Belfast
Port is the latest quick money making scheme that the Treasury is currently
eyeing up. A government review of ports policy in the UK, which has
now gone out for consultation, raises the question of whether it is
in the public interest for Belfast Harbour Commissioners (BHC) to retain
ownership of non-port land.
The
increasing value of the land, which takes in the George Best City Airport,
the Odyssey, Harland & Wolff, the StenaLine and Norse Irish Ferries
port approximating 1,950 acres, amounts to billions of pounds and this
has not gone unnoticed by the government.
The review is designed to pave the way for an asset-stripping privatisation
by selling off key parts to the private sector. The review poses the
question whether the assets are being managed to the maximum effect
in the interests of all the people of Northern Ireland. The fact that
the timing of the consultation process is due to take place over the
summer holidays shows that the government are not really interested
in hearing the public’s views or concerns.
If the Port was to be privatised and sold to the highest bidder, decisions
taken on managing the land would be based on satisfying the shareholders.
The regulatory duties including pollution control, navigational safety
and environmental protection would become the responsibility of the
private company. This would mean commercial pressures to satisfy shareholders
would take precedence over public safety. This has already been tragically
demonstrated by the privatisation of rail companies in England.
The hypocrisy of the politicians in claiming to be opposed to the privatisation
of the Port is incredible. One of the first decisions made in the Assembly
was to hand over 185 acres of the Harbour estate to Fred Olsen's company,
Olsen Energy. This was sold for the giveaway price of £47 million.
This land was used to benefit property speculators - not to solve the
housing problem or help provide jobs.
It is clear that this review is not for the benefit of the public of
Northern Ireland and any attempt to take the Port of Belfast out of
public ownership should be firmly resisted.
