next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects
The following are some key points that must be raised with HRM council members by HRM residents and others as well. The harbour issue is likely the biggest project that HRM council will ever undertake. You may have some opinions or other concerns such as the type of treatment being considered. I am asking that you send a message with you concern and in that message ask to keep the waste water treatment plants as publicly owned and operated system. Council members E-mail address are on the HRM web site as well as phone and mailing addresses. Letters to the editor are also welcome on this subject. Anyone who requires additional information can contact me at dannyc@ns.sympatico.ca Many thanks. Point 1: For-profit services cost consumers more Experience shows that when corporations control vital public services, the costs to consumers rise. For example, in 1995, one of the firms that are bidding to control the HRM wastewater plants, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, signed a contract to supply water to the city of Casablanca. The contract provided for a hike in water prices of 10-15% and in wastewater disposal of 60%! 1. How will members of Council guarantee that consumers won't be gouged? Why pay for corporate profits when the HRM could operate the plants directly? Point 2: For-profit services cost taxpayers more Experience also shows that financing costs are higher for corporations. For example, in the Casablanca contract, Suez was criticized because it invested little of its own funds, relying instead on financing from the banks. But corporations pay higher interest rates than governments do, so taxpayers end up paying more money to cover higher interest payments as well as profits. The HRM should finance, own and operate the plants directly. It could borrow the funds more cheaply from the Municipal Finance Corporation. 2. How is the Harbour cleanup being financed? How will members of Council control costs? If the financing is coming from consumers and governments, why should a corporation(s) control the plants? Why doesn't the HRM borrow from the Municipal Finance Corporation and reduce costs? 3. How much does the HRM expect to save with a privatization scheme? Point 3: Today wastewater; tomorrow water To get their foot in the door, corporations are bidding on wastewater treatment with a long-range goal of profiting from water services. And it isn't just that they want to profit from selling water to the residents of Halifax. They also have one eye on the export market. Water is covered by NAFTA so companies with holdings in the U.S. are looking to sell our water where it will earn the highest profit. Once it's diverted south of the border, it will be next to impossible to get it back. Suez will be more concerned about their healthy profit margins than healthy drinking water for Canadians. 4. Why is Council creating an opening for corporations to profit from the sale and export of water? Point 4: Public can do it better, cheaper It's been proven time and again that private public partnerships are not good for taxpayers. The P3 schools in Nova Scotia were a taxpayer rip-off. Privatization of highways has also been stopped. Giant water corporations are known for submitting low cost bids with big promises of great and wonderful things. Once they're in control, the promises disappear and the costs to local residents rise. The Halifax Water Commission runs an excellent water system that is publicly controlled and operated. It delivers pure, clean water that exceeds Canadian guidelines. It's self-sustaining and highly efficient. As well, the HRM operates the Mill Cove and other wastewater treatment plants directly itself. Again, it's a high quality, cost-effective operation. 5. Why doesn't council support a publicly operated and controlled wastewater system? Point 5: Council can't escape its accountability The water corporations have a sorry record around the world of price hikes, sewage spills, environmental disasters and corruption. For example, in 1995, a French court confirmed that the water contracts awarded to Suez in Grenoble in 1989 were fixed. As a result, the mayor received a five-year prison sentence for taking bribes and high-level managers with Suez were convicted of corruption. The contract has since been renegotiated, forcing Suez to stop extra user charges and return majority control of the water concession back to the city. 6. HRM Council members will be held accountable for every wrongdoing, environmental infraction, rate increase or corner cut by the water privateers. While staff seems to be promoting privatization, it's Council members who will be held to account. 7. Council members are elected to make decisions in the public interest. Privatization of water and wastewater services hasn't worked in other parts of the world and it won't be any different in Halifax. Public control and operation is the only option to ensure an accountable and trustworthy system. 8. What are you doing as a member of HRM Council to protect the public interest? How will you ensure that local residents and taxpayers won't be given the run around by a corporation that is accountable to its shareholders? -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- The preceding message was posted on the Sustainable Maritimes mailing list (sust-mar). http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/lists/sust-mar -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Volunteer moderator: Paul Falvo mailto:sust-mar-owner@chebucto.ns.ca To submit a message to sust-mar, please send it to: mailto:sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca PLEASE SEND MESSAGES TO SUST-MAR IN PLAIN TEXT ONLY MESSAGES CONTAINING HTML (MIME) CANNOT BE POSTED
next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects