Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
9 December 2009
17:3834650#1
STATEMENT FROM GWYN PROSSER MP
"I am disappointed but not at all surprised that Dover Harbour Board have declared their wish to privatise the Port of Dover. It has always been my view that the current Chief Executive has had ambitions to sell off the port ever since his appointment and he has now convinced the Board to support him.
Mr Goldfield has consistently told us that the port was an efficient and successful operation and his Board saw no advantage in seeking privatisation. But when he sold off of most of his loyal workforce last year his real intentions became obvious.
I've opposed privatisation ever since the Tories brought in the Ports Act in 1991, I oppose Dover Harbour Board's current bid and I expect the government to reject it.
My guess is that the Board are making their application now in anticipation of a Tory government taking office in the New Year which would guarantee Mr Goldfield realising his ambitions because the Conservatives, at local and national level, have continually pressed to sell off Dover in the same way they sold off Medway and other Trust ports.
I am still anticipating the re-election of a Labour government and the continuance of Dover Harbour Board as a highly successful trust port with the potential to realise all its expansion plans and support Dover's ambitious regeneration proposals"
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
9 December 2009
17:4134651#2
Many thanks to Gwyn for the statement above.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
9 December 2009
18:0134652#3
great to get all sides of the argument.
this will be a political hot potato until the next election.
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
9 December 2009
18:0734654#4
Thanks Gwyn.
How true is GP's claim that the Tory's would allow the port to be privatised? I, for one, hope this is not true as I don't think a privatised port would benefit the town in any way, shape or form.
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
9 December 2009
18:1834656#5
You have to remember Phil that the Tories did have privatisation in their local manifesto last time around. It proved to be highly unpopular with local voters and this was realised by them early on in the campaign. Yes they soon realised that it was not a winner. The idea did not help candidate and challenger Paul Watkins at the time.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
9 December 2009
19:4934660#6
What an out-of-touch and sad example of an MP we have.
Look at what he has just said above - I quote direct: "I am still anticipating the re-election of a Labour government and the continuance of Dover Harbour Board as a highly successful trust port with the potential to realise all its expansion plans and support Dover's ambitious regeneration proposals"
But whats this.... On BBC just a few minutes ago there was his LABOUR MINISTER OF TRANSPORT talking about, guess what, selling the Port....
All while GP here is trying to blame DHB and the Conservatives.....and saying its not going to happen.
That is the saddest and most pathetic statement I have ever seen from an MP. He may well genuinly oppose it and may campaign against it but here is his own Labour Government saying they are going to sell it on the same day he says it not happening....
At least he and Charlie Elphicke are on the same side on this issue, opposing the Labour Government.
This though is just a re-run of what happened about 6 years or so ago on a different issue and it comes down to the character of our MP himself.
Paul Watkins warned about what was going to happen to Buckland Hospital, Prosser denied it. Paul Watkins was right, Prossers own Government did not trust their own Labour MP enough to tell him what they planned. That says it all about the utter and repeated failure of this particular MP.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
9 December 2009
20:1934661#7
i think that you are being a bit personal here barry, the issue is not about the personality of anyone, but the future of our port.
the issue of buckland hospital is a different one, i remember paul watkins stating on here that an independent report avered that the buckland site was not "fit for purpose", as thinks stand now it could well be that things will go full circle and buckland will be the answer to our hospital problem.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
9 December 2009
21:0234662#8
Its the same thing exactly. A complacent MP who is not trusted by even his own Government. Of course its personal, its about an MP who is clearly just not up to the job. Its been proven time and time again. The evidence is in his statement above and on the BBC this very evening. I am just flabbergasted that even Prosser could be exposed as being so inept in such a staggering way.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
9 December 2009
21:1634663#9
Well I have always said the port of Dover should never be sold,my feelings today are the same as they have always been no sell off.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
9 December 2009
23:0734666#10
interesting to see the live broadcast from the "park inn" on bbc tonight.
would have been better if they had talked to someone that had some influence.
not that it will make any difference to the outcome though.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
10 December 2009
07:3734671#11
So Phil was right, they did go in there.
