US Foreign Aid To Subsidize Outsourced Jobs In South Asia

[Purveyor]

Is American foreign aid being used to subsidize the creation of overseas jobs that replace US workers? A recent project announced by USAID suggests the answer may be yes.

The US Embassy in Sri Lanka announced late last week that it will be funding a new program in the South Asian country that will help train workers to speak English and business managers to take advantage of business outsourcing.

The program will be involved in "training companies to establish professional IT and English skills development training centers in each of the five districts in the Northern Province," the Embassy announced on its Web site. "Courses in Business Process Outsourcing, Enterprise Java, and English Language Skills will be offered at no charge to over 3,000 under- and unemployed students who will then participate in on-the-job training schemes with private firms."

The program to teach Sri Lankans how to benefit from outsourcing joins three other projects that USAID, the State Department's foreign aid arm, is funding in the country. Another of these projects involved USAID helping "a major garment manufacturer to expand its operations to northern Sri Lanka. This alliance is expected to initially employ 750 full-time staff and market its finished apparel to such firms as Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Columbia Sportswear, Next, Tesco, and Burberry."

All told, the projects are expected to create 10,000 jobs in Sri Lanka.

MORE...

http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0804/foreign-aid-subsidize-outsourced-jobs-asia/

[LooseWilly]

1. Arm of the state department?... I seem to recall something from the primaries-

A little story about Clinton's perspective on outsourcing, from The Washington Post.

When Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton flew to New Delhi to meet with Indian business leaders in 2005, she offered a blunt assessment of the loss of American jobs across the Pacific. "There is no way to legislate against reality," she declared. "Outsourcing will continue. . . . We are not against all outsourcing; we are not in favor of putting up fences."

Two years later, as a Democratic presidential hopeful, Clinton struck a different tone when she told students in New Hampshire that she hated "seeing U.S. telemarketing jobs done in remote locations far, far from our shores."

<etc...>

So much for one of the policy differences that led to my vote in the primary... I guess they both went back to Clinton's old position.

[ProSense]

2. Maybe Secretary Clinton needs to explain this to the American people

This has nothing to do with outsourcing. This is aid to train workers in countries to help build up these countries. How is training a worker in a country and employing them in that country outsourcing American jobs? If the U.S. trains a teacher or a technician in Afghanistan that is not outsourcing.

Ending outsourcing is done from within this country by eliminating loopholes and tax breaks for companies that take their operations overseas, and rewarding those that create jobs here.

Here's the State Department's press release:

These four alliances are all with Sri Lankan private companies. USAID's investment of about Rs.1.1 billion is generating an additional Rs.2.9 billion investment from the private sector for a total investment of approximately Rs.4 billion in the construction, business process outsourcing, and apparel manufacturing sectors.

Go the site USAID and read about the initiatives. Programs like these are exactly the purpose of this agency. It wasn't too long ago that the administration was being criticized for being extremely slow in appointing a director. The fact is that aid to underdeveloped countries is an important part of American foreign policy.

It was created specifically for this purpose.

It's tough to balance foreign policy with domestic needs, but an explanation might go a long way.

[Amonester]

3. When do you think the now foreclosed (former) U.S. taxpayers

who have lost their jobs and have to live in their car or in cardboard boxes will get any (beginning of) aid?

Thanks.

[treestar]

6. Thank you!

Another attempt to make drama out of something that is simply part of the world as it is. We don't close down everything in the event of a recession. It's a part of our foreign policy which we can't just turn on and off at will. So many posters think everything is so simple, wars can be ended overnight and so on.

[SwampG8r]

4. thank god we must be fully re employed and

the numbers have not yet been reported

[UnseenUndergrad]

5. Rawstory?

[Purveyor]

7. It is a well sourced article with working links. Perhaps you should peruse the source link. n/t