17 January 2008

AMSTERDAM – Almost 60 percent of the Dutch thinks that the Netherlands gives too much money to development aid. This emerged from a survey by onzeWereld, a monthly magazine on development and the developing world.

The Netherlands currently gives 0.8 percent of its gross national product to development aid, a total of almost EUR 5 billion this year.

The survey indicates that 75 percent of the Dutch are annoyed at the fundraising policies of aid organisations. The Dutch have had enough of telephone calls, collections on the streets, and personal mailings, say the researchers.

The almost 1,000 respondents said they had a more positive view of smaller aid organisations than larger ones. Almost 43 percent has more trust in smaller organisations, up 4 percent from 2006. 13 percent has more trust in large organisations.

Editor-in-chief John Verhoeven thinks that the outcome of the survey should be a sign to the government and aid organisations.

"They should not only give a better account of what happens with the money, but also explain why it is so necessary for us to continue donating," says Verhoeven.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2008]

Subject: Dutch news