Public Private Partnerships
Public Private Parnerships (PUPS) are currently in vogue amongst the world's governing agencies, exemplified by the actions and proclamations of International Financial Institutions such as the World Bank [1] and the European Bank For Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) [2]. They are one of the means by which the private sector has penetrated the lucrative and guaranteed returns of the public sector. Supporting the dominant ideology of "public bad, private good", they are promoted as the main policy solution in various countries and sectors, including water. For example, in Scotland there have been 21 Public Private Partnerships to build Wastewater Treatment Plants, necessitated by the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. The Governments of the day, in the mid to late nineties, decided that they did not have sufficient funds to pay for these and sought partnerships and investments from the private sector.
There is some doubt, notably from the public sector trade union Unison that PPP's, across all sectors, in Scotland are providing value for money [3]. There is also concern that Public Private Partnerships represent the gradual privatisation of public goods and services and an erosion of notions of social solidarity and a public service ethos.
References
- ↑ Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency World Bank Group FDI.Net FDI.Net Privatisation Accessed 1 November 2008
- ↑ EBRD About the EBRD, Accessed 1 November 2008
- ↑ Unison Scotland At What Cost? A Unison report on the aggregate costs of PFI/PPP projects in Scotland - and some suggestions on a way forward, Accessed 1 November 2008
