas Aid Commission.

'As usual, over the last 12 months, we were inundated with requests and it is difficult to know when to say no,' said Deputy Le Tocq. 'In fact, I believe that the amount of money we spend on overseas aid to too low for a place of Guernsey's income.'

The committee's budget for development aid contributions in 2003 was £1,197,500, plus £1,558 taken from savings. This was used to fund agriculture and fisheries ventures, education and training schemes and health and integrated development projects.

'The committee has worked very hard over the last year and it has had to make some tough decisions. But I believe we have managed to fund a good breadth of projects focusing on HIV, Aids, relief work and education.

'Most fulfilling is being able to help locally-based charities such as the Mines Awareness Trust and projects of individuals who take the trouble to get involved in work overseas.'

In August, following an upsurge in fighting in Liberia's civil war, an immediate grant of £30,000 was made to the Disasters Emergency Committee's appeal.

In total, more than £720,000 was spent on aid projects in Africa, just over £250,000 in the Indian sub-continent, approximately £90,000 in Latin America and the Caribbean and just less than £170,000 in Asia and the Pacific.

Deputy Le Tocq has called on the new Overseas Aid Commission to follow its predecessor's example.

'I hope the new commission will also take the time to support a wide range of projects, both directly to overseas schemes but also to local individuals who are involved in overseas aid,' he said.

'I hope the new chairman, who will be selected from the Policy Council, will be able to set the right tone and steer it in the direction of the current committee.

'I urge the council to choose quickly and wisely. The new commission needs someone who can devote time to it and who understands the needs - it needs to be a person who will lead from the heart.'

Deputy Le Tocq hopes the remaining members of the commission will be from outside the States.

'There are some very skilled people in the community who it would be good to see on the commission because they have expertise that is invaluable.

'It would be good to see more of these individuals from around the Bailiwick involved in making decisions.'