WDM Stall to urge big business to stop cashing in on aid
WDM Reading group held a stall on Monday 12th November at Reading College asking students to call on the government to stop prioritising on private sector interests when it comes to development aid for the world’s poorest.
Group Co-ordinator Jackie Oversby said “We had an excellent response to our WDM stall at Reading College on 12th November. Over 90 students and staff members signed cards to the Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Bruce MP. The students were adamant that the needs of the world’s poorest people should be prioritised when spending UK aid money, not the needs of UK businesses.”
Contact Jackie Oversby on
0118 987 3623 or jackieoversby@yahoo.co.uk
RISC Foyer, 35-39 London St Reading RG1 4PS.
WDM is looking for new members to tackle the root causes of poverty and to campaign for global equality and economic justice. For more information check http://www.wdm.org.uk or call Bente on
0118 958 6692
Students call for UK government to rethink Aid budget
On Monday 12 November, members of Reading World Development Movement (WDM) will be asking students at Reading College what they think of UK aid backing tax breaks for sweatshops in Bangladesh.
Jackie Oversby, group co-ordinator said, ‘When done properly , overseas development aid can make a wonderful difference to some of the poorest people in the world. However I am very worried about a new trend in development giving which is prioritising private-sector interests. For example, I can’t understand why £14 million of UK aid is being spent in backing sweatshops in Bangladesh. It is helping the Bangladesh government to set up special economic zones where unskilled workers will be paid on average of about £1 a day and will be banned from joining trade unions, and where the multinational companies who employ them, won’t pay taxes for 10 years. Our aid money should help the poorest people in poor countries, not big business. I want our government to think again about how they use our Aid budget.’
WDM is calling for a full parliamentary investigation and a wider debate around the efficacy of concentration on private sector development at the expense of public sector solutions.
WDM is looking for new members to tackle the root causes of poverty and to campaign for global equality and economic justice. For more information check http://www.wdm.org.uk or call Bente on 0118 958 6692
WDM Gambling on Food campaign
WDM Reading Group is planning to hold a stall at the RISC centre in Reading on Monday 15th October from 7.30 – 8.30pm about the ‘Stop Betting on Hunger ‘campaign. Bankers gambling on food in financial markets have forced prices up and brought hunger and poverty to families around the world. WDM is fighting for tough new rules to protect the poor.
Contact Jackie Oversby on 0118 987 3623 or jackieoversby@yahoo.co.uk
RISC Foyer, 35-39 London St Reading RG1 4PS.
Gambling on Food Futures
With Christine Haigh WDM food campaigner
![](http://groups.globaljustice.org.uk/reading/files/2012/09/Hunger_Summit_Cartoon2-300x226.jpg)
Upcoming meetings and activities
Reading WDM’s meetings are held on the third Monday of the month at RISC at 7.30pm. The date of our next meeting Monday 25th February.
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We have decided to take up WDM’s food speculation campaign.
For more information about their food speculation campaign you can follow the link : http://tiny.cc/0aj8gw