I HAVE retired to Warrington, having lived and worked as chief executive of a substantial financial services group, in a developing/third world country in Africa, all my life.

Having seen and lived with poverty such as seen on the very moving television report for "Tearfund", I feel I am able to contribute to the debate on aid and debt relief.

I have also worked on successful projects with various international development agencies in the region and would like nothing more than to see these regions taking their rightful place in the developing world.

To do so, it is important for developed countries, such as ours, to fully understand the issues facing the respective region, the people, their lifestyle, their creeds and beliefs.

All too often we adopt an almost insolent attitude, disregarding many sensitive issues, such as pride and heritage with an attitude of "we know it all". As a result we endeavour to instil prescriptive policies, rather than concomitant policies and wonder why such regions remain underdeveloped. We miss the concept that each region is unique and requires a full and in-depth understanding of the many issues surrounding the country's uniqueness. It also requires the commitment of the local populace for such a policy to work, by this I mean local businesses. All too often we formulate a policy on aid or debt relief that engenders and enthuses local political patronage and international acclaim, rather than one that actually has the genuine concern of the intended beneficiaries that should bring about much needed relief and benefits to the country concerned.

Having failed to receive a response to my letter to the local Labour office regarding this issue, I was delighted to hear from, the Conservative Warrington South candidate, Fiona Bruce on her and her party's commitment to debt relief and, linking this to well governed countries, HIV/strategies and for fighting disease as well as expanding access to education.

If we truly wish to "Make Poverty History" then the words and commitments of Conservative leader Michael Howard make an ideal platform from which to launch such a programme to achieve this noble aim: "We have a moral responsibility to help those less fortunate. That is why I am committed to increasing Britain's aid budget by a fifth in the next three years, working towards the UN target of spending 0.7 per cent of our GDP on overseas development. We will reform the way we deliver overseas aid, promote the rule of law, good governance and free enterprise and encourage freer and fairer trade. This way millions of people can be helped out of poverty. We will distribute more of our aid through non-governmental, civil organisations, which are often more effective than governments, at reducing poverty."

Well done Conservatives, your policy will succeed, this I know.

Graham Hollick

Culcheth