Government wants ‘a market-led tailored approach to search and rescue’ and says it will be more ‘cost efficient’
With the idea and belief of the ever growing economy and all that come with it is needed in order to keep humanity under control whilst pushing forward, there are many obstacles and hurdles we must try to navigate if we want to be successful in helping to save lives and maintain the morally just mentality when it comes to the search and rescue sector.
The pressures that would come with privatisation of such a service is daunting to imagine.
Trying to cut costs in a service that is solely responsible for helping to save lives and prevent death will more than likely be deadly, mainly due to the capitalistic mentality that will more than likely shine through from above pushing the core ethos of profit, profit, profit and cut costs, cut costs, cut costs.
A plan quietly published during the parliamentary recess says that the proposed policy, which could see many different companies competing, will “provide a market-led, tailored approach to search and rescue in a more cost-efficient and innovative way”.
There is not doubt that the privatisation of such a sector would bring innovation, invention, jobs, economy and the rest, but with the pesky mentality of the capitalistic system shining through, trade unions have warned that plans would lead to “unacceptable commercial pressures” on rescue services, and accused ministers of persisting with a “failed privatisation” while MP’s in coastal constituencies described the plan as “shocking”.
Since 2015, a single private contractor has operated aerial search-and-rescue services after the contract was removed from the armed forces, which had run it for decades. The RAF search-and-rescue force was ultimately disbanded in 2016.
Under new plans unveiled this week for a second phase of privatisation, even more companies will be allowed to compete, with potentially three or four in the air at a time.
Mick Lynch, assistant general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), told The Independent: “With these plans the government is threatening to expose the core search and rescue service to unacceptable commercial pressures. RMT’s seafarer and offshore members are forced to rely on search and rescue in the event of a serious maritime safety incident.
“By 2023 the taxpayer will have spent at least £1.6bn to support the shaky finances of the contractor Bristow who filed for bankruptcy in the US last year. The government appear to have learnt nothing from this failed privatisation and are threatening to make matters worse.”
The procurement process for the second phase of privatisation is due to start in early 2021, with a contract set to be awarded in 2023
The government says the private sector could bring in drones and high-altitude pseudo-satellites to improve search-and-rescue capabilities, though it has also said it is ultimately “agnostic” about how the service is actually delivered.
Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, who represents Brighton Kemptown, said: “This is absolutely shocking, are they going to be paid according to who rescues most people! The obsession with profit-making in public services needs to stop.”
Polls have repeatedly suggested that a large majority of the public opposes privatisation of various medical and emergency services, as well as other public services such as the railways and utility companies.
The Department for Transport said the issue was a matter for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “The second-generation search and rescue aviation programme (UKSAR2G) will build upon the successes of the current search and rescue helicopter service which has saved thousands of lives since it started in 2015.
“It will continue to serve Her Majesty’s Coastguard and the other emergency responders in the lifesaving work they do.
“Through the innovative use of sophisticated sensors on helicopters, planes and unmanned aircraft on this programme, we hope to be able to find people who need our help even more quickly in the future than we can today.”
With all that having been said, nows the time for me to state that here at Stickerboy Graphics, we custom make and design all types of vehicle Magnet, stickers and decals, including designs for the Search and Rescue sector. Check out our e-commerse website with heaps of designs and new ones being uploaded, by us, daily.
Lets hope that if the Search and Rescue sectors do start to be privatised, then the mentality and ethos that normally comes with it begins to change, because its the normal men and woman on the front line that will be risking their lives and their decisions will be worth more than the value of any currency. WWG1WGA
Joe Reed