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A Comedy of Errors
Every now and again politics descends into farce. The British Government has completely disgraced itself, in the eyes of many, at home and abroad.
Epidemic of Epidemics
A series of epidemics, badly handled, threatens to reduce Britain to chaos. Nowhere is this more likely than in Britain's ports including Felixstowe.
Crisis after Crisis
Britain has been hit by a series of animal diseases. First Mad Cow Disease (BSE) with the associated human illness vCJD, then Swine Fever (CSF) and now Foot and Mouth (FMD)
Transporting Blame
Each time there has been a determined attempt to either avoid blame or to blame someone else.
Propaganda War
A fortune in taxes has been spent on propaganda of the most virulent xenophobic kind. Advertisements, partly paid for by the public have had to be banned.
Exporting Illness
The handling of BSE was a complete disaster with the disease spreading from the UK to the Continent.
There and back again
Now there are demands that all meat coming from the continent should face extra scrutiny to avoid re-importing the disease.
This is reasonable enough, although the port of entry is not the right place to do the work.
Nearly a repeat performance
CSF was obviously imported, quite possibly innocently, through a port or airport, but the resulting chaos and the slaughter of 250000 pigs was the result of complete mismanagement.
Bad Words
The blatant attempt to blame other European food suppliers and state controls for Britain's mishandling was a national disgrace.
Bullies
The writer has been threatened, harassed and suffered personally from government officials as a result of speaking out. He now has his bags packed and passport ready to leave Britain for political asylum abroad. See Pigging It!
Look Elsewhere
It is quite pointless to increase controls at seaports, when the real problem lies inland.
Same Problem
However Foot and Mouth got into Britain and it probably took a similar route to CSF, the same mistakes were repeated.
Same Cause
Again seaports should resist extra controls; the problems are here in Britain.
Isolation
Having got itself into a war with its traditional suppliers abroad, Britain now finds itself the pariah of Europe.
Not surprisingly the rest of Europe does not want any more infection and are bringing in stringent controls over British exports.
Words of Wisdom
They are right to do so, although they would be wise to assume that the disease will spread throughout Europe whatever their controls at ports of entry.
They must immediately transfer some resources inland to make sure they do not repeat Britain's mistakes.
Vital Seaports
Britain now desperately needs Felixstowe and its other seaports to rush food into the country.
It must not be seduced into silly controls that will inevitably slow and disrupt movement of urgently needed supplies.
Past Experience
It should not be assumed that Britain will handle the crisis well.
Democracy at Risk
The situation is very serious. Democracy itself is under threat. The General Election looks certain to be cancelled. Citizens are being confined to their homes and heavy penalties lie against anyone transgressing fearsome new rules on movement in the countryside.
Abdicating Control
Effective control of day to day events has passed from elected politicians to a small group of government employees in The State Veterinary Service.
This is exactly the same group responsible for the BSE and CSF crisis.
Politicians constantly repeat the mantra "We are acting on the Advice of the Chief Veterinary Officer" as if it were the holy writ.
We see more of the Chief Veterinary Officer's face than the average Iraqi sees of Saddam Hussein.
Unelected Officials
The writer did not elect the Chief Veterinary Officer to make decisions about his health, wealth and freedom.
The Chief Veterinary Officer presides over an organisation that is extremely corrupt and inefficient. It covers up its mistakes and crimes.
Call the Police!
The Chief Veterinary Officer has repeatedly refused to bring the police into his organisation even when faced with obviously genuine complaints about his senior officials.
These include the faking of both blood tests and records during epidemics.
Unsupervised
Whilst he clearly has a job to do, and his efforts to get the crisis under control must not be impeded, his department is acting without proper democratic supervision.
Shipping, and Felixstowe in particular, is going to have to be very careful when co-operating with demands for increased controls at the port.
Check and Double Check
It should not assume that these are in the interests of the port, its customers or the country.
It must make sure that all controls have the full legal authority of an elected government.
It is insufficient to assume that all officials are acting correctly and with authority.
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