Public Private Partnerships

Public Private Partnerships

Public Private Parnerships (PUPS) are currently en-vogue amongst the worlds governing agencies, exemplified by the actions and proclamations of International Financial Institutions such as the World Bank and the European Bank For Reconstruction and Development. 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 ethos they are promoted as the maain 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 Unison that PPP's, across all sectors, in Scotland are providing value for money . 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.