Attended a discussion with Prof. Jeffrey Sachs on poverty issues. As usual, I must give my two cents. Quite nice philosophy, hoping that the rich nations will help the poor... la di da .. as he said .. it is still met with skepticism... after 20 years...
OK discussion on poverty, distinction between the definition and types, lack of data, definition of terms used etc... as usual... very academic... I still think I am too rough and more concerned with the now... so didn't really want to ask much, also with the big shots from government there. I also noticed that most questions were asked by the 'mat sallehs' or 'mat salleh ciplak' like me ... and as usual, most other questions by the inner table - with silent whispers of discussions by those on the outside. 
I am more concerned on the development of people (by entrepreneurial aspects) in order to provide a sustainable income. Thus the need for viable distribution and marketing of goods from the villages to towns. I still like the various ideas that I have proposed based on what I have seen in Taiwan and New Zealand.
In Taiwan, villagers jointly plant fruit trees, cooperatively work on transportation to town, where they have their own shop, or other distribution arms, and earn a good income. Further expansion was done through the use of upstream development.
In New Zealand, saw on TV, where a Maori group worked together to develop land into a sustainable pine forest and where persons involved made sufficient income.
But all took time...
All in all, an interesting afternoon... may have to read his book first...
Ernest
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