READING your columnist Mark Smith, one gets the feeling he thinks himself to be a righteous Cassandra, predicting that only privatisation of state assets can lead to success (“Success is in the Post FOR Royal Mail sell-off”, The Herald, October 14). However, rather than promoting solutions on the basis of what's best and works he comes across as a fundamentalist free marketer, with an unquestioning belief in the efficacy of the market.
Take the Royal Mail. He predicts great success now the UK Government has relinquished its share and decries the old monopoly, yet fails to recognise the reliability and timeliness of deliveries under the old system. He asks how the BBC can possibily survive and thrive in the face of internet TV. Rather well, I'd say, as whilst services such as Netflix provide some great content, they're relatively limited compared to the public service broadcaster's provision across radio, TV and online, never mind news or the World Service or the provision of programming that a commercial company wouldn't make. What about rail? Sure, service under British Rail may not have been the finest, but he ignores the success of East Coast Mainline recently when in public hands (where private companies failed) and doesn't think to ask whether other successful models of state run railway networks such as Deutsche Bahn in Germany or SBB in Switzerland could be looked at.
All of this points to the question: if uncritical faith in the state is wrong, why is his uncritical faith in the market to be considered right and proper?
Michael Rossi,
66 Canalside Gardens,
Southall,
Middlesex.
SO Mark Smith thinks that Royal Mail will be an improved service under privatisation.
Here is an example of privatisation. When I worked in the Post Office a customer wanted to post an airline ticket to The United States. At that time all we could offer her was International Recorded at £3.50 and no guaranteed security after it left our shores. She was a bit dubious and asked if I knew anything about private couriers. I said I would phone one for her. I phoned what was probably the best known one at the time and after supplying them with the details they quoted £26.00. She baulked at the price and opted for publicly owned Royal Mail. She returned a few days later to tell me the ticket had arrived alright.
When the universal postage disappears, as inevitably it will, the inhabitants of the Scottish Highlands and Islands will have a serious problem. Their prices will rocket. After all. you don’t control what you don’t own.
Of course, it will still be legitimate to call it he Royal Mail as the Kuwaiti royal family will be adding to their fortune, having already bought £50 million worth of shares
Myra Gartshore,
16 Barloan Place,
Dumbarton.
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