(Jordan Times) Rima Merriman - The budget that the Palestinian Authority currently has at its disposal is barely sufficient to keep it in existence - i.e., to cover the salaries of government employees including teachers. So how does one begin to build a state without a strong central government acting, first and foremost, in the interests of its people? The answer is an almost magical word: Donors! You hear that word bandied about everywhere you go - "The donors require this," "The donors won't allow this." The government, the large NGO sector, and the private sector all sway to the tune of the donors' whistle, adopting and discarding buzzwords at a dizzying rate, becoming fluent in a foreign language: "Peace," "democracy," "reform," "strategic planning," "women," and "human rights." All three sectors are in fierce competition for funds, resulting in a well-paid NGO elite and government officials whose salaries don't even constitute a living wage.
2005-11-04 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive