Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Needless to say for anyone acquainted with my views, the company constitution will require that NO-ONE can ever close these economic assets down and outsource the production to other countries, or employ foreign labour in place of local people.
Therefore, these assets won't be run according to the laws of speculation of private money-making owners.
I'm also thinking of a food-processing plant for fresh fruit and vegetables that purchases local farm produce, and a coordination agency that employs fruit and veg seasonal workers from English-speaking Kent on Kentish farms.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Having said that, I'm convinced there is a good export potential for Kentish farm produce to other countries in return for hard cash. We could use this cash to import prime materials that are not available here, such as metals and textile materials, which we would use in our foundries and textile factories.
To get the real economy up and running, we need to have a clear idea of what is on, and what is not on.
The idea is to give the young Kentish generation a future, and an enduring one that no-one can ever come along and destroy.
I'm sure that ghosts of vampires past, such as T. Blair, will never hit our shores again in the guise of a "prime minister".
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
"A Company constitution needs to be made out, initially as a draft plan, as there won't, obviously, be any private owners, only share holders. "
You are really talking about a mutual company or a cooperative, Alex. This is a form of ownership which I strongly favour and I suggest you take a look at John Lewis at one end of the spectrum and Canterbury Wholefoods at the micro end. Both are worker cooperatives.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 782- Registered: 4 Oct 2012
- Posts: 357
So then!
Will you lot be going to the Big Local meeting tonight to express your ideas?
Guest 705- Registered: 23 Sep 2010
- Posts: 661
Exciting Stuff!
Never give up...
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Tonight I won't be able to make it to the Big Local meeting, but will keep in contact.
We are basically talking of a mutual company or a cooperative.
I'll be presenting a preliminary assessment of market demand and an idea of production costs in relation to materials, machinery, land, building facilities and salaries.
An idea is that shares will bring in dividends to their holders based on profits, while a part of the profits would be invested in Company expansion and further local employment.
As a rule, the companies, or cooperatives, could not expand beyond Kent, and would preferably avoid loans.
This is why the process needs to be well thought out before it starts, as it would rely on local investment.
Because shares are not loans, and share-holders are liable to lose their money if something goes wrong, it needs to be well thought out to avoid this happening.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
One important aspect to address is ethical working standards, and the need to offer an alternative to the import of manufacture produced in ways that in our Country would be illegal.
This link gives a valid example of how so much of what is imported, is produced following standards that no manufacturer would be allowed to get away with here.
(It's probably the reason why big money-makers closed down production and opened up far away, out of sight of Public scrutiny.)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014325/Nike-workers-kicked-slapped-verbally-abused-factories-making-Converse-line-Indonesia.htmlGuest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
So basically, we are not looking at Argos-style cheap products, but home-made ware produced according to ethical standards, and not at 50 cents an hour.
Sadly there are so many reports of abusive work standards in factories in the Far East, including forced child labour, working unpaid overtime to meet targets, verbal and physical abuse on a daily scale, and yet we are importing everything while over 20% of youth in Britain are unemployed.
Manufacturers have chosen to transfer all production abroad in order to abscond from laws and regulations in Britain, and the High Street chains have chosen this same procedure.
Although some chains do adhere to ethical trade standards, these may be hard to follow up and keep an eye on.
In order to break the chain currently inflicted on the economy regards the cheap and exploitative manner of manufacture produced and imported from the Far East, and the Establishment-imposed local unemployment at home, only determination and an unbreakable will can change the situation.
It is something that we either do, or turn away from. The latter means giving in and loosing.
In which case we will have only pound shops and impoverished people, and a lost generation of unemployed youth.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Moving production abroad, or even just importing finished goods from overseas, has grown out of a desire for cheaper goods.
We cannot stop imported goods - clothes, electrical goods or whatever, no matter how ethical we may feel it to be; the vast majority of any home-made finished items will be far more expensive than imported goods, so it may well be a non-starter.
It may (does) sound wonderful, but paying employees a living/minimum wage here, compared to what employees would earn in say China, India or anywhere else in the sweat-shops of asia, would be too great for it ti be a success.
The vast majority of people do not have ethics when it comes to buying - if they don't see the conditions under which those employees work, they won't think about it, just how much money do they have in their purse/wallet.
Roger
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
So, this is the 70th post with more than 1500 views yet still no positive or realistic ideas.
Too many people sitting around moaning and blaming others it seems.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
tyipical comment david,and forget its election time.
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
Whats it got to do with elections Brian?
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,621
It's one of those, when is a post not political?
barryw may agree here, politics affects your every day life in most aspects
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
What absolute nonsense Keith you are obsessed with political point scoring.
I start a thread about how we can regenerate Dover and as usual you want yah boo tosh brought into it.
A plague on all your houses, politicians at every level are the ruination of the country, Dover is a perfect example.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,621
David
I'v re looked at the postings and there has been some positive replies before post 70,
I have though said on here before that we need planners at District council level who thrive to want to see the same aims as locals in Dover.
My few experiences with the planning dept is a negative approach they give out,
always why they cant do things rather than why they can.
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
So why bring politics into it?
5 of us were in the market sq this morning before 6.00 putting up stalls, do you think we spent time arguing about politics?
I'll leave that to the those people who have represented the town for years and overseen its demise.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,621
David
you deliberatly misinterpret my reply to yours and brians postings
it was just an observation For me Dover needs to prosper the town is ,looking tired.
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
I am misinterpreting nothing, you have nothing positive to say. You moan about the planning dept and and bring party politics into it as usual.
Straight question Keith - how long were you a councillor?
As for Brian's post, I don't have a clue what he's on about
Guest 1694- Registered: 24 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,087
Yah boo
- sorry I couldn't join you this morning. Tied up at the moment on two large projects.