So far, so predictable
MEMBERS of the snappily-titled ‘Reducing the Cost of Public Services Sub-Committee’ who perceived criticism of this newspaper’s coverage of its ‘Tell us where to save money’ campaign may have taken umbrage at a lack of enthusiasm for the project.
They argue that this is a genuine attempt at public engagement.
A real opportunity to identify savings. A good chance for the public to feel that they have been listened to.
We have to believe that the attempt for public engagement is genuine – but the outcome so far to date is utterly predictable and will take the States, and its wordy sub-committee, absolutely nowhere towards saving £16m. a year.
We’ve heard ideas online and in vox-pops such as don’t pay politicians, tax off-island companies, scrap bus subsidies, have a recruitment freeze, reduce the administration around taxation, change gold-plated pension rights, reduce benefit payments and get the scroungers back to work.
Lines that our politicians have heard and read hundreds of times before.
Without any context to wrap an idea around, any genuine submissions are unlikely to be taking anyone far.
And what about spending to save? Without a helpful steer, who could understand how, for example, rebooting the Partnership of Purpose in healthcare services might help?
The sub-committee would have been better advised to float up some ideas and invite feedback. If you want a public response you need to give people something to kick against.
Anyone who ever proposed a GST will understand how it works.