It was not really surprising that Lions Clubs International Foundation awarded a grant of US$50,000 to Lions Clubs in Haiti within 24 hours of the earthquake last week. I was also pleased to read a couple of days ago that donations from Lions Clubs around the world had reached US$325,000. I anticipate that this figure will rise considerably as clubs hold their meetings and agree further donations. My own club met last night and agreed a donation of £1,000. Now onto the almost political bit.
The United States was very quick off the mark after the disaster with typical American generosity, dispatching an aircraft carrier, helicopters and 10,000 troops as well as substantial amounts of food etc. But they have been criticised by a French minister for "occupying" Haiti. Quite what aid the French have sent is something I don't know, but criticism such as this is quite out of order. I was interested to read that one of the world's richest countries, Saudi Arabia, has sent a letter of condolence. And what of Syria, the country that paints the US and the UK as limbs of Satan? Zilch. Doesn't that just put matters in perspective?
The French are probably still a little miffed at the locals for what happened 200 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThat other commenter seems to have struck all the keys on the keyboard at once?
Did you see where the link led? It's too late now if you didn't, but I decided I could do without it.
ReplyDeleteI didn't look.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that it wasn't worth following anyway. I do know that each of the full stops was a separate link.