VOA标准英语2008年-US Dollar Decline Impacts Immigrant Remittances

By Nathan King
New York
03 January 2008
 

The value of the U.S. dollar has dropped about 20 percent against a basket of major currencies in the last five years. This decline has been especially tough for immigrants who work in the United States and send money to their families back home.  As Nathan King reports from New York, these dollar remittances¹ are key for the economies in many developing nations.

No weekends off and as much overtime² as he can get. Eric Amaoako lives and works in New York, but has four children, a wife and his parents relying on the $200 he sends back home each month to Ghana.

In previous years, life hasn't been this hard for Amaoako.  But because of the continued depreciation³ of the U.S. dollar, the money he sends home has less purchasing power so he has had to work harder and longer to send more.

"I have to work double shifts, weekends, when I am supposed to take off. I have to work because I need more money now [that] the dollar is falling. I need more money to meet my commitments," Amaoako said.

Eric is not alone. With the dollar at record lows against many major currencies, millions of people are having to send home dollars that are worth less or work harder to send more money.

That can have a big effect on poorer countries. The World Bank estimates remittances to developing countries totaled $240 billion this past year. The Bank says some countries rely on remittances for up to half their national income.

Dilip Ratha is the World Bank's Chief Economist⁴ on Remittances. He says the dollar's fall already is leading to calls for wage increases from migrant workers. "They are saying, 'Look we came here only to be able to send money and support our families so please give us wage increases,' and that has led to some discontent for some migrant workers."

Ratha believes that over time this situation may turn the pattern of migration⁵ away from the United States. "This is obvious -- migrants are looking for greener pastures. A stronger currency helps, [so] they are going to go for countries where the currency is stronger and buy more for their families back home."

But for those, like Eric Amaoako, who are already here in the United States with a job, each dollar earned and sent home has less value than before.

1 remittances   

n.汇寄( remittance的名词复数 )；汇款，汇款额

参考例句：

• He sends regular remittances to his parents. 他定期汇款给他父母。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Remittances sometimes account for as much as 20% of GDP. 在这些国家中，此类汇款有时会占到GDP的20%之多。 来自互联网

2 overtime   

adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地

参考例句：

• They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。
• He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。

3 depreciation   

n.价值低落，贬值，蔑视，贬低

参考例句：

• She can't bear the depreciation of the enemy.她受不了敌人的蹂躏。
• They wrote off 500 for depreciation of machinery.他们注销了500镑作为机器折旧费。

4 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

5 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。