PHA-Exchange> WB PSD Strategy

[Aviva]

> Thank you for the information you sent about the latest World Bank
escapades - very
> useful.  I enclose a copy of the lext of the letter I have sent to Gordon
> Brown and the other UK representatives, for your information.
>
> Best wishes
> Nicola Ruck
> Health and Development Consultant
> W Yorks UK
> ---------------------------------------------
> Dear Chancellor,
> I should like to raise my concern about the World Bank's Private Sector
> Development (PSD) Strategy and its effect on essential services in low
> income countries. I understand that as a member of the board you are
> currently considering this.
>
> I have been working in health and development projects for more than 20
> years, including several World Bank funded projects.  World Bank funds
have
> made it possible for some good projects to go ahead, but I have always
found
> a problem that big decisions were made more on political grounds than on
the
> basis of evidence of effectiveness.   This seems to be the case with the
new
> PSD - deepening the policy of privatising basic services without evidence
> that it works, and with many indications that it increases the suffering
of
> the poorest.
>
> I urge you to ensure that the World Bank does not put pressure on
recipient
> countries to privatise basic services, such as by withholding aid; that
you
> consider carefully the large amount of evidence that user fees have
produced
> more disease and poverty;  that output-based aid schemes do not
disadvantage
> domestic service providers;  that any links between World Bank and WTO
> policies and programmes are made completely open; and that PSD programmes
> are not expanded until there is evidence that they can reduce poverty and
> promote equitable development in low income countries.
> Thank you