Monday, June 12, 2006
QUALITY GOVERNMENT
The man who would be prime minister, David Cameron:
Similarly, the current prime minister, Tony Blair, on the need to invest ever more in "public services":
Clearly, then, there is something of an inter-party consensus on the need to be "constructive" and spend money wisely. And the unions too, while concerned where this all could lead, do seem cautiously reasonable:
So undoubtedly a story like the following is bound to please taxpayers . . . as they learn once again how at least a bit of the ever increasing amounts of their hard earned tax money is being "well spent". AFP:
But gosh, even with the extra investment they sound "demoralized," so it's understandable why they would be unwilling to "embrace reform". ¶ by Robert, Monday, June 12, 2006
The man who would be prime minister, David Cameron:
"Instead of constantly beating up on the public sector and telling it to be more like the private sector, let's be more reasonable and constructive".
Similarly, the current prime minister, Tony Blair, on the need to invest ever more in "public services":
...Mr Blair told the National School of Government conference that public services were different from business because they did not depend on profit and loss.
But there was a danger people did not realise that public services, like businesses, had to be run productively.
"In doing so, we confuse the ethos of public service with the vested interest of keeping things as they are, failing to adapt to necessary change," said Mr Blair...
..."I know that if, having put in this extra money we can't show clearly, demonstrably, that the service has got radically better, then the consent from the public for investment is in jeopardy."...
But there was a danger people did not realise that public services, like businesses, had to be run productively.
"In doing so, we confuse the ethos of public service with the vested interest of keeping things as they are, failing to adapt to necessary change," said Mr Blair...
..."I know that if, having put in this extra money we can't show clearly, demonstrably, that the service has got radically better, then the consent from the public for investment is in jeopardy."...
Clearly, then, there is something of an inter-party consensus on the need to be "constructive" and spend money wisely. And the unions too, while concerned where this all could lead, do seem cautiously reasonable:
...Brian Strutton, national secretary of the GMB union, warned: "There is a great danger in trying to compare public services to private companies."
Mr Strutton said he was sure Mr Blair wanted to improve services but the focus should be on quality, not price comparisons with the private sector.
He argued that keeping down public sector pay would demoralise workers rather than encourage them to embrace reform...
Mr Strutton said he was sure Mr Blair wanted to improve services but the focus should be on quality, not price comparisons with the private sector.
He argued that keeping down public sector pay would demoralise workers rather than encourage them to embrace reform...
So undoubtedly a story like the following is bound to please taxpayers . . . as they learn once again how at least a bit of the ever increasing amounts of their hard earned tax money is being "well spent". AFP:
...The Rural Payments Agency, which is linked to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said one employee at its office in Newcastle had been sacked and others were facing disciplinary action Monday.
The comment came after a whistleblower at the Newcastle office outlined a series of allegations about his workplace to a local newspaper, which included:
-- Staff leaping naked from filing cabinets, which was caught on closed circuit television (CCTV);
-- A new craze of vomiting in cups and leaving them to fester in cupboards until they are discovered through the horrendous smell;
-- People taking drugs and having sex in the toilets;
-- Swearing and having fun-fights in the reception area; and
-- Staff holding break-dancing competitions during working hours...
The comment came after a whistleblower at the Newcastle office outlined a series of allegations about his workplace to a local newspaper, which included:
-- Staff leaping naked from filing cabinets, which was caught on closed circuit television (CCTV);
-- A new craze of vomiting in cups and leaving them to fester in cupboards until they are discovered through the horrendous smell;
-- People taking drugs and having sex in the toilets;
-- Swearing and having fun-fights in the reception area; and
-- Staff holding break-dancing competitions during working hours...
But gosh, even with the extra investment they sound "demoralized," so it's understandable why they would be unwilling to "embrace reform". ¶ by Robert, Monday, June 12, 2006
