Test & Trace: The Incompetence & Corruption Continues
As we enter the second wave of the Covid 19 pandemic, the arrogance and corruption of the government, continues unabated.
Nowhere is this more blatantly obvious, than their corrupt and incompetent handling, of the vitally important test, track and trace system.
The disastrous failures, of the private companies, that have been handed the contracts, and huge amounts of public money, for organising and running the test, track and trace services, are well documented.
From the hundreds of thousands of people unable to get a test, to the loss of the records of 16,000 people who had tested positive, the inability to track, trace and contact people effectively, the list endless.
As once again, Covid 19 spreads like wildfire, the main weapon to control and get on top of it, is in the hands of notoriously corrupt and incompetent firms like SERCO.
THE TORIES' DISMISSAL OF CONCERNS
However, when entirely legitimate questions and criticisms, are raised, by MP's in the House of Commons, the arrogant dismissal of them, by the likes of Health Minister, Matt Hancock, is both outrageous, and pure theatre.
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the Labour MP for Slough, raised legitimate questions on behalf of his constituents, in relation to the difficulties they were experiencing.
They were not able to get tested locally.
They were having to travel miles to get a test.
This because there was a problem with the local test centre.
He exposed the government lie, that they had been in touch with the local council, working to get the situation rectified.
The response of the Health minister, Matt Hancock, was, that we have had record numbers of tests being done, people were working very hard, and he wouldn't tolerate such divisive language. He just wouldn't have it.
That was it, he sat back down without addressing any of the questions that had been raised.
Following this incredible outburst, we were treated to a performance, that would have been embarrassing, if it had come from a petulant child.
Richard Burgon, the Labour MP for Leeds East, and Secretary of the Socialist Campaign Group, spoke in the House of Commons.
He asked if the Health Secretary if he would acknowledge the failures of the privately run test and trace system, and hand services over to the public sector.
The response was a simple, no.
Rees Mogg then repeated this arrogant and infantile approach when again, Richard Burgon asked for a debate on test and trace in parliament, following the disastrous performance of SERCO.
Rees Mogg simply answered no, and sat back down.
You can't help thinking that the next constructive suggestion, with a view to getting the Covid 19 pandemic under control, will be responded to by the health secretary, or one of the other ministers, simply blowing a raspberry, it really is getting that ridiculous.
BRING TEST AND TRACE UNDER PUBLIC CONTROL
The demand by Richard Burgon to kick private contractors out of the test, trace and tracking, and to hand the services, and the finance, over to Local government and the NHS, is something that should have been done months ago.
In fact it is something that should have been done right from the very start.
Massive resourses should have been poured into the NHS and local government, to ensure that the test, track and trace system was put in place, rapidly expanded and run in house.
It is absolutely clear that this is what should have happened in the first place.
The reality was though, that despite the World Health Organisation advising countries to, test, test, test, at the very begining of the crisis back in March, it took the Tories months to put any sort of system in place at all.
When they did, contracts worth hundreds of millions, were handed over to favoured private companies, whose main objective is always to make a profit.
Despite repeated failures, tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths, and a lockdown later, the government would appear, on the surface, to have learned nothing, and we are back to square one.
Thousands of new cases, and deaths up to over 80 a day by the end of last week.
They have been rapidly rising for some time, and those are the official figures, which everyone knows are cynically manipulated to minimize the public perception and mask the consequences of the governments ineptitude.
How has it been possible for other countries to get the virus under control?
In places like China, New Zealand, Vietnam and Cuba effective track and trace measures, have helped to ensure that the virus has all but been eliminated.
However it is crystal clear, that in the countries that worship neo liberal capitalism, who bow down to the market, no matter what, and where corruption is rife, and free reign is given to the private sector, the pandemic is running riot.
The USA, Britain and Brazil to name but three.
How much longer is this going to be allowed to continue, before we get ourselves organized and offer some serious opposition.
It is time to tell Matt Hancock, and the rest of the arrogant menagerie, that makes up Johnson's Tory government, that we just won't have it, we are just not putting up with it anymore.
Kick the private contractors out of track and trace. Hand over all services to the NHS and local government
Kick the private contractors out of all public services, and run them for need not profit.
Bring all essential services into public ownership
Rebuild the Labour and trade union movement from the bottom up, rebuild the shop stewards movement.
Fight for the end of a totally corrupt system that is killing thousands, while the corrupt minority enrich themselves further.