On Mon, 29 Jan 2007 09:56:08 +0000, Steve Hayood wrote: >On 29/01/07, Will Chapman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > >> could we please recognise that the enemy is based in Whitehall not >> Watford. > >I am sorry to break ranks here, but I do not agree with this simplistic >appraisal of the situation.
This seems as good a post as any to hang a general comment on about 20 emails in this thread - and to try to pour some oil (red, while we still have some in our tanks) over these troubled waters. You are all right! Steve Haywood is right that BW were going to cut 180 jobs anyway and that this is a bad thing for the waterways. Adrian is right to suggest that DEFRA policy and pressures probably helped to make this BW's plans. Richard is also right in saying this is bad for the waterways. Will is right that because of DEFRA this has happened more quickly than would have happened and this is worse for the waterways Mike is right that compulsory redundancies are worse than natural wastage and this is bad for the individuals. Steve Hays is right to say that in the short-term office jobs going will hurt the waterways least Dorothy is right to say that office jobs also matter and in the long-term BW will suffer if it cuts any jobs. Which takes us back to what should our "posture" be on BW at the moment. I think it's the opposite of the US in Vietnam - BW must be saved in order to destroy it. There's a lot wrong with BW, and in particular how its funded. We have different views on what the outcome should be, but can continue to work these out through robust debate. In the meantime, we ought to support BW - not uncritically and unhesitatingly - but in principle: because we need a healthy BW in charge of well maintained waterways as a starting place to change things from. Attacking DEFRA should be tactics, and this includes supporting BW, but our strategy does not include "BW are great" And now I need to go off to push some pens around the office - oh, and help to organise a demonstration for tomorrow; has anyone got a donkey jacket I could borrow.. -- On-line canal route planner: http://www.canalplan.org.uk (Waterways World site of the month, April 2001) My Reply-To address *is* valid, though likely to die soon
