URGENT- Inland Waterways Association News Flash

C

Conrad

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 Mar 2008
Messages
168
Location
Thames
Visit site
Dear All



Please find attached appeal from the Inland Waterways Association, they are helping keep us afloat so a bit of payback with our individual support in their epetition wouldn't go amiss, they have up to 3000 signatures so far.



Regards



Conrad



URGENT- Inland Waterways Association News Flash



BRITISH WATERWAYS PROPERTY PORTFOLIO





Caen Hill , Kennet and Avon Canal -Today Caen Hill , Kennet and Avon Canal - Previously



Don’t let this kind of dereliction happen again - This is what will happen if we do nothing!



You may know about the media speculation that the Government intends to include the British Waterways’ property portfolio as a component of the £16bn asset sale.



The Government has made no announcements and is steadfastly refusing to be drawn on the subject.



We have been using this period of silence as a window of opportunity to lobby Ministers. We have orchestrated a political lobby in both the Commons and latterly the Lords to pressurise Government, and have briefed radio and national TV, using an array of reasons to support the argument that a sale would be in no-one’s interest.



We stand the best chance of preventing this sale if the Government can be persuaded not to do so, during this period of Ministerial silence. Whilst no announcements have been made, it is easier for Government to back away as it involves no public reversal of policy.



However, an e-petition has appeared on the 10 Downing Street website;

(please cut and paste this link)

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/protectourcanals/



IWA supports the statements in the petition. The worst outcome now that this is in the public domain, would be if this petition receives scant support. That might give Ministers the impression that there are few waterways supporters who care very much about the issue. On the other hand, if it is well supported, the Government, this close to an election, is very sensitive to actions it might take which may lose votes, and would probably take notice.



I am therefore urging you to sign up to this petition - if you agree with it, and ask that you encourage everyone that you know, to also sign up.



We need more signatures than our membership, or even the total number of boaters in the UK – So please ask all of your colleagues, friends and family and e-mailable contacts to help us today! – and ask them to pass this message on as well - we need all of the UK to know about this and to respond on line .



The future of the waterways could depend on your actions today – Please act, and pass this message on.



Thank you



Clive Henderson

IWA national chairman

nationalchairman@waterways.org.uk
 
Signed,
But you are probably on a loser, remember Gordon Brown sold our Gold reserves at a time when prices were at their lowest, now with property prices in the doldrums he's proposing to do the same thing again.
You couldnt make it up!
 
In good company perhaps ?

"But you are probably on a loser, remember Gordon Brown sold our Gold reserves at a time when prices were at their lowest."
You couldnt make it up.....?

Some stuff easily available from the interweb for those interested......



Treasury offloads gold reserves

Gold: There is too much of the shiny metal about
Britain is to sell off a big chunk of its gold reserves because what was once one of the world's most precious commodities is losing its value.
The UK is selling 415 tonnes of its 715 tonnes of gold, around 10% of its total Treasury holdings, as it 'restructures' its reserves.
This is more than half the treasury's hoard of gold, secured in vaults under the Bank of England.
A UK Treasury spokesman said: "Our aim is to optimise and diversify our portfolio with a sensible risk return balance."
The UK will buy more foreign currencies with the proceeds.
The first tranche of 125 tons will be sold in the next year.




Gold plunged by more than five US dollars an ounce as the market reacted to the news.
It is now worth just over $280 a troy ounce. A troy ounce weighs 1.1 ounces.
Gold was once one of the most valuable assets in the world but as more and more of the shiny metal swills around its value drops.

Gold's falling standard

Critically, for banks it now gives relatively poor returns and several have been selling off their reserves, including the Australians, Belgians, Dutch and even the Swiss.

The International Monetary Fund is to consider selling off some of its gold to help fund debt relief for poorer countries.

The significance of Switzerland is that its 2,600 tonnes of gold are the third-biggest reserve of holdings in the world, after the US and the eurozone area.
How low will gold prices go?
Over the last 20 years bonds and shares have given better returns and many banks and finance institutions are now replacing gold with better yielding investments.
The Swiss reckon the cost of lost interest in holding gold rather than US Treasury bonds is equivalent to around $400 a year per household.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top