Yesterday’s launch of the Venezuelan oil funded low fares initiative has once again led to charges of a rich city stealing from the poor citizens of Venezuela and much public hand-wringing about deals with ‘dictators’.
These criticisms are more credible where they don’t come from parties whose ministers have a less than glorious record in selling arms to repressive regimes or tying aid to poorer nations with demands to allow foreign ownership of natural resources.
There are legitimate questions of why a city as rich as London needs any form of foreign aid but the answers – chronic under investment in infrastructure, a minimum wage which fails to reflect the true cost of life in the capital, an unwillingness to tax the mega-rich mega corporations which make London their home and a need to build more social housing – are as unpalatable to the questioners as the oil deal they so publicly oppose.
As a result of this scheme 250,000 Londoners will have affordable access to the capital’s buses making it easier to shop, seek work and enjoy the city. That can only be a good thing.
One of the biggest defence of the subsidy has been that it allows the Venezuelans to access world class expertise well below the costs likely to be charged by global consultancy firms. It’s now up the Mayor, and any would-be successors, to ensure this promise is fulfilled.
Busman says
>> It’s now up the Mayor, and any would-be successors, to ensure this promise is fulfilled. << Have any of the Tory hopefuls said if they'll scrap this concession as well when they abolish the free Oysters for students and elderly?
anon says
The tories who oppose this deal wouldn’t have any issues with giant consultancy companies syphoning up the cash, the issue is simply one of not wanting to help the poor.
Tories never change no matter how photogenic they become, at heart all they want to do is keep the poor poor. That’s why they oppose this pass, the freedom pass and oysters for students.
*They* don’t need them so why should anyone else have one?
ProKen says
No doubt the London Assembly Tories will dodge the question of whether they would keep this concession by saying it’s a matter for their mayoral candidate, and the mayoral candidates will all answer the question except the one who will actually get the nomination – Johnson – who will try to avoid commenting.
PickYourDictator says
Presumambly the author had critics like these:
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/angie_bray/2007/08/an_oil_stain_on_london.html
in mind?
I Pay for Ken says
For the 100th time. “Free” Oyster cards are not free,.
I Pay for Ken says
For the 100th time. “Free” Oyster cards are not free,.