Posts Tagged ‘corruption’

Many rice fields that covered the mountainous North of Laos are gone. They are steadily being replaced by rubber trees. The Chinese are coming to Laos and they need their rubber products for their galloping economy. It appears nothing can stop the ever growing Chinese machine that seems perpetually hungry for manufacturing products supplies.

The Chines are already scouring the world for mining and logging concessions. Now it is turning to crops to feed its people and industries. Chinese are buying up vast tracts of land and are also forging contract farming deals.

Of course, this is not all bad news. Many poor families now can make a nice living out of their rubber production. And yes, to be honest, there is corruption in Laos so bribes are to be expected. However, there is a fear that opportunitists in Laos will decide to hold a quick sell-out for the fast buck.

Laos’ communist regime touts rubber as a miracle crop that will help lift the country from poverty. China is expected to consume a third of the world’s rubber by 2020, become its largest car market and put 200 million vehicles on the road.

If you know this, you should understand that usable land is very valuable to the Chinese. There is no need to a fast sell-out, and, in the long run it will pay off to hold your investment a little longer to increase the value. The fast buck (or Kip) is most often not the best buck.

Some Laotian farmers are losing their lands or being forced to become wage workers on what were once their fields. Chinese companies are accused of getting rubber concessions from officials and not compensating farmers. They are also accused of violating laws, human rights and the environment, under conditions described by experts as “anarchic.” It is clear that the Lao government has an important role in protecting their environment and people. Most likely, if they sell out, Lao people will not prosper.

Labels, are they important? Is it important to distinct that an Orca is a marine mammal and not a fish? Both fishes and Orca’s swim in the sea, eat other sea animals and generally move in the same manner; what is the difference? Does that difference matters? To zoologists it matters.

Is a spider an insect? Not really, spiders are arachnids and insects are on their menu. Apart from that they look like insects, and perhaps to many, they are as creepy as insects. So does it matter to distinct insects from spiders? To biologists it matters.

Suppose there is a concert that is labelled “a charity”. The proceeds of the concert are $5,000 and $100 goes to a noble cause, $4,900 disappears into the deep pockets of promoters and the artist. Is that a charity? Sort of…. $100 has been paid to a charity and that makes it a charity? Or perhaps not. Does it really matter and does anyone care?

Yes it matters to us and yes we care. Lao people do care. If charities are abused and no one cares about it, the meaning of charity will hollow out, become empty and eroded. All charities will suffer including the good ones for the sheer pleasure of those who like to ride the charity bandwagon for the benefit of their own pockets.

Charity means all profits will benefit the charity. A charity concert implies your profits will go to the charity. It should be simple and crystal clear.

Then, when you decide to participate or create a charity, be precise about what the charity is and what you will contribute to it exactly. Why? Because it is a matter of trust.

A quarter of a charity is not a charity. Half a charity is not a charity. Why label it a charity when it mostly benefits your dollar account? Integrity is the only guard against the erosion of charities. Guard it with your life because many lives depend on charities. It is not your or anyone’s play thing.