Mismanagement of public funds fueling famine in northern Colombia: Senator
Mismanagement of public funds fueling famine in northern Colombia: Senator
May 2, 2014 posted by Victoria McKenzie
A mismanagement of public funds and continued political apathy are fueling the ongoing food crisis in the arid state of La Guajira, according to evidence presented by a state senator and testimony from civil representatives.
According to data presented by Senator and former governor of La Guajira Jorge Ballesteros, 2,969 children have died in the past six years, 278 from starvation, and 2,691 from other largely preventable diseases — 98.5% of which were indigenous, and 62.5% of which occurred in under one year.
Ballesteros told Colombia Reports that corruption in the allocation of government resources is among the many factors that have contributed to the current crisis in La Guajira, adding that the northern state has double the child mortality rate of other in the country and, in some cases, triple.
According to the senator, only 30% of all government resources allotted for La Gaujira, including food programs, actually reach the intended communities.
More:
http://colombiareports.co/1800-children-dead-year-mismanagement-public-funds-fuels-deaths-famine-northern-colombia/