It would have been more useful if they could have spoken to some important people, but there you go.
I think there has been a change of mind from the local Conservatives about selling the Port; if it is to be sold, it should have been sold last time round when the money would have stayed in Dover - and everyone would have benefitted then.
Roger
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
10 December 2009
08:2334673#12
ROGER
You last post is a strange one, at no point could it be guarenteed the dosh would stay in Dover and that was a lot of the problem.
All govts would have run off with the dosh, wih that i have o doubt.
Pleased Gwyn has put out a statement, and even that maybe charlie chaned some local tories minds.
But don't forget the leader of DDC was firmly in favour of the SELL OFF campaigned on it.
So its still out there
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
10 December 2009
09:1434675#13
What about the Labour Government Minister being in favour of selling the Port then Keith?
I was happy with the assurances and ring fencing proposed in 2005. There are no such assurances and ring fencing now, Labour only want to sell the Port to contribute to reducing Brown's defecit.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
10 December 2009
09:1834676#14
Jeez BarryW you have to rein in those personal swipes..its not doing any good..it just drops me in it thats all! And on top of that I have concrete evidence other posters dont like it. We all know how you feel about Gwyn and so on, we take that as read, so lets move on from that aspect and just debate the content rather go personal. It will be better overall....
Yes I think the real problem with the money raised is that there is no guarantee possible that it would stay in Dover. Also I think everyone is clear that Gwyn would be and always has been against privatisation of the Port. An MP is rarely privy to inside government information. I heard Jacqui Smith saying only yesterday on TV that she is not privy to Government Policy anymore now thats she is just an MP. ( She was recently shown the door!) So we have to keep a realistic aspect.
Gawd...the prospect of Dubai Holdings owning Dover is truly terrifying. Their name was mentioned last night on the BBC. By the way will have some pictures from last nights Park Inn taken off the TV going up on here later.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
10 December 2009
09:3834680#15
PaulB, this is all about GP's personal performance as our MP and that IS a local political issue in the same way Brown's performance as PM is also a political issue. I was debating the content and placing it in context of how our MP has been failing in his job. I do not expect Labour supporters to like it but they just have to face the justified critisism.
Oh, by the way - all my comments have been specifically directed at him and his personal activities as MP and in no other personal context.
10 December 2009
11:0834684#16
If the Port is privatised it will be intertesting as the Terminal 2 project does not require planning agreement as only needs the Sec of State approval as a Trust Port.. in effect no need to recognise what local people may say despite "consultations".
Am I correct that if privatised full planning applications would be required, if so then in effect T2 could be oposed UNLESS associated Waterfront Development is contained as part of the planning agreement. At present the DHB can go ahead with T2 and not deliver the Waterfront Regeneration development.
On todays Ceefax Bob Goldfield states privatisation will benefit the community, is this an admission that the DHB currently do little for the community. Or is he indicating that the DHB as it is now may only deliver T2 without the Waterfront development.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
10 December 2009
19:0134704#17
it does not become clearer, mr goldfield does not say how it would benefit the community, just a bald statement that means nothing.
pat has set the "cat among the pigeons" with the one about planning permission.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
10 December 2009
19:0634705#18
pressed send button too soon.
i doubt whether anyone from dubai will be stumping up the money for the port without rifling down the back of the sofa first.
10 December 2009
21:2634709#19
Can anyone tell me why selling the port would be such a bad thing (without emotive overtones)?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
10 December 2009
21:4134716#20
the immediate reaction would be about jobs, i think i posted somewhere on here about the temptation of new owners to bring in cheap labour from abroad.
at present the only benefit to dover is the jobs thing.
also how much importance would a private owner attach to security when the first duty would be to its shareholders.
