Glad this press statement went out this morning. Fine if a constitutional amendment is put before us but dont forget that the Greens support there being a water charge regardless of water remaining in state ownership. This demand is being used as a conscious distraction by some who either dont oppose the charge or who are not serious about organising the boycott required to defeat them. Press Statement: Joe Higgins TD/ Anti-Austerity Alliance (3rd November) Calls for Referendum on Water Privatisation a Cynical Attempt to Divert from immediate and central issue - ABOLITION OF WATER CHARGES *Water Charges and Commodification of Water is what put Privatisation in the frame *Hapless Greens, Pathetic Siptu Leadership and Panic Struck Gorvernment Backbenchers in Desperate Search for Alibi *Mass Boycott Will Decide the Issue (Joe Higgins TD, Socialist Party/WE WONT PAY CAMPAIGN and Chairman of the successful Dublin Anti Charges Campaign 1994- 1997) The call for a Referendum to outlaw water privatisation is a blatantly cynical attempt to divert from the central issue of the day - the abolition of the water charges. These calls are coming from the very people who are responsible for the introduction of water charges. Hapless Green Party Leader, Eamon Ryan, is desperate to have people forget that he and his party in government with Fianna Fail were instrumental in putting water charges in place. Panic driven Government backbenchers are casting about for any fig leaf behind which they can attempt to hide. Siptu leader Jack OConnor who has chosen to become the self-appointed mudguard for the betrayals of Labour in government is so far out of touch with the mood of the members of his union that he should be sacked forthwith by those members. What put privatisation on the agenda in the first place is the conscious strategy of government to attempt to turn water into a market commodity and water charges are central to this. The most immediate blow to any privatisation agenda is to abolish water charges. This is what the calls for a Referendum are attempting to obfuscate. But the ordinary people of this country who have been demonstrating in unprecedented levels of people power against the water charges should not be taken as fools and will not be demobilised by any of the cynical trickery now being attempted. A mass refusal to pay the water charges is what will decide this issue. That is the ultimate and strongest weapon that our people have if the government persists. If any of those who consider themselves advocates for the abolition of water charges, such as the leaders of Right to Water or Sinn Fein, are really serious they will follow the lead of the We Wont Pay Campaign and call for a concerted, organised, nationwide boycott. All this should go with a debate on real measures for water conservation. Not just the obvious repair of the leaking infrastructure but national investment programmes to retrofit homes and premises generally with significant water saving devices and technology. ENDS
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 11:55:11 +0000
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