Campaign group supports government's overseas aid donations

Tue, 11 Sep 2012

Sudanese children

A campaign group which aims to get the Manx Government to up the amount of money it donates in aid has said it understands the negative public reaction to overseas aid in the current climate.

The Point 1 campaign is working to encourage government to increase its donation to 0.1 per cent of GDP.

Currently £600,000 a year is given to some of the world's poorest countries - that's £50,000 per month.

This month's donation went to Sudan and Sierra Leone and sparked a fierce reaction by some members of the public in wake of widespread cutbacks across government spending.

Point One campaigner Sam Bacon says he sympathises with their concerns, but says the donations could have a wider impact than merely charitable contributions:

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