David Levy – Sense and Sensibility – Oct 19

This blog begins by focusing on the work our late founder Chairman, Pat Gowen and a new member Brian Morgan who have undertaken research to evaluate the health standards on our beaches and the cleanliness of bathing waters.

It is, from my understanding of the many conversations I listened to, a complex matter which when examined reflects badly on this country’s overall efficiency, run by the Environment Agency, to do a good job in protecting the public from serious contamination from sewage, both treated and untreated.

Questions have arisen and will be asked.

Marinet will endeavour to put together in a pamphlet based on the scientific studies of both Pat and Brian which, in my opinion, will be a fitting tribute to them both and which will reflect the priorities that Marinet maintains.

What I would say is that both people in their own time have been highly disappointed with the low status of our country in the league tables of performance and also in our attitude before and after the European Bathing Laws were enacted.

From my knowledge of Government agencies they are under-funded to meet all the multitude of responsibilities they have, so end up letting down the public who place such hope in them because all they manage doing is just an adequate job and do not seek a gold standard of practice.

In terms of health, this will never be enough and illness will occur because of this laissez–faire approach to their responsibilities.

Marinet has few friends when it comes to resolutely speaking up for the ecosystem approachecosystem approach An ecosystem-based approach to management represents a new and more strategic way of thinking. It puts the emphasis on a management regime that maintains the health of ecosystems alongside appropriate human use of the marine environment, for the benefit of current and future generations. This requires setting clear environmental objectives both at the general and specific level, basing management of the marine environment on the principles of sustainable development, conservation of biodiversity, robust science, the precautionary principle and stakeholder involvement. Ref, DEFRA, Safeguarding Our Seas, section 1.17 (2002) to our guardianship of this planet.

Let’s be clear, that requires speaking out about what is necessary to make right the matters which are within our influence. It means naming and shaming, rather than closing down Central London without having no more than an Athenian hope in public assembly.

It seems to me that this country is in the grip of ideologies that have failed us so desperately in the past.

The ideology of dyed in the wool Communists and the new ideology of those who offer little other than public meetings linked to combined actions of civil disobedience aimed at getting what we already have — democratically elected councils which should act for our benefit.

That they don’t focus on our established democratic political means of change is because this XR energy has been placed into an arena with no control over its direction.

Instead they should fighting electorally for council and then MP seats. Who is to say that their ideology will not fail like it did in the past.

It works certainly at the small scale, like a kibbutz.

But for a country, I fear not.

David Levy

 


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