Bonded Aid for a Beggar State -letter

This morning I happened to be at the Islamabad airport to receive a guest coming from abroad. As the Dubai flight landed and passengers started alighting I could see only foreigners stepping out of the arrival lounge, some visibly haughty and arrogant, to be received by meek and humble reception card waving local staff of Serena and Marriot hotels. Most of the reception placards had words inscribed like 'ABC charity' 'Catholic trust',  'XYZ aid', etc etc.

I was wondering that if these people had come to help the flood victims why were they staying in the city's most expensive hotels where per night charges are around Rs 20000/- the total amount government is proudly announcing to give each shattered family.  Why this dichotomy? Why this injustice?  Why should the money granted for the use of the flood beaten people be spent on the luxurious jaunts of foreign consultants. Are our people not capable of handling the (alms) money ?

I think because of our beggar status, those countries giving us aid want bulk of it to be spent on their own nationals who come as consultants etc. I wish we could reject foreign aid and stand on our own feet alongside the flood affectees, even if that meant President Zardari, PM Gilani, Nawaz Sharif  and other tall talking leaders living on a single meal a day and traveling in local made suzuki cars. --Feroze Ali Shah, Islamabad,16 Sept 10