Thanks to the latest front page editorial I have been able to uncover yet another person getting a really important job but who has absolutely no qualifications OR experience for it: Amanda Cottrell
Born in Windsor in 1941 and educated in England, Switzerland and at the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts in Massachusetts.
She ran a small holding in Challock for many years, including pigs, sheep, two house cows, turkeys and 700 free-range chickens. Cheese making became a way of life. A magistrate for 23 years, Chairman of her local Parish Council, school governor, County President of the Girl Guide movement and President of the NSPCC, Amanda was High Sheriff of Kent (2006-07) and is now Chairman of Visit Kent.
She is also a Kent Ambassador, a Trustee and Friend of Canterbury Cathedral, Trustee of the Kent Community Housing Trust and the Kent Wildlife Trust, a Vice President of the Canterbury Festival and Patron of Produced in Kent.
How do we, Joe Public put a stop to this sort of thing? With absolutely no disrespect to ur Roger, he is better suited for the role Chairman of Visit Kent than this lady.
Unregistered User
It's not what you know Sid !
I agree MRP, but it's about time people were stopped from getting jolly's and those who can do the job are rewarded with it. I don't know if the role was even advertised so that candidates who were/are of the right level of experieince and/or qualification could chuck their hat into the ring.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
I dont agree with you here Sid.
I think that we are far too obsessed by paper qualifications in this country. OK where you have a highly technical job it is important to have the right knowledge and skills but in many other respects experience and character are much more important.
I left school myself at 15 - no qualifications. The only formal ones I have now are in respect of my profession, done on the job, of which the most valuable is experience.
Barry, I agree totally, but I did say "the right level of experience and/or qualification".
This lady has no experience OR paper qualifications that make her the best person for this job, so, what is the justification for her appointment?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Ive met the lady in question a couple of times now and very charismatic she is too. I dont know her well though to be clear...but she appears to know absolutely everybody, all the movers and shakers, and as we know you can get everything done if you know all the right people. This would probably have been the thinking behind such an appointment. Somebody with the right qualifications who hailed say from Barnsley and knew nobody might have trouble being effective.
Unregistered User
So it is who you know
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
It's always been who you know, less what you know.
Thank you for that compliment Sid, but I can't even make local people accept what should be done for Dover, tourism and the businesses here.
Other than the Town or District Councils, the Chamber of Commerce should be the body to work for Dover Town and the businesses, but the last attempt to do so, ended in shambles and farce, lies and deceit.
The President and Strategic Director at the Chamber of Commerce should have accepted that they didn't know everything and accept that others do know what should be done and let them do it, but until that attitude changes, no progress can be made.
Dover's the biggest loser - again.
Roger
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
I agree with Barry; paper qualifications are fine, but they aren't the be all and end all. Common sense, the ability to communicate with people at all levels, and ultimately experience hold more importance for me, although I would agree that a paper qualification is a good start.
True friends stab you in the front.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
I had heard a lot about this lady and today I had the pleasure of meeting her .I attended Woman of Kent Luncheon at The Ramada Hollingbourne .this lady is an excellent speaker very good at communicating .Amanda came up to me realised I was from Dover and was talking to me about all sorts of positive things Dover has to offer .
Bearing there were 250 ladies there I was impressed /
Mover and shakers is what we need .
I was able to fly the flag for Dover .I did wear a hat A nice navy and wihite number
So, what is this erudite sponger actually going to DO for Dover Sue. I know loads about London and Edinburgh, but don't do a single thing for either city. We don't need words, we WANT action. What is she doing for US?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
she was probably too busy admiring the titfer that our susan was wearing to bother with trivialities like helping dover.
time and a place and all that.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
We talked about Charlie being elected and expresed a view that he would get things done as he is a keen worker .Someone else hoped we would get the Olympic Torch brought through Dover ,another enviedus with the thoughts of a cable car .being installed here .
Jolly good conversation Sid and Howard At least I try to fly the flag for Dover I just have to persuade my fellow Councillors money has to be spent wisely ..
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
more to the point susan, was your choice of headwear suitable for such esteemed company?
i thought it was already booked, the olympic torch i mean.
interesting to read that other places like the idea of a cable car.
So, arch-sponger had nothing constructive to say about our "nice little town that might get an unwanted cable-car". Well done to you Sue for flying our flag, but why didn't you give her a hard time? She gets paid a huge salary for sipping tea and admiring hats.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
your party will be sending these quangos to oblivion sid, rightly so.
i am fully sick and tired of seeda, seera, dover pride and all the rest of these organisations that absorb money and give nothing in return.
local people in each town and village know better where money should be spent, they elect people to spend it.
Sadly Howard, those we elect are called politicians, a breed usually more interested in either furthering their careers, taking expenses, finding ways to avoid answering direct questions and/or generally acting in a superior way to us mere oiks who can only just manage to scrawl an 'X' on a piece of paper.
Should we really expect any thing different?
PS My party didn't have any candidates this time around, so I stayed carbon neutral.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Oh dear! Sid Sid me oul china, you are dropping doverforum in it there calling the lady in question an 'erudite sponger'. As far as we are aware she works promoting Kent to the wider market and is in a job. So what you are saying is in effect libellous/slanderous. We ask people not to make posts like that as the only people it hurts are ourselves. If people take legal action against us then we're finished. We dont have the resources to fight so would be put off air in an instant.
If anyone thinks Im letting my imagination run away with me... no its all too real. Only last week the acute observers amongst us, will have noted that we were forced by legal action to remove posts and close a thread on here...so the threat is all too real. Doverforum reverberates further afield than it ever did so members must remember they are not just writing to each other but anyone can see it.
Co-operation is appreciated.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I thought you could only be sued for libel if it's not true ?
Roger
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Ah...Yes but the judge decides what is or isnt true.