What do these have in common?
You might recall that recently Gordon Brown has made a big fuss about ridding the world of cluster bombs and he even promised to dispose of Britain's stocks.
Private Eye points out that this doesn't quite fit with what the MoD are proposing for defence training. The company that make these bombs is Raytheon who are part of the Metrix consortium who won the bid to deliver defence training to the armed forces. The Instructional Officers (civil servants) who currently undertake this training will be privatised and expected to move to St Athan in South Wales.
You might recall that recently Gordon Brown has made a big fuss about ridding the world of cluster bombs and he even promised to dispose of Britain's stocks.
Private Eye points out that this doesn't quite fit with what the MoD are proposing for defence training. The company that make these bombs is Raytheon who are part of the Metrix consortium who won the bid to deliver defence training to the armed forces. The Instructional Officers (civil servants) who currently undertake this training will be privatised and expected to move to St Athan in South Wales.
A further article in private eye points out that the private firm (AE4) which runs education schemes in more than 30 jails is pulling the plug on all training in Kent prisons claiming that it will make a losses of £892,000 on the contract. A4e took over from the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) in 2006 after winning a 3 year contract. This meant that many of the Prison Instructional Officers were privatised in the process.
Makes you think doesn't it?
PS: More information on the Defence Training Review campaign can be found here.
16 comments:
Well, on reading the title...
Cluster bombs and prison education - what do these have in common?
...I was going to say something about the children in state run comprehensive schools. But on reading your entry I see that I would have been very wide of the mark.
Ginro - So what was your thought about children in state run comprehensive schools?
Do they use this pain ray device already?
It was going to be on the lines of the general state of youth today, the lack of discipline, the violence, animal-like behaviour, how I wouldn't be a teacher if they paid me, knife crimes have escalated to gund crimes, so imagine if gun crime escalated to cluster bombs etc etc., lol.
The comprehensive school down the road reminds me of a prison, and given its failings in reports, and seeing some of the kids behaviour I suspect that they will be heading for Her Majesty's Pleasure...
Cluster bombs and prison education. What an explosive mix. I will send the post to a friend of mine who is involved in prison education.
That's scandalous! If they have been contracted how can they pull the plug? And how can they win another contract?!
Both stories fill me with anger. I daresay there will be plenty more contracts coming their way...
Off topic, but your minictities idea was so cool. People love them as presents.
Nunyaa - I will do a blog post on this.
Ginro - I agree being a teacher would be a scary job these days. Now gun crimes to cluster bombs that doesn't bear thinking about...
Jailhouselawyer - Kids behaviour these days is scary isn't it? I am glad you found the post interesting :-)
Liz - There are always get out clauses, as to getting another contract it is scandalous. What a waste of our money too!
Jams - I am sure you are right about the contracts. I still have hope for a successful outcome on the first story though!
Crushed - I am glad you are having fun with the mini cities :-) How many have you made now?
Then we get the Common Purpose connection and all becomes opaque.
Yes James it is quite scary all these things that go on that most people don't know about!
http://crashieholm.myminicity.com/
http://crashedsite.blogspot.com/2008/06/empress.html
Bunny declined the offer... :(
I thik they're fun, anyway :)
You only mentioned prison to lure me over here because you know it's my pet subject...LOL.
Both interesting, post and comments.
Agreeing to what has been written, I do just add a thought out of Rückert's "Wisdom of the Brahman" which - loosely translated - reads as follows:
When the young tend to the evil paths, the elder is to blaim who would notice it but keep silent.
Crushed - It seems Crashie likes is too ;-)
JHL - One of my pet subjects is public services and the two articles were linked by the privatisation of Instructional Officers ;-) No luring intended LOL
Sean - That is definitely something to ponder on!
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