2009/11/26 Strudwick.Family <[email protected]> > I can't agree if BW have at last realised that there is a need for > proper management of the canal network isn't that something we should > applaud even if their Damascus moment has been rather long in coming. >
Of course. But being right, and deciding to tell other people you're right, are two different things. It's matter of - I hate to say it - politics. One of the casualties of the 2008 SOW campaign was someone employed by BW very knowledgeable about the waterways, and very helpful to it, a great friendof this list. He perhaps allowed himself to become too intricately connected with the campaign and lost his job as a result. That was a different situation to this one in that BW were effectively 'working with boaters' to confront their own funding agency. It was always going to be difficult trick to pull off and once couldn't help but feel that eventually there would be a sacrificial victim. Even so, re the petition, government may well feel that the appropriate forum for BW senior staff to make known their opinions about corporate funding is at one of the many meetings at which I am sure this is top of the agenda. I mean, what does it help that Simon Salem has signed the petition? We know that he's in favour of keeping the property portfolio; if he wasn't he shouldn't be in the position he is. All he's done is 'swollen' the 5000-odd signatures by a unit of one. Had I been Robin Evans I would have advised caution. Objectivity is the most politic course. I agree with David: it's an own goal. Steve [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
