Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Ryder Cup
There has been a lot of discussion in the media about the cost of the Welsh Assembly Government's delegation to the Ryder Cup in Ireland. Independent AM, Trish Law was the first to raise it in the Assembly however, with a question about the next tournament:
Trish Law: Is it the Welsh Assembly Government’s intention to send a delegation to the thirty-seventh Ryder Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2008? OAQ1963(FM)
The First Minister: I would expect us to do so, for the same reason that Governor Ernie Fletcher and his delegation from Kentucky were in the K Club in Ireland a couple of weeks ago. Indeed, the event in Ireland provided us with fantastic opportunities to raise Wales’ profile as a business and leisure destination on a global stage and to create jobs. To a lesser extent, the event in Kentucky will do the same.
Trish followed this up with a supplementary asking that any subsequent delegation will be more prudent. There is little hope that this wil happen as the First Minister made clear:
Trish Law: Will the First Minister give an assurance that the Assembly Government will be more prudent with public expenditure for the 2008 trip to America than it was in spending £236,000 to treat 30 delegates to a jaunt in Ireland for this year’s Ryder Cup?
The First Minister: It just depends what you think was happening. In this case, I never saw any golf being played. I was meeting with business executives all the time, and one of those meetings resulted in the announcement of 300 new jobs two weeks ago. I hope that some of your constituents will be able to access some of those jobs when the company opens.
So the First Minister went all that way and did not see any golf at all. Very commendable.
Trish Law: Is it the Welsh Assembly Government’s intention to send a delegation to the thirty-seventh Ryder Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2008? OAQ1963(FM)
The First Minister: I would expect us to do so, for the same reason that Governor Ernie Fletcher and his delegation from Kentucky were in the K Club in Ireland a couple of weeks ago. Indeed, the event in Ireland provided us with fantastic opportunities to raise Wales’ profile as a business and leisure destination on a global stage and to create jobs. To a lesser extent, the event in Kentucky will do the same.
Trish followed this up with a supplementary asking that any subsequent delegation will be more prudent. There is little hope that this wil happen as the First Minister made clear:
Trish Law: Will the First Minister give an assurance that the Assembly Government will be more prudent with public expenditure for the 2008 trip to America than it was in spending £236,000 to treat 30 delegates to a jaunt in Ireland for this year’s Ryder Cup?
The First Minister: It just depends what you think was happening. In this case, I never saw any golf being played. I was meeting with business executives all the time, and one of those meetings resulted in the announcement of 300 new jobs two weeks ago. I hope that some of your constituents will be able to access some of those jobs when the company opens.
So the First Minister went all that way and did not see any golf at all. Very commendable.
Comments:
<< Home
He had a meeting and created 300 jobs? Is there no limit to his fantasies?
If he held a meeting every day then in a year he could create 109,500 jobs. What's the unemployment situation at the moment? Rhodri could sort it all out easily.
£236,000...30 people...nearly 8 grand for each person. For how long? A week? £1,000 per person per day (on top of salaries, of course).
Is he havin' a laff?
If he held a meeting every day then in a year he could create 109,500 jobs. What's the unemployment situation at the moment? Rhodri could sort it all out easily.
£236,000...30 people...nearly 8 grand for each person. For how long? A week? £1,000 per person per day (on top of salaries, of course).
Is he havin' a laff?
I agree with you David; he didn't even play any golf, just met with business people. Well at £1000 a day for him to meet with business people they must have been charging him the pleasure of their company! or not!
Post a Comment
# posted by 
: 9:49 AM
: 9:49 AM<< Home
