Poverty can’t be separated from population

ROBIN Garland’s article about helping the child labourers was both moving and praiseworthy yet once again highlights that the current methods of “sticking plaster” in poorer societies will actually make the plight of future people, whether they be young or old, many times more dreadful (Yorkshire Post, July 4).

His statement that the population of India is expanding every year by the equivalent of the population of Australia was chilling and highlights the futility of our Government sending aid to India without influencing the cause of poverty. Historical practices, sometimes enhanced by bad religious leaders who know people bring power, must be changed.

We in the West have learned through education that medical advances lead to rapidly increasing populations. If we want the whole world to enjoy the health and some of our material advantages in standard of living, then Eastern people must limit their families. Otherwise the result will be wars or a huge drop in standards of living world wide.

The earth simply cannot produce resources to meet Eastern growth rates and the numbers who migrate to the West to enjoy our standard of living will destroy us all. Our own small country simply cannot take any more development. The amount of concrete we are forced to provide is out of proportion to natural land drainage

Our airwaves are changing as the excessive use of internet has more and more effect. Diminishing natural resources are forcing new practices which even those introducing them know may be dangerous and inadequate.

No use helping “Third World’ countries unless they change their practices. Still describing them as Third World in 2012 says it all.