THE generosity of people around the world to the victims for the Indian Tsunami is heart-warming, including of course the donations from many thousands of people across Swindon.

But the apparently large sums being quoted by governments should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Much of the money will never even reach the disaster zone.

And some is simply aid diverted away from other needy countries like the Congo.

Overall the US and UK governments have spent nearly 1,000 times more on the war in Iraq than they have on disaster relief.

The US government has pledged $350 million to the Indian Ocean fund but it is spending £500 million every week in Iraq.

And forgive me for being cynical about Chancellor Gordon Brown's claim to tackle Third World debt.

I've lost track of the number of times that I've heard the same announcement.

Offering to write off ten per cent of their debt is pointless when some of these countries can be paying up to half their annual wealth in interest repayments.

It is a shame that governments do not have the same genuine compassion shown by ordinary citizens.

A NEWMAN

Swindon