Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Wales could be worse!

 I have to admit that since we have come back to Wales I have done quite a bit of "bellyaching" about our circumstances which have not been good, and perhaps will mean that we may have to move to England, that is unfortunate. I was criticized by an acquaintance of mine about how I had always talked about going back to Wales as if it was Paradise and yet seemed to be running it down

. His criticism was un...warranted and out of line. Wales is a great country with a great people, that have been let down by a political establishment that has kept it down, and poor. I was filled with joy when wales (very narrowly) voted for home rule in 1997, I thought it was a great chance to release that great potential that the Welsh people had. In the past Wales was known for many great exports besides coal. It was teachers, Wales was (and is) known for her great teachers.All over England you will find clumps of teachers in her schools educating England's kids. However there is something wrong in Wales. Devolution promised us great hope, we given structural funds from the EU to build this great country of ours, and what happened to it, and more so what has happened to our education? Blame the Tory cuts cry Labour! Yet what about before the Tories were in power, who do you blame then. Whether it was Russell Goodwage blaming Rhodri Morgan for Cardiff's misfortunes in 2004 (his almost losing his seat I think), loads of money wasted and people in my own home still living in dire poverty with no hope. Money would have been better spent teaching people to be creative, creating businesses, instead they teaching them still to be dependent. And what is happening in my own community? A library that is only 25 years old, and was hailed in nationwide publications in the UK is going to be closed and demolished. And is provision shoved into some ugly Nissan hut that leaks with inadequate heating and air conditioning in the name of saving money, and finally the medieval church that stood on the hill For hundreds of years that was neglected and betrayed by Cardiff Council who promised the people of Caerau that they would take care of it, is ready to fall down. That is symbolic of what is happening in Wales.
however I come back to my former friend and answer his criticism of what is better? I will tell him, the company that I used to work for in Dodge City has now introduced a policy that if you are sick even for one day and don't have a doctor's note then you are terminated. That would not Happen in Wales. I had the temerity to suggest a union there, and they cut my hours (and I think contrived my termination there) Wales is definitely one up on that. The other and most important is healthcare. I took my daughter to get her sight examined some time ago, for nothing, that would happen back there. Yes healthcare is important, and at least we can get it without getting bankrupt, that is why Wales for all our problems is paradise, and we love it, and we should not have to leave it!
I admit that since we have come back to Wales I have done quite a bit of "bellyaching" about our circumstances which have not been good, and perhaps will mean that we may have to move to England, that is unfortunate. I was criticized by an acquaintance of mine about how I had always talked about going back to Wales as if it was Paradise. His criticism was unwarranted and out of line. Wales is a great country with a great people, that have been let down by a political establishment that has kept it down, and poor. I was filled with joy when wales (very narrowly) voted for home rule in 1997, I thought it was a great chance to release that great potential that the Welsh people had. In the past Wales was known for many great exports besides coal. It was teachers, Wales was (and is) known for her great teachers.All over England you will find clumps of teachers in her schools educating England's kids. However there is something wrong in Wales. Devolution promised us great hope, we given structural funds from the EU to build this great country of ours, and what happened to it, and more so what has happened to our education? Blame the Tory cuts cry Labour! Yet what about before the Tories were in power, who do you blame then. Whether it was Russell Goodwage blaming Rhodri Morgan for Cardiff's misfortunes in 2004 (his almost losing his seat I think), loads of money wasted and people in my own home still living in dire poverty with no hope. Money would have been better spent teaching people to be creative, creating businesses, instead they teaching them still to be dependent. And what is happening in my own community? A library that is only 25 years old, and was hailed in nationwide publications in the UK is going to be closed and demolished. And is provision shoved into some ugly Nissan hut that leaks with inadequate heating and air conditioning in the name of saving money, and finally the medieval church that stood on the hill For hundreds of years that was neglected and betrayed by Cardiff Council who promised the people of Caerau that they would take care of it, is ready to fall down. That is symbolic of what is happening in Wales.
however I come back to my former friend and answer his criticism of what is better? I will tell him, the company that I used to work for in Dodge City has now introduced a policy that if you are sick even for one day and don't have a doctor's note then you are terminated. That would not Happen in Wales. I had the temerity to suggest a union there, and they cut my hours (and I think contrived my termination there) Wales is definitely one up on that. The other and most important is healthcare. I took my daughter to get her sight examined some time ago, for nothing, that would happen back there. Yes healthcare is important, and at least we can get it without getting bankrupt, that is why Wales for all our problems is paradise, and we love it, and we should not have to leave it!