Water - Why 'Mutualisation' = Privatisation by any other
name
by Chris Bartter
The recent 'conversion' of Environment Minister, Ross Finnie
to the CBI and Tory policy of so-called 'mutualisation' of
Scottish Water is a worrying trend.
Following the appointment of Sir Ian Byatt as Chair of Water
Industry Commission Scotland from his previous experience
in the privatised industry down south, it now appears that
his public interference in political decisions has been adopted
by the Minister.
Ross Finnie, and his Liberal Democrat colleagues try to assuage
their consciences with continual repeating of the mantra 'Mutualisation
isn't Privatisation'.
However, UNISON has always pointed to the truth, and research
commissioned by UNISON and other water unions from the Public
Research Network (PIRN) at Strathclyde University shows that
in the water industry, mutualisation is just privatisation
by the back door.
However attractive 'mutualisation' sounds, it requires water
and sewerage services to be contracted out to private companies
to satisfy the financial institutions.
Privatisation by any other name!
The report also sets out in detail why privatisation would
be a costly mistake in Scotland. There are alternatives. A
revitalised public sector using models from countries like
Ireland and Sweden could keep water in public hands and have
the added advantage of costing customers significantly less.
This ties in with international campaigns against water privatisation.
Our first priority is to ensure that Scottish Water remains
public. And we will be working at the forthcoming Scottish
Liberal Democrat conference to explain the realities of this
policy.
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