I know I'm going to sound like a real dinosaur here but here goes:
I see that moves are, once more, afoot to sell off the british Postal Service (AKA 'The Post Office'. Not only that but Vince Cable (the business secretary) says that the coalition government, "Would not be opposed to foreign investors buying it to help tackle the pensions deficit."
Now I have two distinct areas of difficulty with this. The first relates to the fact that we have an excellent postal system which collects locally and delivers to our doors (in fact, through our doors) and any selling of the business will undoubtedly see this eroded. After all, we already have private mail firms who collect, primary sort and then deliver the mail by using the Post Office (how blinking bonkers is that?). We have the cosy, inner-city stuff handed over to private carries and then complain about the fact that in suburban and rural areas the Post Office goes where others couldn't, especially not at the price that they charge!
Selling the business off is a fool's charter and one which, even with email and the like, will change for the worse our social infrastructure. We will see even more post office branches vanish and the prices will go through the roof.
There is business backing for selling the business off because having sold off some bits and allowed competition (surely competition should use it's own vehicles and postal staff, not piggyback on the Post Office's?) they have undermined and weakened the business so that it look ripe for selling.
But I did say two areas, so let's move onto the other one:
I was taught that it was foolhardy to put utilities and communications in the hands of foreign entities. Now this might sound a bit paranoid (but they might be out to get me) and I might soon appear as if I support conspiracy plans (What! They're out to get me and they're planning it too!), but . .
There is something to be said for a state-owned water, electricity, gas, sewage, telephone and postal service. Ultimately, in time of war, for instance, I am sure that all of the above would be drawn back under the control of any government of the day (O.K., it's obvious that if they're involved we're probably already doomed!). But I hope you see the logic. It's not one that supports a free trade global market I know, but logistically there is logic in what I say (I think).
Of course I am but a mere dog collar (who would also re-open the Post Office Railway which nestles dormant below the streets of central London and take loads of the mail vans off the streets!) and know little about even less, but it still makes sense to my addled brain.
Doubtless someone clever out there can tell me why I'm wrong . .go on then :)
Pax
1 comment:
Vic,
This is just plain common sense. Unfortunately, conservative theology appears to be based on privatization at any cost and ignore the consequences.
Firstly the post office. When I left school, my first job was as a telegram boy at the London Central Office and at Threadneedle Street. This was in the day or telex and must communications being a little slower than now. We were part of the Civil Service and conditions were strict, all sorting was manual and you had to learn to sort for all of the walks in the four EC areas as well as for the wider London postal areas and countrywide.
All this was done by repetition and needed an excellent memory, until it became second nature. There was pride in what we did and
a lot of fun. Some of which included unexpected rides on the undergound train from King Edward Building to Mount Pleasant enclosed in a mail bag (not permitted today as it is considered bullying - as a recipient of the trip, it was considered a rite of passage.
However, when the post office was nationalised, something was taken away. By this time I was in the army and I heard of the first postal strikes, which caused lots of bad feeling and bad employee relations, which it appears to me, survive to this day.
I am not a fan of the sell off, but I can't see it returning to the civil service and continued tinkering over the years has made it a loss making industry (at least the letter side). It appears that they want to sell off the lucrative bits (Parcel Force etc) and allow the rest to rot or to fade away. It is a scandal and a shame that government(s) have created this situation, unwilling or unable to face down militant unions.
As for utilities, another scandal, the crown jewels were sold by Maggie Thatcher's government and GB did not help by selling the god reserves cheap - if we had them now, we would not have such a huge financial crisis!
I wonder if there are any secret plans for re-nationalisation in a national emergency - I would not bet on it, but if they were all nationalised again, who would pay the compensation, we do not have the resources for it, so perhaps it is being discounted.
Sad days for a once proud country and economy, which has drifted through apathy and poor governance over the years into a situation where we are obliged to resort to punitive measures, punishing the poorest and most vulnerable in our society to make up for it.
Post a Comment