Thankfully the rains have arrived in North East Brazil; though too late for farmers to catch up with the usual planting protocols and too late to avoid the grinding poverty that will follow.
But help and support is at hand in the form of a BR$9 billion package for the North East announced by the government as new action against the drought. Surely an indication that the government is doing something to help and heartening to think that those who control the purse strings were showing that they appreciate the problems and care about the people. A welcome contradiction to the cynical claims that the people of the North East are largely ignored because on the ground cost benefit studies shows insufficient voter leverage to make it worth the while of investment.
Stop the hurrahs because on closer reading, the spirits sank as I discovered that a third of the money covers the cost of deferring debt repayments, a chunk is to cover a scheme announced in 2012 ( much of which has already been spent) and a further chunk is to extend social payments. Not the capital investment potential it suggests!
And guess what ? One of the governors in the region is a possible election rival in 2014. Home from home.
