Partial sale of utilities ‘cannot be ruled out’
Saturday 10th April 2010, 2:30PM BST.
TREASURY would consider part-privatisation of Guernsey Electricity and Guernsey Post.
In a letter of response to the Deputy Dave Jones requete requesting a review of how Guernsey’s utilities are regulated, minister Charles Parkinson (pictured) threw open the question of States ownership.
‘While there are aspects of the requete with which we would disagree, for example we are not necessarily convinced that both companies should remain fully in democratic ownership, we support the thrust of the requete,’ he said.
Guernsey Post responded by saying the island’s regulator and regulatory model would need replacing first because the current system under the Office of Utility Regulation provided neither the certainty nor consistency necessary to attract investors.
Guernsey Electricity and Guernsey Post are calling for the OUR to be replaced and 16 deputies threw their weight behind the requete calling for the review of regulation.
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OMG, here we go again!!
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Privatization – or even so-called ‘part-privatization’ of any facilty that is owned by Guernsey people is the worst thing that could ever happen to Guernsey. I have experienced this change to ‘private’ ownership of public facilities elsewhere following which,charges to the public ( who have then lost their publically owned facility) inch up and eventually sky-rocket!
Say NO in a big way to any form of privatization or part-privatization of publically owned facilities. All facilities owned and operated by Guernsey people
(through States departments) must remain 100% the property of Guernsey people.
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Guernsey, sold by our politicians to the highest bidder for short term gain… and who loses in the long run?
Always but ALWAYS the people who live here.
Has the sale of Guernsey Telecoms to the vampiric C & W, who are now sucking the money out of islanders pockets faster than we can count through over inflated BB/fixed line prices, taught them NOTHING?!
Obviously not.
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Welcome to Britain huge prices for utilities and post that never arrives!
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Only 4 posts, including mine ( 5 including this one) on a subject that will seriously affect in a huge negative way the living conditions of every working man and woman in Guernsey. But 80 posts railing about the ‘Jerry Simon -no job no home’ guy! I ask you, do Guernsey folk deserve all they get or what?
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Expat 80, have you read the full article? Nowhere does it state that the States have any intention of part-privatising any of the utilities. They just don’t rule it out.
That is probably why there only 5 posts on the matter.
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Guernsey is a small island community, and as such should retain public control over its public services.
We are not big enough to sustain privatisation as we are too small for competition in areas such as power and postage.
Keep these services under public control with the sole purpose of serving the people of Guernsey – not making profits. Let them remain accountable to the population, not the directors.
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expat80
Guernsey people have a habit of not worrying too much about something that may or may not happen in the distant future
If Mr Parkinson had said that his department were actively engaged in setting up a deal to hive off our utilities then no doubt all hell would break loose
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Very good point, Ray.
The incinerator debate was a classic example: most people didn’t ‘engage’ in the political debate until after the project was initially agreed last summer.
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GREG, RAY ? What planet do you come from? Anyone with a modicum of human intellect can see where the States are trying to take this one. And your suggestion of waiting to ‘make noises’ after the fact is a non-starter. Privatization of public services has had little or no success in other countries and for the average working person will make living on Guernsey very hard indeed. ‘Privatization’ of publically owned services is nothing more than a ‘business’ model designed to make multi-millions for the (already) wealthy while making life even more difficult for the average working person. Think about it. Look back at Telecoms!
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Expat80
Don’t burst an ulcer
Just stating that Guernsey people are perhaps more laid back than their friends across the water
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Ray:
More laid back, or less insightful having had fewer opportunities to learn from experience?
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No ulcer problems RAY, never have had, just don’t get too laid back or you’ll find your horse has already bolted…………
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