Originally Posted by Doug

I don’t disagree Gayle, I farmed in Garstang on a regular basis and I aware of there statues, I also shop at Sainsbury’s in Bispham and regularly purchase Fair Trade goods. But it is somewhat of a con when it’s the main markets that are still setting prices and there is little reliable monitoring of what’s getting to the people who need the income i.e. the workers. But what really concerns me is the lack of internal investment in our own producers whilst all this is going on…..

Originally Posted by garinda

Perhaps if we'd have had Freetrade in the past to protect our mills here, we would still have a cotton industry in Lancashire, instead of being undercut by the workers in India.


I do think that it isn't the job of local councils to preach about morality, when we live in a free market economy, and a lot of people do not have the luxury to be able to choose what they but. The cheapest is very often their main concern.

I have nothing against the Freetrade movement or it's aims, I just don't want to be preached to about it by my local council.

Originally Posted by Gayle

It is not the local council that is promoting this, it is Prospects Foundation who are an independent charity.

Originally Posted by Gayle

Tealeaf, yes you are right Hyndburn is not a rich area, although it has now risen up the rankings and is out of the bottom 50 deprived areas in the UK. I did not suggest for a minute that anyone who was below the poverty line should spend their money on more expensive items, I suggested that some people who do have that few pence extra to spare may consider what they are buying and purchase goods that are fairtrade rather than alternative expensive items (and Fairtrade goods are not the most expensive items on the shelf). In other words buy using your concience occassionally.

Yes, there are countries and governments out there that are corrupt, I don't even begin to know how much money we have poured into their coffers, but the whole point about Fairtrade is that the suppliers are organisations who have guaranteed to pay their staff acceptable wages and to operate under certain codes of health and safety that other suppliers have not. For a supplier from a third world country to be able to supply Fairtrade items they have got to sign up to the basic principles which is why it is called 'trade' that is 'fair'.

Originally Posted by Doug

Yesterday the local producer drove a tractor, today he might have a Toyota 4x4, the worker is still on a penny a day and works dawn to dusk, Health and Safety is an excuse of British self rightousness and not a real concideration in the third world nor many other places beyond these shores.

Originally Posted by Doug

Not being a well person at the moment I don't want to get excited. Why are we doing this when our own producers are being forced out of the local market place, same within europe. Why is it this country that always feels the need to get involved in someones else problems. We need to reinvest in our own people Gayle, sustain our own market place and then go and save the world. People are making money out of Fairtrade no doubt about it. Yesterday the local producer drove a tractor, today he might have a Toyota 4x4, the worker is still on a penny a day and works dawn to dusk, Health and Safety is an excuse of British self rightousness and not a real concideration in the third world nor many other places beyond these shores.

Originally Posted by Gayle

All I can do is ask you to read the following link. This explains how the suppliers are allowed to become suppliers.

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/supplier...htm#principles

If you have any proof that this is not being adhered to then I would be interested to know it.

Originally Posted by Gayle

As far as I am aware there are no coffee plantations over in England - please put me right if I am wrong about that. So, could you please explain what the harm is in buying Fairtrade coffee rather than coffee produced by a large multinational organisation that squeazes every last penny out of the suppliers.

Originally Posted by Doug

HBC should be investing in the Borough,

Originally Posted by Gayle

So, could you please explain what the harm is in buying Fairtrade coffee rather than coffee produced by a large multinational organisation that squeazes every last penny out of the suppliers.

Originally Posted by Gayle

Yes, totally agree Doug that there should be more done for indpendent suppliers over here and some supermarkets are coming round to that. Asda for example are now allowing individual stores to source a number of locally produced items themselves instead of going through central purchasing. This should also be encouraged.

Originally Posted by garinda

There isn't any harm, I've bought Freetrade products. I just don't want my local council suggesting how I spend my money.

Originally Posted by garinda

There is already enough information out there if people are interested, without HBC trying to obtain the status of a Freetrade borough by actively encoraging the relevant number of shops or cafes to qualify as such.