Larry Summers: Dump Waste in Poor Countries

By Enver Masud, The Wisddom Fund

Obama advisor Lawrence Summers recommended “encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs (Less Developed Countries)” when he was president of the World Bank. He argued that “the costs of health-impairing pollution depends on the forgone earnings from increased morbidity and mortality.”

In other words, human beings in LDCs are worth less than human beings in developed countries, according to a leaked, December 12, 1991 internal memo by Mr. Summers. Therefore, it is cost-effective to dump waste from developed countries on less developed countries.

A caller brought up the issue yesterday on WPFW Pacifica Radio’s What’s at Stake hosted by Verna Avery Brown.

Discussing the issue of piracy off the Somali coast on “What’s at Stake,” were Fred C. Ikle, undersecretary of defense during the Reagan administrations, and Enver Masud, founder of The Wisdom Fund.

Mr. Ikle reiterated the position he had taken in his article Kill the Pirates (Washington Post, April 13, 2009): “an inspection and quarantine regime off the coast of Somalia to seize and destroy all vessels that are found to be engaged in piracy,” arming ship’s crew, blockading Somalia is crew were taken hostage.

Masud argued for immediately stopping the illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) dumping and fishing in Somali waters by Europeans and Asians.

European ships are dumping toxic, and sometime radioactive wastes in Somali waters. It is estimated that the cost to European companies to dump the wastes on Somalia’s beaches is $2.50 per ton compared to $250 a ton to dispose of the wastes in Europe.

Mr. Masud estimated that IUU ships are taking $450 million worth of fish from Somalia annually. IUUs from the EU cost Somalia five times the value of its annual aid to Somalia.

The pirates call what they collect a “fine” for illegal acts rather than ransom.

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