| A RESPONSE FROM & TO HILARY BENN MP |
| I am not a political creature myself, however, having the Best MP in the United Kingdom, in the shape of Sir Menzies Campbell on my own doorstep, and having the ear of fellow Yorkshireman in Hilary Benn MP DFID -Deaprtment for International Development, I hope some inroads can be Built, and we can Mirror what the Rotary Club are Achieving on a Grand Scale, but diversify and be a LOT more specific then they are being. I think I will decline the offer of working in an Oxfam shop Mr Benn,for the 3 weeks as my skills are better served in other directions Many Thanks to Robert Inch, Partner and Solictior for Rollo Davidson and Macfarlane, who has kindly offered for his Company to set up this Registered Charity for us, at no expense, and the Committee we both sit as Executives on , St. Andrews Merchants have also pledged a cash Donation to start us off. I would ask Hilary Benn respectfully to support our Campaign, and indeed put some Weight behind it, a lot of Common Sense Issues could be pushed through ? |
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| FROM A HERO ---> TO ZERO ?? |
| Hilary Benn, we have already crossed paths when my Great MP and Achiever of all things Great, SIR Menzies Campbell contacted you in 2004 (see below LETTERS) when I saw a need for 4 Essential things, Food & Water, Tents and First Aid, for the Hurricane Hit Island of Grenada the World was Neglecting, and people who welcomed us as guests last week .... . THESE 4 REQUIREMENTS ARE ALWAYS NEEDED AT EVERY DISASTER SOON.............. were Starving, and needing help in some Remote area of an island AID wasn't getting to, I am Glad to report, thanks to your point Blank - No I cannot help, or think how to Diversify and help these poor people, I had to myself, a member of the public, owner of a small Barbers Shop, saw something and achieved Aid for Children to go back to School in Grenada, and food for those not getting it, how ? I helped get a Catemerran with 4 Tonnes of food via Jamaica, to an area of the Island that was in need after 2 Months |
| A SIR !!! |
| A SAUSAGE ? |
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| Ok Mr Hilary, so what to do next ? I tell you what I'll find me the Person who sells these things, maybe he can help, and indeed Christopher from Shillinglaw & Shillinglaw Ltd could Assist and offered us very Good Rates for Exporting to Sri Lanka where Required things couldn't be purchased at local Sri Lanka outlets, already Distribution of funds is an issue out there, why bring in water and food when the Island has plenty, why are more Aid Workers in Hotels than Tents ? Why are Vehicles being imported, rather then being bought at local level, our Sri Labkan Contacts Email below confirms this |
| Muzza's Email Recieved 3rd February 2005 Dear Steve and others, Greetings and good wishes. I know that all of you would have been waiting to hear from me. I have been extremely busy with many things over here. I have been to East again and then to Colombo and again to the East and tomorrow I will be going again. There have been several reasons for me to go there. At one time I went to get involved directly with the cleaning and other work, the next time to see what could be done in term of practical and resource support, next to get involved in a conflict resolution effort with those who are doing relief work and have run into conflict working in a consortium of NGOs, and tomorrow again for further conflict resolution efforts, relief work finding and to speak with some people who have been effected. Tomorrow is a day where they morn the 40th day of the dead. Sorry that I have been keeping you waiting all these days. Since I have been an eye witness to what had happened I cannot just sit and wait at my desk without doing at least something. I see with great happiness the efforts that are made at that end. I hope all of them will bear good results. It is good to see the charity or what we call here as a non government organisation is being set up. Things are becoming difficult for the Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Sri Lanka as the government is imposing very strict legislations. They feel that these NGOs are doing nasty things and making use of the tsunami issue to fly high and live a luxurious life at the cost of the victims. It was published in the papers the amounts of Prado, Pajero jeeps that were imported to Sri Lanka at duty free cost and was alleged that they are not in need to do honest services. They are also checking how funds and the goods brought to the country are utilised. As such it would be good for us to take extra care in what we do. As for the matter related to sending goods to Sri Lanka, it would be good and also would make things easy if you make contacts with the British High Commission in Sri Lanka. I think you will have to do this through you foreign or home ministry. When goods come to Sri Lanka and if the High Commission is involved they would ask the Department in charge of relief work here in Sri Lanka and the Customs Department for permission to clear them without any problem. For them there is a special arrangement made. If our organisation is recognised by the British High Commission and when the goods come we can get in touch with the HC and get this special facility. Can you work on this. I feel it would be good to send a volunteer here to do the necessary communication and dealing with the people over there and also to get things cleared from the customs etc. As I would be totally engaged with other matters related to my organisation there will be less time for me to get directly involved. As I see from the communication there is going to be big scale involvement it would be nice to have someone from you here and do the dealing. I can offer some space in the office to work and if this person has his or her own lap top it would be handy to do the work either from the office or from where this person would stay. Well this is all for the moment until we get in touch again. With best wishes to all of you. Your in peace, Muzza |
| Hello Hilary, care to help in the email below where you deem fit, a lot of people have have put in a lot of hours work out of their own expense, using skills that we aquired during our combined lives Do you KNOW anyone who could do the British High Commision Sri Lanka bit in the email below? Help would be very apprechiated to remove more red tape kind regards Steve Cooke |
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| Please Mr Benn, Reconsider the below, as someone that was trained by the British Government for these very situations, but forced out of the system by 'options for change' Too many people out in Civvy Street DO posses those very skills, and its unfortunate when you have to take such measures to prove it, I found the Aid Effort very Dis-organised, and very Un-Co-ordinated, and Aid Money being squandered away at an alarming Rate, I served beside the SAS and British Para's as I'm sure you will have little or no bother checking out |
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