The Olympics, LOCOG & Public Money...

[chris watton]

Have all the workers/'security' guards already been paid? I ask because if you have any contractor/builder to work on your property, only a fool pays up front. They are usually paid after the job is complete.

If this company needed the cash before the event, clearly it wasn't big enough to deal with the contract in the first instance? Normal people plan their finances from a worst case scenario point of view, why do governments base their plans based on best case/fairy tale scenarios – is it because it’s public money (ours), and not theirs – do they plan their own personal finances that way?

[Murph7355]

chris watton said:

..., why do governments base their plans based on best case/fairy tale scenarios – is it because it’s public money (ours), and not theirs – do they plan their own personal finances that way?

An increasing number of private organisations do this IME too.

It helps support a shaky business case and precludes weak management having to deliver "bad" messages.

I do sometimes also wonder how much of this is borne of poor programme/project managers following govt derived methodologies badly.

I would have said that outsourcing something like this does not mean you abdicate the mgmt of the supplier. But it looks like the body running the contract were actually told it wasn't looking healthy some time ago...again, inept management.

[eccles]

[quote=toxicnerve
The fact that LOCOG are completely exempt from the FOI Act raises questions in and of itself does it not?

I'm just a layman but something about it doesn't feel right...
[/quote]



You only have to read Private Eye to see how rotten the whole games are, with all sorts of people with vested interests getting awarded contracts. It's the old boy network in full swing.

[XCP]

The games are a reflection of life today. Some things will go well, some will not. To contrast with the corrupt politicians and businessmen, you have vast numbers of people volunteering their time and expertise for nothing.

I know that politicians and big companies are corrupt. This is hardly news really is it?

[eldar]

XCP said:

The games are a reflection of life today. Some things will go well, some will not. To contrast with the corrupt politicians and businessmen, you have vast numbers of people volunteering their time and expertise for nothing.

I know that politicians and big companies are corrupt. This is hardly news really is it?

The surprising bit is how badly they do corruption and incompetence...

[WhereamI]

DS3R said:

WhereamI said:

Personally I'm a little reassured that it's not directly an arm of Government, I have little faith in their ability to run anything.

Because the private sector participants on display worldwide right now are doing oh such a *good* job!!

Yes they are, if you look around you there are many examples of the private sector working vey well, driving prices down, improving service and innovating. Sure, once in a while there is an example of someone screwing up but in the general scheme of things private sector companies are what makes this world work.

ETA I grew up in a world where a lot more was done in the public sector, your electricity, gas and phone line, steel production, cars, docks, railways etc. and it was really, truly crap. Whatever we might feel about the likes of BT today they are transformed from the halcyon days of the 70s where providing any service to you was seen as doing you a favour.

Edited by WhereamI on Tuesday 17th July 00:29

[league67]

WhereamI said:

Whatever we might feel about the likes of BT today they are transformed from the halcyon days of the 70s where providing any service to you was seen as doing you a favour.

Edited by WhereamI on Tuesday 17th July 00:29

Using BT as an example? Seriously? Four canceled appointments to install the telephone line in London, and 'John' from customer care in Mumbai will repeat ad nausem how sorry he is for charging you while you don't have service at all.

[vonuber]

As always in things like this, follow the money. I wouldn't be surprised at how many back handers have been done for lucrative contracts.

[Aids]

vonuber said:

As always in things like this, follow the money. I wouldn't be surprised at how many back handers have been done for lucrative contracts.

Spot on with your post> nail,head hit!!