Quote Originally Posted by fred View Post
When sending that kind of cash to the R.P you would think that the UK would send it with a 10 or more envoys with the assistance of the British embassy..
The thing that always gets me about these charity drives is the massive amount of effort in raising the cash but the often disappointing updates as to how its being spent.
If the politicians here have got control of the warehouses then its not looking good..
I thought it was all in the possession of the Red cross?
The UN issued an instruction that all aid is under the control of Aid Agencies and must NOT be handed over to local government representatives.(that says something in itself)
However this is not applicable to aid supplies that is via official Philippine Governnment sources.

There have been many instances of 'stand-offs' where the local Mayor (for example) has refused permissison for aid distribution unless supplies handed over.
Dick Gordon has many stories about this including a well reported one from Bohol.

The RAF offered to distribute by helicopter aid supplies held in a government warehouse.
The local Mayor declined as he himself wanted to be seen to be the distributor (also that he could select those to receive and those to refuse)

It's certainly given me a new perspective on local government officials.....