Fair Trade (From Penarth Times)

Fair Trade

YOU published a letter last month under the heading 'Fair Trade Not So Fair'.

The implication was that it is 'unfair' to use tax-payers' money to cover the cost of buying 'fair trade' products for consumption by councillors.

In fact the extra cost may be very small, if any.

While it is indeed a personal choice to buy 'fairly-traded', that choice is made for the benefit of the producer, not the buyer.

Many of us have become aware of the frequent exploitation of workers, and feel that we cannot bear to perpetuate this injustice.

No-one would tolerate such conditions in our own country!

It is not fair to those who produce our food to allow them to be treated so differently.

Committing to Fair Trade may not be just a question of a little extra on our bills; it may also mean that when the Co-op has run out of fairly-traded bananas, we choose not to buy bananas at all.

Last week was Christian Aid Week, when with minimum effort we could offer a 'leg up' to some of the world's poor - they don't want to beg for 'charity' any more than most of us do.

Fair trading goes a little way towards helping them get a more just reward for their labours, all the year round.

Mrs M S Michael

Stanwell Road

Penarth