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G20, egos and a monumental waste of money

A marvellous article by Simon Jenkins in the Evening Standard today, which condemns the whole fiasco that has become the G20 summit.

As he writes

"A day and a half of summitry, parroting meetings held by the same participants every month, will cost Londoners £7 million in police overtime and a further £12 million in other costs. That is apart from the disruption. The event displays the Olympian extravagance now typical of many public-sector events, undimmed by a concern for recession, decorum or economy. One firm is reported to have been paid £6 million for fitting out the chamber for two days. A project co-ordinator and two "delivery co-ordinators" are being paid £200,000, and an obscurely titled "content writer" £27,000. If a minister ever tells you he is too short of money for a clinic or drug centre, cite these figures."

At least it will give the Prime Minister the opportunity to say that he has saved the World (again).

Comments

Anonymous said…
which world though?
March 24, 2009 12:54 pm
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