Airline boss backs commercialisation
Thursday 23rd December 2010, 2:29PM GMT.
COMMERCIALISING the airport is an excellent idea that would allow airlines to deal solely with its management, Aurigny has said.
The airline’s managing director Malcolm Hart (pictured) added that removing responsibility for the day-to-day running of the airport from the States would promote commercial behaviour in terms of attracting new routes.
He said it would also be a positive move to allow airport management to negotiate with staff on pay, terms and conditions – a function currently carried out by the Public Sector Remuneration Committee.
‘Commercialisation of the airport would be a good thing,’ Mr Hart said.
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In a recent comment, the GP Editor stated: “Under Guernsey’s model of commercialisation, the States remains the sole shareholder in the business but it is run as an independent operation.”
As long as this remains the case it’s probably a good idea. I wouldn’t want the airport going into private ownership.
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Not a good idea but a very bad idea, one that would lead to privatisation! Yes, very bad idea indeed, unless that is you are nothing more than a profit seeking entity caring nothing for local people but caring deeply for shareholders chomping at the bit for additional dividends that they can either take down to the Med’s casino tables or use for further expansion of all kinds at little Guernsey’s little airport, and area that is currently surrounded by Guernsey peoples homes, families, children, fields, cattle,veggies, and gorgeous hedgerows resplendent with Sprintime primroses, bluebells, daises and daffodils.
Indeed, increased commercialisation of the airport – i.e. taking the operation of it in any way shape or form out of the hands of ‘the people’ and their representatives the States of Guernsey – would instantly create the opportunity for profit seeking businesses to expand airport operations in all directions – bigger and bigger and bigger – and in doing so would in a very short space of time destroy a large part of Guernsey not to mention destroying the lungs and other health aspects of Guernsey’s population due to increased pollution outfall from more and more aircraft.
When will people such as MD Hart put Guernsey people and their future living conditions ahead of his person empirical bent? Deffinately no expansion or change to the airport of any kind!
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I can tell you there will be nothing in it for the Guernsey public, except higher charges, can you think of a single benefit from the utilities that have already been commercialised? The huge costs of regulation have been passed onto you, standing charges rise year on year which are only really another tax on the consumer, you get very little in return for these quarterly charges. Guernsey water is already a very profitable company with about 50 million of consumer’s money in the bank, so it is difficult to see how that will be improved on by having paid board members should we go down the commercialisation route.
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Its about time that Guernsey’s airport and harbour are officially re-classified as vital strategic assets, the lifeline of the island to the outside world, instead of something that has to break even financially.
If we can accept that Beau Sejour operates at an annual loss because of its role as a community facility, then why not the airport and harbour?
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I actually feel that this is one of the best ideas the States have come up with to date. Lets just reflect on the private sector and how well they generally manage a lean operation. Without sounding too harsh on the current set up, i do feel that the some divisions of the public sector could be better managed by the private sector.
Susie Andrade, Chair, Chartered Management Institute Guernsey Branch
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Good effort Deputy Jones – a nice way of confirming that you know little of Guernsey plc.
I was staggared when I read that they have £50m in the bank. So I look at their accounts, on your website, which you approved. Lo, £7.7m held with T&R and another £200k in the bank.
Where’s the £50 mill then Deputy Jones – or are you just trying to spin the issue to suit your preconceived ideas of family silver?
Rather than wait for whatever reports come out and making an informed decision (which is what we should expect from our polis), yet again an example where, yes indeed the States do waste money, because time and effort is spent only to be ignored by representatives like yourself.
Oh, and I can think of a single benefit from commercialising utilities. My phone bill is far less than it would otherwise have been thanks to commercial competition.
The quite annoyed for this time of year BTF
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Susie Andrade says “Lets just reflect on the private sector and how well they generally manage a lean operation”.
Perhaps you should reflect on how consumer oriented commericlaised comapnies are. Think of Heathrow. the railways, Cable and Wireless, Guernsey Post, Guernsey Electricity and you see that commercialisation benefits those who operate it, and not those they operate it for.
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