| Defining poverty varies and depends from one place | | | | To cancel debt for the most poor countries whose |
| to another, from one time to another and from one | | | | majority are in Africa will not be the end of Calvary |
| year to another, from household to another... A poor | | | | for the African population. Even though I agree that |
| person in my village, Kpala, owns land, has shelter, | | | | the burden of paying debts was too heavy on the |
| eats fresh food but does not have health care and | | | | shoulders of African countries. I am still convinced |
| cannot afford to send his children to school. A poor | | | | that the new deal reached between G8 to cancel |
| person in Rwanda does not have land, cannot send | | | | debts of 18 countries is not the right signal. And I |
| his children to school, does not have access to health | | | | have enough reasons |
| care but has access to a telephone. A poor person in | | | | ETHICAL JUSTICE |
| Canada has shelter, basic health care but will live on | | | | Debt is tied to an obligation of reimbursement from |
| junk food; his children will have access to a free and | | | | the contractor as an act of reparation, trust, justice |
| compulsory primary school. We all know that poverty | | | | and earning respect and protecting his dignity. Saying |
| exists, changing parameters from one place to | | | | so, it is unfortunate that African countries who have |
| another. But how do we measure poverty? | | | | not been able to pay their debts have pulled down |
| Agencies, organizations and countries measure | | | | the esteem they had to gain from their peers of the |
| poverty differently. However, United Nations | | | | West. Not paying one's debts is a failure to justice |
| Development Programme has made a rule that | | | | and treason of trust. |
| someone or a household unable to have 1 US dollar a | | | | Saying this, I must also agree that these debts for |
| day is poor or under the line of poverty. That's still a | | | | some of the countries were too heavy and quite |
| working definition. It does not render all the reality | | | | impossible to be repaid even in a hundred years from |
| about poverty. In Canada, alone, there are seven | | | | now. However, bad governance, corruption and |
| instances including the Fraser Institute, defining | | | | leadership deficit going on in most of the indebted |
| differently what poverty means. | | | | countries reveal that debt is not the main and |
| For sure, poverty is linked to a deficit between the | | | | principal reason for Africa's poverty. While Congo |
| income and the size of essential expenses one should | | | | Kinshasa owes 14 billion dollars to Western countries, |
| make. If it is easy to define income, it is not as easy | | | | Mobutu's fortune alone equals that debt. And |
| to define "essential and legitimate expenditures." | | | | according to the UN investigations on looting of |
| However we will agree with one another that | | | | Congo's riches by AFDL and Kabila's regime, this |
| sheltering (housing), health, food and education | | | | regime has stolen, only after five years in power, a |
| constitute basic needs for every human being today. | | | | colossal amount of five billion dollars! So the two put |
| So a person who spends more than half of his | | | | together will give a total of nineteen billion able to |
| income on essential needs or basic needs is poor. | | | | pay the external debt and also to build roads and |
| Author Christopher Sarlo (Poverty in Canada, 1997) | | | | foster free primary education in Congo-Kinshasa. |
| defines poverty as lack of any item required for | | | | We can see clearly that bad governance with its |
| maintaining the long term physical well-being of a | | | | corollaries corruption and negative leadership are the |
| person. This definition has the value of including | | | | main causes of poverty in Africa. And that cannot be |
| shelter, clothing, food, education, personal hygiene | | | | fixed by canceling the debts. It can be fixed only by |
| needs, health care, telephone and maybe a car! | | | | stopping bribery and thievery. Corruption, bribery, and |
| Whatever definition we might find, we will agree that | | | | theft would end if and only if the international |
| today to outline poverty one should be able to have | | | | community agreed to find and repatriate the money |
| the minimum adequate income to maintain his family | | | | stolen from African regimes. The impact of such a |
| as unit, to preserve his health and to live in dignity or | | | | coordinate campaign will have more impact than |
| self-respect of the individual. The minimum | | | | canceling debts. This is the only way to tackle the |
| requirement needed for social support and | | | | problem of corruption by tackling the infrastructure |
| self-respect is essential in any space one is living. | | | | that supports it. |
| DEBT CANCELLATION: THE INSUFFICIENT SIGNAL | | | | |