The Saturday Rant-5 July 2008

Despite having given some thought to the topics for the rant this Saturday, Adam has suddenly realised that he has not got around to actually sitting down at the keyboard and composing the post.

How silly, especially as he had pre-prepared a number of the other posts which have appeared to day, as he was busy on some other matters during part of the day.

Well this week, as every week, there has been no shortage of issues.

Actually, the issue has been cutting back on the items.

If a reader has a topic they would like raised please email Adam

adamsmith1922@gmail.com

Firstly

The parlous physical state of some of our schools.

Adam does not normally watch Close Up, but for some reason found himself watching the wretched programme the other night. This was not the night they ran a report on the Tiaho Primary School out of Wairoa, but Thursday night, Adam thinks, when the reporter was at a rural primary school somewhere out of Wanganui.

The facts revealed by this report were appalling. The attitude of the Education Ministry as disclosed by the report was dreadful.

Adam is not going to go through the litany of complaint revealed by the programmes. He does not have to.

Adam has friends of many years standing, who are teachers and who vouch for the veracity of these claims, including that the Ministry is more interested in spending money on IT initiatives than real problems.

We and our children need less red tape and more action.

A key image in Adam’s mind was the very articulate Chair of Governors saying she was prepared to Project Manage the repairs, at a fee returned to the school, but being turned down because she did not have Professional Indemnity Insurance.

OK, so why does the Ministry not engage with insurance brokers to put in place a suitable insurance scheme, predicated on using local resource and avoiding excessive cost?

Adam knows why, it would reduce the overpowering bureaucracy and eliminate central Wellington control.

Adam thinks that might be a good thing.

What do you think?

Now to the second ranting factor

Cavalier way local authorities impose charges

Adam is so pissed off that rail fares are going up in Wellington.

Why, well he likes travelling by train.

No, he moved and switched to train, because though not, never, no how, a green he is a strong believer in more energy efficiency.

He thought that was government policy also.

Now he thinks it is milk the passenger.

Adam tries, despite his better instincts, to be Green and gets shafted.

The third rant factor this week

Ongoing presumption by some that business is somehow evil and profit bad

Actually, Adam does not really know why he needs to even justify this aspect of the rant!

He regards this as so self evident and apparent, that the emphasis should be the other way.

Why?

Well this must be the case, given the labour governments nationalisation of rail.

No, not nationalisation, but the re-nationalisation of rail.

Adam’s issue is the lack of rationally justified justification.

I hate the lack of a rational business case. Don’t you?

Despite this, some still see the need to demonstrate irrationality. Stupid!

Further, every time you read a paper there is a hatred of success and private enterprise.

Adam was going to raise a number of other factors, but has decided not to do so. Why not?

I am tired and am going to bed.