Widespread graft hinders action to reduce poverty

Re: "What breakthrough? Growth without jobs", Opinion, February 6

The editorial from the Philippine Daily Inquirer ridicules Philippine President Aquino for boasting about economic growth when it doesn't lead to a reduction in poverty or corrup?tion, which causes poverty. But while I believe Aquino is trying to solve these problems, how much can he achieve in a country where corruption is so epidemic?

It's the same thing with Thailand. Even if the most honest person in Thailand became prime minister, could he or she really make a dent in ending corruption, especially on a local level?

It's Catch 22: you can't end poverty until you end corruption, but you can't end corruption until you end poverty. How does one work their way around that?

Eric Bahrt

Pattaya