“Business shouldn’t be the government’s business.” - Nepali Times

“Business shouldn’t be the government’s business.” - Nepali Times: "You continue to equate microcredit with social business and Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay, thinks that it should be commercialised to reach millions more poor people.
Omidyar sees microcredit as a profit-maximising business. I see it as a social business to help the poorest, and we keep on fighting (laughs). I define a social business as a non-loss, non-dividend business that is different from philanthropy in that a social business returns the invested money to its owners. Micro credit should be a social business. We do it to help the poor get their rice. When the poor become rich enough to have that 15-course dinner, then commercial bankers can come in, offer additional financial services and make money off them. Until then, the profit-maximising approach is similar to that of village money-lenders who come with gleaming eyes. Omidyar understands returns, and he is arguing on behalf of a business principle, which I understand."